In the village of Roboski, which marked its name on recent history with the massacre of 34 Kurdish civilians by Turkish warplanes on 28 December 2011, people continue suffering an ever-increasing repression by Turkish soldiers and the military activity around the village.

Turkish soldiers have most recently killed eight mules the villagers of Roboski in Uludere district of Şırnak were using in border trade to earn their lives.

The inhabitants of the village said the repression of the Turkish soldiers and the military activity around the village is such that they decided to move to the Şirit high pasture to protect themselves and to have a new life. Hundreds of villagers have started moving to the Şirit high pasture 8km away from the village, taking all their belongings with them. Here, they have started a vigil for justice which is going on for the second day.

Speaking about the vigil protest where the mules were killed, close to the scene of the Roboski massacre, Veli Encü said that all the inhabitants have left the village now in the face of the policy continuing to be pursued against them.

“We demand an end to these policies which are also at odds with the resolution and peace process”, Encü said, stressing that the people urged the withdrawal of the soldiers from the border.

Encü pointed out that; "They massacred 34 people of ours in Roboski. This did not remain enough and they massacred our mules several days ago. We will never give up demanding justice unless the perpetrators of these are called to account."

The vigil is expected to be joined by executives from the HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) and DBP (Party of Democratic Regions) today.