Name change for Shengal Women’s Park in Van
The sign in Shengal Women’s Park has been taped over by the order of the trustee appointed to the Ipekyolu Municipality. The word “Shengal” has been replaced by “Dicle Idrak”.
As part of Turkification policies employed by public officers appointed as trustees to DBP municipalities after their seizure names, symbols and colors that belong to Kurds continue to receive animosity. Most recently, the Ipekyolu Municipality has taped over the sign in Shengal Women’s Park and replaced “Shengal” with “Dicle Idrak”.
The word “Shengal” in the sign in Ipekyolu Municipality’s Shengal Women’s Park in the Şerefiye neighborhood in Van had been taped over on January 27, 2017 and has now been replaced by Dicle Idrak, the woman who lost her life in the action against the 2 Nisan Police House last year.
This isn’t the first time trustees have shown intolerance against park names. Trustees have taken down almost all signs in Kurdish throughout Kurdistan in 2017. Here are some of the signs the trustees couldn’t tolerate and replaced:
ÇATAK
The park built by DBP’s Çatak Municipality had been named after murdered Amed Bar Association Chairperson Tahir Elçi. The trustee replaced Tahir Elçi’s name with that of a village guard.
LİCE
The park named after Ceylan Önkol, the 12 year old girl who was killed by a mortar shell fired from the Tapantepe Outpost while she was herding sheep on September 28, 2009 in Lice’s Xiraba village was renamed by Lice Municipality trustee Sinan Başak on the anniversary of Ceylan Önkol’s death.
YENİŞEHİR
The Yenişehir Municipality trustee took down the sign in the park named after Kurdish writer Mehmed Uzun on the 10th anniversary of his death. The book shaped monument inside the park that had a verse from the “Hilbe Agrî” anthem and Kurdish letters on it was also removed.
BATMAN
The trustee appointed Êlih (Batman) Municipality took down the word “Woman” and the sign in Kurdish from the Women’s Sports Complex and turned the sports center into a co-ed.
AMED
Amed Metropolitan Municipality trustee Cumali Atilla removed all signs in Kurdish, including the municipality sign in dual Kurdish and Turkish.
KAYAPINAR
After his appointment as trustee to the Kayapınar Municipality, District Governor Mustafa Kılıç ordered the sports center “Kompleksa Werzîşê Ya Amedê” to be renamed “Martyr Police Officer Halit Gülser Sports Complex”.
