Speaking at the 1st Ordinary Congress of his party in Şırnak on April 6, DEVA Party Chairperson Ali Babacan said 34 people lost their lives as a result of the bombardment of Turkish Armed Forces warplanes in the Roboski village of Uludere district of Şırnak. Babacan said: "Our citizens who lost their lives in Roboski are waiting for justice. Nobody even apologized for it."

 

Roboski families reacted to the statement of Babacan, who was the Deputy Prime Minister of the time, and said, "Do you think things will be forgotton with an apology?"

 

CALL FOR SINCERITY

 

Halime Encü, mother of Serhat Encü, one of the 34 murdered villagers, stated that 9 years have passed since the Roboski massacre, but the perpetrators have not been prosecuted and said; "We ask Babacan: Why don't you apologize? If you were a little sincere in what you said, justice had already come to Roboski. Why didn't Ali Babacan talk like that when he was the Deputy Prime Minister? Why did he not apologize to the families? Why is he saying what he should have said back then now? If he is a bit sincere, he will share what he knows with the public. They should not carry out their dirty politics through our children and be honest. Let them tell the facts. Ahmet Davutoğlu should speak too. Let them explain what caused this. Those who did not apologize to us should  back then, shouldn't ask for someone else to apologize now. Do you think things will be forgotton with an apology?"

 

"TELL US ONE BY ONE"

 

Cemal Encü's mother Hazal Encü, who lost her son in the massacre, stated that what was done should be told one by one and said: "Their aim is to win the Kurdish votes with this policy. But they will not be able to do it. If he is a bit sincere in his words, then he should keep his word and this discourse should not be limited only with Şırnak. Let him say this everywhere he goes and tell him what the AKP has done in Roboski everywhere. We will demand justice as long as we live. Justice will not go anywhere unless justice comes to Roboski."

 

WHO ORDERED THE MASSACRE?

 

On the other hand, Hamza Encü's mother, Kadriye Encü, said that apologizing would not make sense unless justice was delivered. Kadriye Encü continued her words as follows: "Those who declare our children 'terrorists' that day, should not apologize to us today. As if it was not enough that they massacred our children, they also raided our homes every day, detained and arrested us. Nine years have passed since the Roboski massacre, but our wounds are still bleeding. We will never forget those 34 lives. Babacan should disclose the names of those who ordered this massacre. Unless justice comes, they should not apologize, we do not accept their apology. Do not believe or trust the oppressors. They kill us, arrest us and then blame us. They should neither deceive themselves nor us with these words. As long as we exist, we will not forget what happened."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut