JINHA

AMED – Everyday, one neighborhood has been missing in the historical Sur district where the destruction and siege continue. The ministry of environment and Urbanization loses no time in beginning to infrastructure works in demolished neighborhood and continues its development projects.

In seven-thousand-year-old Diyarbakır’s Sur district, a historical resistance took place. Then, a statement was made and said, “The operation ended” on March; however, the curfew has continued to be imposed in the town. While Sur people have been waiting for returning their homes for months, they say the destruction in the town is to erase the memory of the resistance. Following the destruction, the construction plan has put into practice in the town.

First destruction, first siege

First destruction on the walls of Diyarbakır listed as cultural heritage by UNESCO on July 4, 2015 began with siege of state forces. The historic buildings were destroyed with artillery fires in the town besieged against self-government demand. State forces damaged the historic places by using heavy weaponry during the curfew declared on December 2, in the town.

Contractors began to enter the town while the clashes continued and TOKİ (the division for state housing) came into power. Diggers enter the Sur when the clashes officially ended on March. On the heels of declaration of expropriation in the town, the destruction started too fast. At the first step, the destruction began in Hasırlı Neighborhood and Yoghurt Bazaar (Yoğurt Pazarı). The excavation from Sur was poured into Dicle University. Body parts were found in the excavation. Within two months after March, all homes in Yoghurt Bazaar were demolished and state forces continued to demolish the town.

Despite seven months, the latest photos of the destruction show the destruction in the town. While Hasırlı and Savaş neighborhoods are plain now, the destruction in Fatihpaşa and Cemal Yılmaz neighborhoods continues. The infrastructure works have begun in the town almost immediately. As no one knows which parcel belongs to which company, the places for restaurants, parks and road have begun to be determined in Sur.

Homes have begun to be sold in destroyed Dabanoğlu, Cevatpaşa, Fatihpaşa, Hasırlı, Savaş and Cemal Yılmaz neighborhoods. The people were given a small amount of money for their homes and asked to give the deed of their house. The citizens, who don’t allow new house to be built on their home land, are asked money for the TOKİ. If the home is historical and the state rebuilds the home, homeowner is asked to pay the expense for rebuilding. The people are given money if their homes are on the planed parks and roads or the home of TOKİ is sold to them with a discount of 40 percent.

(mm/gc/gd)