The ongoing military operations in the Kurdish areas of Turkey are reminiscent of that carried out in the 1990s, when thousands of villages were destroyed and the villagers displaced.

In the Gercüş (Kercews) district of Batman (Êlih), a military operation against the guerrillas took place from 22 June to 6 July. The village of Bilêxşê was besieged for days and finally stormed by soldiers. The residents had to go and report to the mosque, before their houses were searched. Eleven people were beaten and taken into custody. In addition, three people were arrested in Batman. The detainees were released after being questioned.

Bombing for weeks

DEM politician Mustafa Mesut Tekik visited Bilêxşê after the siege was lifted. Tekik is co-chair of the DEM provincial association in Batman and was stopped six times by the military on his way to the village. "We formed a delegation from the DEM party, and we immediately tried to get to the affected area. We tried several times to go to the village. The forest was burning, and we wanted to do something, but extinguishing the fire was forbidden. The people in the village wanted us to come. The fire had spread to the houses, the area was being bombed by fighter jets and helicopters, and we could hear constant gunfire and explosions. Then houses were stormed and people arrested."

“The villagers are psychologically exhausted”

When the DEM delegation arrived in the village, it was empty, Tekik said, adding: "Apparently there were clashes two hundred meters away from the village. The fire was finally put out by the rain. Otherwise, the situation could have been even worse. The villagers are psychologically exhausted. They were exposed to bombing for days, saw dead people, were not allowed to leave the house and could not receive medical care. The traumas they suffered earlier are returning. There were heavy clashes in this area in the 1990s. People need solidarity, they are experiencing new traumas. We stand by the people and condemn the oppression that is taking place."

Photo: MA