HAKKARİ -  Hakkari Bar Association President Ergün Canan reminded that 3 people were injured as a result of the fire opened by the soldiers on the border line of Derecik within a week and stated that not even the statements of the soldiers were taken within the scope of the investigation launched into both incidents.

 

Şahap Şendol (23) and Celil Ekinci (17) were injured as a result of the fire opened by the soldiers in the Derecik district of Hakkari, which is on the border of the Federated Kurdistan Region. Şendol and Ekinci were taken to the Federal Kurdistan Region by their relatives and hospitalized. Şendol, who lost 2 fingers in the attack, was discharged, while Ekinci, who was hit by a bullet in his stomach, has undergone 3 surgeries so far.

 

Not even a week after the incident, 18-year-old Mehmet Dinç, who lives in the village of Yeşilova, was shot in the leg by the soldiers while he was grazing his sheep in the evening. Dinç, who was injured, was taken to Van Dursun Odabaşı Medical Center. Evaluating the violations on the border line, Hakkari Bar Association President Ergün Canan stated that the policy of impunity encouraged the soldiers.

 

NO LIFE SECURITY

 

Stating that it was alarming that 3 people were injured in 2 separate incidents in the last week as a result of the soldiers opening fire on the border line, Canan said that the provisions of the Constitution should also apply to the people living in these lands, although the state is obliged to protect the life and property safety of the citizens, it was not done in Hakkari. Underlining that Derecik is border neighbors with Federated Kurdistan, Canan said: "Derecik is right at the border. With the ongoing operations, Turkish soldiers are usually at the other side of the border. There are some paths you can cross the border on foot. We know that the soldiers know the people living here. Moreover, we know that the people crossing the border here, do so getting permission from them." Canan pointed out that despite they know the people here, a series of attacks have taken place in the last 2 years.

 

NOT EVEN THE STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN

 

Considering the fact that no official statement has been made by the authorities even though days have passed since the two incidents, Canan reminded that the authorities have made statements like, 'They did not obey the stop warning', 'We were firing in the air', 'They were injured as a result of a ricocheting bullet'. Stating that they learned that an investigation was initiated by the Şemdinli Prosecutor's Office as a result of their investigations, Canan stated that statements of Celal Ekinci and Şahap Şendol have not been taken yet. Canan said: "We know that the investigation file is still in the Gendarmerie. We have already called on the prosecutor's office to take legal action on the issue. We said that there was a video and they had to investigate ex officio. The lack of evidence from military officials still increases the distrust of the judiciary. The military officials who caused this incident must be brought to the fore by the judiciary. These events have been happening on the border line for years and will continue to happen. Because the judiciary does not do its job. Those who shoot and kill people are unfortunately left unpunished even if they are brought before judge, which is an example of impunity. This is the the most important reason for such events to continue."

 

THE SOLUTION IS AT THE PARLIAMENT

 

Stating that they were insufficient as a bar association in preventing the incidents, Canan stated that a commission to be established under the roof of the Parliament should investigate the events and evaluate them. Saying that if such a commission is established, the judiciary will be more functional, Canan concluded her words as follows: "People are shot, killed, but both the judiciary and the parliament remains silent. The parliament and the political power are not fulfilling their duties. People are hungry and poor, of course they will cross over to the Federated Kurdistan Region and bring a packet of tea and sugar from their relatives there. People have to go on this path in order to survive, but unfortunately it costs a lot. These shootings should not be the fate of the people living in this region. No state can shoot its own citizens. Young people cannot be shot in the middle of the day."

 

 

MA / Dindar Karataş