Presidents of the Bar Association in Northern Kurdistan visited Hakkari’s Gever (Yüksekova) district after the 79 day long curfew was partially lifted. Presidents of 15 Bar Associations including Van, Hakkari, Amed and Şırnak Bar Associations arrived in the district to inspect the rights violations claims and they visited the neighborhoods with the most intense clashes. Following the inquiries, ar association presidents held a press conference in Cumhuriyet neighborhood where the clashes had been the most intense.

Bingöl Bar Association President Abdullah Alakuş spoke in the press conference and, pointing out the destruction and the massacres in the city, said: “The city has experienced a great destruction. The Kurdish question has been going on for a century, we know this problem won’t be solved with clashes, we say again that this problem can be solved with peaceful means.”

Van Bar Association President Murat Timur said the clashes were focused on civilian residential areas and issued an urgent call to heal Gever’s wounds. Timur said: “The situation here is internal conflict according to international law. The International Geneva Convention states how internal conflict should be handled in countries. But the destruction we see today shows clashes taking place in civilian residential areas.” Timur also pointed out that Turkey couldn’t democratize without resolving the Kurdish issue and continued: “The Kurdish issue is the most important issue in the country. Democratization can be achieved in Turkey when this issue is resolved. The only solution to this issue is democratic politics and negotiations.”

The committee left the district after the press statement.