SAKARYA - Workers who came from Mardin to Sakarya to pick hazelnuts were attacked by the employers and the villagers. Making a statement regarding the attack of Kurdish workers, Sakarya Governorship denied the incident, while workers stated that the gendarmerie asked them for their location.

 

16 hazelnut workers, who went from Mardin Mazıdağı to Sakarya, were attacked by employers and villagers this morning. Hazelnut workers set out to return to their homeland after the attack.

 

Stating that they had an arguement with the employer before the incident, one of the workers that was attacked, Barış Demir said: "We went to the field to work early in the morning. The employers said we were a 'dog pack' We left the field following his insult."

 

'THIS IS OUR HOMELAND'

 

Stating that the employer shouted after them saying: "Did you think this is your homeland?", Demir said they threatened them and then 8 of them attacked the three workers with sticks and stones.

 

GOVERNORSHIP REFUTES THE INCIDENT

 

The Sakarya Governorate, who made a statement after the images of the attack against Kurdish workers in Sakarya were published, denied the incident. Claiming that the incident was not in Sakarya but in Kocaali on August 22, the Governorship claimed that no complaints were made to the gendarmerie in Sakarya.

 

However, contrary to the statement of the Governorship, workers stated that the incident took place that day. The workers contacted by the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) stated that the incident took place that day, and that they will tell all the details later because their batteries are dying.

 

WORKERS ARE CONCERNED

 

HDP Mardin MP Pero Dündar also met with the workers. Dündar said that they also reported that there were injured among the workers. Contrary to the statement of the Sakarya Governorship, Dündar said that the incident took place that day and said, "The workers I interviewed said that the governor's statement was a lie, they called the gendarmerie, and the gendermerie asked for their location. When they saw that the villagers had gathered to attack them, they left the village without waiting for the gendarme. They said that most of the workers consisted of women. Dündar stated that the workers are concerned because they were still on the road.