Light is yet to be shed on the Hewlêr Massacre on May 16, 1997, when KDP forces accompanied by Turkish troops attacked the Kurdish Red Crescent Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê institutions and massacred dozens of defenseless civilians. 26 years have passed, and the bodies of the martyrs have not been delivered to their families.

Relatives of the victims made a statement in the Hewarî Şar Park in Sulaymaniyah on Wednesday on the occasion of the anniversary of the massacre.

APPLICATIONS TO KURDISH INSTITUTIONS FAILED

Muhammed Xerîb, who read out the statement on behalf of the families, said: “26 years have passed since the massacre, which is yet to be clarified. As relatives of the victims, we could not get any results from our visits to the Kurdistan Region Parliament’s Human Rights Commission, Kurdistan Region President and relevant institutions. We want the bodies of our martyrs to be handed over to us. If they are alive, we want to know where they are.”

CALL FOR THE CLARIFICATION OF THE XELÎFAN MASSACRE OF 7 GUERRILLAS

The statement pointed out that the lands of Kurdistan should be protected from the invasion attacks of the Turkish state. It also called for the deadly attack on 7 guerrillas in Xelîfan in September 2021 to be clarified.

WHAT HAPPENED?

On May 17, 1997, KDP forces carried out a massacre against PKK members who were receiving treatment in Hewler and civilians sympathetic to the PKK. Many patriotic institutions and organizations, including Dezgay Jiyan û Awedan Hospital administered by Heyva Sor a Kurdistan, were besieged by the KDP and Turkish forces and attacked by heavy weapons. While 9 guerrillas who had been injured in battle and were being treated at the hospital were killed, the aftermath of many of the injured who were taken into custody remains unknown.

Concurrently with the attack on the hospital, the Kurdistan National Democratic Union Headquarters, the Mesopotamia Cultural Centre (MKM) Hewlêr (Erbil) Branch, the PKK Representation Office, the Kurdistan Free Women's Union Association (YAJK), and the offices of Welat and Welatê Roj newspapers were also attacked with heavy weapons by the same forces. As a result of the attacks, many defenceless civilians were killed. The detention and arrest operations launched afterwards lasted for months. The massacre paved the way for a very violent conflict.

As a result of the attack carried out by the KDP in cooperation with the Turkish state, around 80 guerrillas, hospital employees and civilians were killed, 52 of them in hospital.