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Killing civilians in the Kurdish mountains
of Turkey
4.1.2012
By Judit Neurink |
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Judit Neurink is an Independent journalist from
Netherlands living in Kurdistan region of Iraq.
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January
4, 2012
They were smugglers, so it was said, the 30-plus
dead from a
Turkish attack in the mountains on the border
between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. The outcry among
the Kurds is enormous. But had it been as big if the
victims were PKK guerrillas? In the past that has
not been the case, because we are all too used to
attacks on PKK.
We witnessed wide demonstrations in the Kurdish
regions of Turkey, protest in Iraqi Kurdistan (the
picture is taken in Sulaimaniyah), and also many
open condemnations from both Kurdish and
international officials. Many of them used Facebook,
like this of the former (and possibly future)
Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani: “I would
like to express my sympathy and extend my
condolences to the families and friends of the
victims of the Sirnak province bombardment. The
victims fell while conducting the everyday
activities of their difficult lives. May they rest
in peace.''
He went on saying “Once again civilians die and
blood is shed as the result of an unnecessary war.
Peace and stability must prevail. All the issues
must be resolved through political and peaceful
means so that this unnecessary suffering and
bloodshed comes to an end.''
Another official Facebook condolence message came
from the KRG’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (although
he is not allowed to use that title to the outside
world, as Baghdad is in charge of foreign affairs),
Falah Mustafa: “I would like to express my sadness
at yesterday's unfortunate and tragic killing of
more than 35 Kurds in Turkey, and offer my sincerest
condolences to all our Kurdish brothers and sisters
effected. This is further proof that violence only
results in further misery and tragedy, and that
peaceful co-existence can only exist through
dialogue and tolerance. It always saddens me to see
any such incidents occur, but even more so when it
comes at a time when most of the world will be
celebrating the arrival of a new year.''
Even the head of the KRG’s security police and
Asayish, Masrour Barzani posted on Facebook.
”Unfortunately, at these last moments of the year,
civil and vulnerable people of Şırnak encountered an
unfair attack," the son of the Kurdish president
Barzani went on saying “We denounce and condemn this
attack…. No excuses for attack on civilians are
acceptable."
Bordumani Balafrakani TurkeySome see the incident as
an opportunity to work on Kurdish nationalism.
Editor in chief of the former newspaper Aso, Arif
Qurbani writes in an opinion piece for AK News:
“There has been no time better than now for
attracting the attention of the world and shoring up
international support against this oppression of
Kurds. Kurds should not procrastinate and act
indifferently; they should confront the threat in a
way that it becomes a lesson for anyone who ever
considers oppression and draw a limit for him.''
Qurbani continued on saying “Today there is an
opportunity that along with the developments of
national uprising in Syria, Kurds of Turkey also
begin public massive demonstrations and demand
democracy, freedom and their rights. But this step
requires our guidance, cooperation and support. Our
leaders should not be afraid of defending our nation
in Turkey. And we should take into account the fact
that our silence would further encourage genocide of
Kurds under the rule of Turks.''
Even though the strike took place across the border,
on Turkish ground, the anger in Iraqi Kurdistan is
hot. “See what Turks did to Kurds..... Do we deserve
that?'', one of my Kurdish friends posted on
Facebook. Pictures are posted with 'Stop Turkish
terror in Kurdistan', and pictures of the bodies of
the victims, lined up in the snow, with family
members grieving over them.
“Amazing details #Uludere missile attacks: half of
the 35 dead were under 20 years old; 28 of 35
victims were from the same family! #Turkey'', tweets
a colleague in Turkey. There you go. Who were these
victims? If you have visited villages on the borders
between Iraq and Iran or Turkey, you know. Young
people, who use the dark of the night to ride on
horses, donkeys and sometimes bikes through the
mountains with their smuggling wares that can be
anything of the following: petrol, tea, sugar,
luxury products, alcohol. Those nightly drives feed
whole families.
The reactions are interesting, because of the
growing Turkish business interests in Iraqi
Kurdistan. While Iran is the main investor in the
South, Turkey has taken charge in the North of Iraq.
Turkish firms are building,www.ekurd.net
buying and selling. They are investing on all
levels. The Turkish interests in Iraqi Kurdistan are
worth many billions. Even though the Turks fight a
battle against Kurdish nationalist rebels, they work
closely with the Barzani family on making Iraqi
Kurdistan the booming economical capital of Iraq.
Even though they do not use the name 'Kurdistan' but
speak of 'Erbil' as the place of interest, there is
a lot at stake.
That is why for once, the Turkish government
apologized about the attack. It was a mistake, was
the message, the bombs were not meant to hit
civilians. So now everybody is focusing on the
civilians. If it had been PKK rebels, it would have
been fine, seems to be the message. As if they are
not human beings, with family members in their
villages who will mourn them. Young people, who have
left their villages in search for a better life for
all, and are getting old finding it. One cannot
agree with the tools they chose, or the battle they
fight. Fact is that we have become too used to them
being killed to still wonder about those issues.
No one discusses the fight of PKK, the means, the
lost lives of young people, the use of an army
against a rebel group. Or the fact that this fight
has gone on too long, and has lost too many lives;
Can we get the discussion back to the main subject
please?
Judit Neurink is an Independent journalist from
Netherlands living in Kurdistan region of Iraq.
Copyright © 2012, respective author or news agency,
aknews.com
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