ŞIRNAK -  Zehra Hazar, who was seriously injured in 1992 Newroz in Şırnak, still welcomes Newroz with the same enthusiasm for 30 years.

 

Symbolizing the resistance against oppression for the Kurds, there has been great resistance by the people of Botan in the 1990s. The biggest of these uprisings took place in 1992 in Şırnak, Cizre and Nusaybin. The people, who were preparing for Newroz days before, took to the streets on the morning of March 21 under the leadership of women. Police started firing at people who took to the streets to celebrate Newroz. In the celebrations in Şırnak and Cizre, attended by women, children and elderly, 57 people died, according to official figures, and more than 100 according to witnesses. Dozens were injured and many people were detained.

 

Among those seriously injured was Zehra Hazar, 21, who was 5 months pregnant and lived in Şırnak. Hazar, who is preparing for Newroz, which is expected with great excitement in Şırnak, as in many other places, applies henna to his hair and hands. She prepares her most beautiful clothes like other women from Şırnak. Hazar, who is among the people who took to the streets on the morning of March 21, 92, became the target of the forces that cannot tolerate the enthusiasm of Newroz. Dozens of people like Hazar were killed, injured or detained and arrested as a result of the attack.

 

Zehra Hazar, who is now 50 years old, has been preparing participating in the Newroz celebrations for 30 years. Describing the events unfold at the Newroz celebrations in 1992, Hazar reminded that Newroz, against which nearly 200 women resisted, ended in blood.

 

SHE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED

 

Stating that the soldiers and riot police fired at the people randomly from from armoured vehicles, Hazar said: "I was shot in my jaw. I was taken to hospital. I was in serious condition so they sent me to a hospital in Diyarbakır. I was detained right after I was discharged from hospital. I was held there for two days before I was released."

 

SHE NAMED HER CHILDREN BİŞENG AND BİNEVŞ

 

Hazar gave birth to her daughter 4 months after that. She named her daughter after Bişeng Anık who was tortured and killed during the Newroz celebrations in Şırnak. She named her second daughhter after Bineş Agal (Berivan) who lost her life during a raid on her home in 1989 in Cizre.

 

'WE GOT READY DAYS BEFORE'

 

Carrying the scars of her injuriy for a long time after the attack in 1992, Hazar told that many houses in Cizre were mourning their dead that day. Hazar said: "We have been preparing for Newroz for days. I applied henna to my hair and hands. I prepared my best dress for that day. We woke up very early that day. We were so excited. We wanted to march to the the celebration area together. The soldiers and riot police started to fire at us from armoured vehicles. It was like it was raining bullets on us. We were thinking about how we could save our children. There was a stampede as people fled. Soldiers were stationed at the rooftops. I was shot in my face as a ran away. There were dead people everywhere. I was seriously injured and in shock. I wasn't aware that I was hurt. I had a white dress. It was covered in blood. They took me to the hospital. There were a lot of dead in Şırnak State Hospital. I got worse when I saw them. They took me to Diyarbakır when I took a turn for the worse. I wasn't feeling myself. I was going crazy. I never got better after that."

 

'THEY TARGETED WOMEN'

 

Stating that the women were targeted and slaughtered there, Hazar said: "Almost everyone there was women. Those who got killed were also women. Men were able to escape. We were surrounded. Dozens of my friends were murdered that day in front of me. What I witnessed there was brutal. I will bever forget that day as I live and breathe. Those who were slaughtered there were my sisters, my friends."

 

SHE'S PREPARING FOR NEWROX WITH THE SAME ENTHUSIASM

 

Still having difficulty in eating and speaking due to her injury, Hazar said she is preparing for the Newroz celebrations with the same enthusiasm for the last 30 years. Hazar said she applied henna to her hair and hands every year a few days before Newroz.

 

SHE WILL BE IN CIZRE FOR THIS YEARS NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS

 

Pointing out that she participates in the celebrations with the same spirit she did back in 1992, Hazar said: "I participate in the celebrations every year in Cizre. I convince people who say they won't come. I take them with me. I will be in Cizre celebrating Newroz this year."

 

 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut