"Gever is a place with a tremendous sense of belonging. It has the distinction of being a field that has been specifically chosen to impede social and political development," stated İrfan Sarı, the deposed co-mayor of the municipality of Gever (Yüksekova) district of Hakkari.

Drug abuse has become increasingly frequent in Hakkari's Gever district in recent years, particularly among young people.

Gever Municipality Co-Mayor İrfan Sarı, who was deposed and replaced by a trustee, spoke to ANF regarding the situation.

"Gever is a place with a strong sense of belonging. It is a field that has been specifically chosen to impede social and political progress. Both the social fabric and the political consciousness are targeted," Sarı remarked.

Referring to the role of unemployment, lack of education, and wantonness, Sarı added that "However, first and foremost, we should talk about the existence of ease in acquiring the substance. There is a cheaper alternative to alcohol available on this black market. Young people with limited purchasing power could not afford this item with only their pocket money. As the number of social spaces, sports fields, and cultural venues for young people to express themselves grows, this inclination will disappear or be marginalized.”

THERE IS AN EASE OF ACCESS SINCE THE TOWN IS UNDER A BLOCKADE

Sarı drew attention to the flow of drugs despite the high level of border security, saying, "It is a town under a blockade. We are subject to criminal record checks at least once a day. However, these substances are extremely easy to obtain. During the period of our municipality, social services were provided to a small group of people via the framework of various EU programs. This programme was not allocated a large budget. NGOs were able to develop programs at the micro-level. Educational institutions did not have large-scale programs, continuing education funding, or curriculum.”

GREAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAMILIES

Although families are aware that they are alone at this point, Sarı believes that parents should be open to all of their children's concerns and adds, "They should develop awareness with the reflex of protecting them against all policies that erode and corrupt people. They should be able to listen to and support young people who are experiencing unemployment, psychological and social problems. Furthermore, they must work in solidarity with the people around them and exert pressure on all institutions and organizations. They should invite political parties and educational organizations that can help them and take on responsibility. Finally, we can overcome this by developing the educational opportunities and raising public awareness about this social issue."