Encü family who lost their children were threatened by the military officials, while the Şırnak Governorate hasn’t issued an official statement on the matter.

On December 28, 2011, 34 civilians including 19 children had been massacred by bombs dropped from Turkish fighter jets in Şırnak’s Roboski village. Before the culprits of that massacre faced justice, high school students Vedat (16) and Yılmaz (17) Encü on their way back from border trade were killed by Howitzer fire shot from the Gülyazı Regimental Command on May 29, 2016.

The incident, dubbed the Second Roboski Massacre, happened 12 days ago, but Şırnak Governorate or any military official has yet to issue an official statement.

No administrative or criminal investigation has been launched since the event, but the state intervened with where and when Vedat and Yılmaz Encü will be buried, only allowing them to be buried on different days.

Military officials have threatened Encü family to keep them from speaking to the press or with lawyers. And the autopsy report still hasn’t been handed over to the family.

We spoke to Roboski-Der Chairperson Veli Encü on the matter.

Encü mentioned the massacre in Roboski where 34 civilians were killed 4 years ago and said this time Roboski youth engaged in border trade were bombed with Howitzers fired from Gülyazı Regimental Command on May 29, 2016 around the same hour as before.

Encü said it was known that the people targeted by bombs were civilians: “They knew who the children were, because this wasn’t the first time they used this route. They were using the route we call border top region, very close to the white hill and black bushes. Military officials knew who these people were and when they got on the road. This was a deliberate attack.”

“NO INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED YET”

Encü ciriticised the media, like during the first massacre. Encü stressed that the media was an accomplice in the massacre and said the media’s attitude towards Kurds never changed.

Encü said the military officials had intervened with the burial of the 34 civilians massacred in the past, and now they intervened when and where the victims would be buried again: “It has been 11 days since the massacre, but the Şırnak Governorate, Uludere District Governorate or any military officials are yet to issue any statements. Only the pool media ran some stories using information received from the authorities and relayed that information to the public to legitimize the murders. There is a 50 km distance between the route of the Roboski massacre and this incident, but they make it look like it’s the same place.”

“FAMILIES ARE THREATENED”

Encü pointed out that no administrative or criminal investigation has been launched yet, said the families are being threatened and continued:

“The families are under a specific pressure. The state is even interfering with where and when we will bury our dead. The families were threatened so they wouldn’t talk to the NGO’s or the press. Vedat Encü and Yılmaz Encü were first treated in the Uludere Public Hospital. Yılmaz Encü’s condition was very critical, but the doctors were pressured to withold treatment until the military officials arrived in the scene. The families were not allowed in the hospital. They even interfered with the burial of the bodies. The power went out. Families were telephoned and threatened so they wouldn’t speak to the press.”