Kobané protests: Impunity makes it harder for us to handle the deaths 

2020-10-06 11:38:37


	 

	NEWS CENTER - The families who lost their loved ones during the Kobané protests are still suffering 6 years later because even the dead were discriminated. Father of Ekrem Kaceroğlu told that, "While we were shouting stop the deaths, the civil fascist flooded the streets, lynching us."

	 

	What happened during the Kobanê protests, in which 54 people lost their lives, has still not been clarified in the past 6 years. The AKP government, which blocked the insistent attempts to reveal what happened in those days, the development of events, those who lost their lives and the perpetrators, chose to leave what was happening in the dark. The judiciary, on the other hand, refrained from pursuing the truth behind those who died, except for one person.

	 

	LAW SUITS WERE FILED FOR THE 6 OF TTHE 54 PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED THAT DAY

	 

	The investigation into only 6 of the 54 deaths so far has been the subject of three cases. Two of these cases were related to the murder of Free Cause Party members and volunteers Yasin Börü, Ahmet Dakak, Riyat Güneş and Hasan Gökguz, who lost their lives during the protests in Diyarbakır, and Mehmet Latif Şener, who died in Van, while the other case was Ekrem Kaçaroğlu, who died in İzmir.

	 

	13 of the 41 defendants who were tried in Ankara 2nd High Criminal Court for the murder of Yasin Börü, Ahmet Dakak, Riyat Güneş and Hasan Gökguz were acquitted, while the other defendants were given prison sentences of different durations. The file went before the Supreme Court after the lawyers of 37 defendants appealed the decision. The 16th Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a penalty increase should be made in the direction of some defendants.

	 

	The deaths of Yasin Börü and his three friends have been the main argument for AKP's accusations against the HDP since the first day. Regarding these deaths, summaries were prepared and investigations were opened against HDP's Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, who were jailed at that time.

	 

	In the case filed for the death of Hüda-par member Mehmet Latif Şener in Van, the two detained defendants were sentenced to aggravated life in prison and 10 years 6 months prison sencences each.

	 

	In the trial of Ekrem Kaceroğlu (38), who was lynched and killed during the Kobani protests in Bornova district of Izmir on October 7, one of the 4 detained defendants was acquitted, and the other three were sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment for "possible deliberate killing". However, when the file was reversed, by the 4th High Criminal Division of the Izmir Regional Court of Justice, a decision of re-trial was given. The arrest warrant for the two defendants, who had not been caught for six years, was also lifted by the court.

	 

	His father, Bedrettin Kaceroğlu, told about his struggle for justice for 6 years to punish the perpetrators of his son.

	 

	Stating that they came to Izmir in 1982 due to the pressure they experienced in the Dokuzpınar village of the Bulanik district of Muş, father Kaceroğlu said: "We were delighted at that time, we were going to a civilized country, but unfortunately there was no humanity here as well."

	 

	'CIVIL FASCISTS FLOODED THE STREETS WHERE WE CHANTED 'STOP THE DEATHS'

	 

	 

	Kaceroğlu said that he had participated in the protests in the city for years demanding peace due to state pressure and violence, and that they participated in the protests for Kobanê while they both did not know the other was participating too, said: "I did not know that Ekrem was also coming to the demonstration for Kobané. We were going to make a press release and demand peace. We were shout out that we wanted the deaths to stop. But civil fascists flooded the streets where we chanted 'stop the deaths'. They started lynching us. We heard that shots were being fired. I learned that one of those bullet had hit my son right there. I ran towards him and saw him lying on the ground. He was being kicked even though there were hundreds of police officers around. I tried so hard to get him back and we finally were able to take him too a hospital. He lost his life after fighting for his life for 12 days in the intensive care unit."

	 

	Stating that his family is still traumatized by his son's death, Kaceroğlu said: "He was the best father ever. His children, who were really young back then are now grown. We don't tell them the whole truth to make sure they don't feel hostility against anyone. He was an excellent son too. He had a tea shop. There were right wing customers among the neighbors, who also shopped from him. They too loved him a lot. Now we are grieving every day."

	 

	Stating that they maintain their hope by saying maybe peace will come after all that were suffered, but Kaceroğlu stated that the government is still acting the Kurds as their enemies. Kaceroğlu said: "We always wanted peace. We hoped for peace even after our son was killed. We hoped he'd be the last one. But it didn't happen. A lot of people died after him. Our graves were attacked, trustees were appointed to our municipalities, bodies are sent to mothers in mail, in containers, our deputies are being arrested, thousands of our people are held in prisons. Kurdish people are left alone in the middle of this. Neither the CHP not the other institutions respond to these appropriately. Votes are not more important than one single tear drop of a mother. They can kill us but they can not buy the will of our mothers and families." 

	 

	'THE HISTORY HAVE SEEN A LOT OF DICTATORS'

	 

	Stating that going to court every time ever since that day makes them suffer more, Kaceroğlu said that they will be there on November 26th one more time, persuing the truth. Kaceroğlu said: "This world has seen a lot of dictators. They have all vanished. That stone thrown for war one day will roll over and stop in a plain ground. Peace will eventually come to this country. They can take our children, our villages, our houses from us but they can't rob us from our belief that better days are lying ahead."

	 

	MA  /  Ahmet Kanbal –Sevda Aydın – Ergin Çağlar