The Kurds of Rojhilat (East Kurdistan in Iran) and Bakur (North Kurdistan in Turkey) have continued to trade despite all the oppression and massacres they have been through. For the Turkish state, visiting the Kurds on the other side is considered a "border violation", and the trade they do among themselves is considered "smuggling". Prohibitive policies have resulted in the death of hundreds of Kurdish villagers in the border region. Even though the Kurds on two sides of the border are not allowed to exchange bairam visits, Afghans can easily cross the border.

The Turkish state, which imposes bans on pastures and plateaus on the border under the banner of 'fighting terrorism', has long been killing Kurdish villagers along the border by creating the perception that they smuggle diesel. Punishing the transportation of diesel from Rojhilat and sale in Turkey with death, the Turkish state allows large companies and firms to engage in diesel smuggling.

Mahmut Yılbaş, a former governor of Van, granted permission to some pro-state people in the city to trade illegal diesel in order to provide finance to the local football team, Vanspor. While the smuggled diesel, brought in through by the state itself, was transported to western cities and sold there, young Kurds who make a living by trading small amounts of diesel were shot at the border by Turkish or Iranian soldiers. According to official figures, between 2002 and 2010, 125 young Kurds were murdered on the grounds of 'smuggling' and 'border violations'. All investigations launched into these killings ended up in non-prosecution and impunity.

Three-meter ditches

The Turkish state has been building a wall on the border for the past two years. The construction of walls extending from Ağrı/Doğubeyazıt to Van and Hakkari, seeks to cut off all the communication betweem the Kurds. A 64-kilometer-long wall was built on the border of Van alone and its 55-kilometer section was covered with barbed wire. Moreover, a 283-kilometre-long trench was dug.

Forbidden to Kurds, free for Afghans

With the arrival of the summer season, the pasture and plateau bans have also been extended. The 1-km area of the wall built along the border was declared a 'military zone', resulting in the pastures and plateaus of Kurdish villagers to be occupied as well. The state, which resorts to such extraordinary measures against the Kurds, turns a blind eye to Afghans crossing the border. While Kurds are killed in the event of crossing the border, Afghan refugees can easily enter the country by jumping over walls. Images from the border also confirm it.

Exchanging bairam visits banned

Şahabettin Bilmez, co-mayor of Van’s Saray district, who lives in the border village of Damlacık (Reşka), stated that a one-meter barbed wire was placed on concrete walls. He said: “Because of the walls that in no way enable crossing, we can't exchange bairam visits with our relatives on the other side like we did in the past. However, refugees can easily cross the border as they wish. It's impossible for Turkish soldiers not to see them, but obviously they are allowed.”

Border villages are emptied

Bilmez continued: “What we call smuggling was not an illegal business. To earn a living, we would just take cheese and sell it there, and bring henna. 40 percent of the Damlacık village has been emptied. The surroundings and border villages are also being emptied.

Since villagers do not have means of livelihood anymore, they are migrating to western cities. Pastures and plateaus have also been prohibited. During the construction of the wall, construction equipment destroyed our pastures and plateaus, and ditches were dug in that area. Our living conditions got worse and worse. Our people began to leave the border region. We revealed our problems to the District Governor's Office many times last year, and they replied 'it is a security problem, there is nothing to do', turning down the local people.”

Lands confiscated

Cizeyir Özkaplan, who lives in the village of Sırımlı (Xirabsorek) in the Saray district, emphasized that all border villages have been turned into military bases, and deliberately evacuated. He said: “We, too, are experiencing the grievances experienced by the people in other villages. A military tower has been constructed in our village, while channels and trenches have been dug along the border. Three-meter-high trenches are being dug. I cannot go to my pasture. We talked to the authorities, but they rejected our demands, saying that the area is public property. We have our land titles, yet have had our lands confiscated. Children, women, families and animals have all become victims. That's what's going on in the region. It is a deliberate policy. Whatever they do at the border, they won't be able to cut our ties with our relatives.”