Thousands of people have fled from the repression of the AKP regime from Northern Kurdistan (Southeast of Turkey) to Southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). Among them are M. S. from Şırnak and K. D. from Siirt, who spoke to ANF about how the Turkish secret service MIT first contacted them via short messages and offered them money, suspension of their trials and cancellation of their arrest warrants in the event that they act as informers. When they did not accept this, MIT began threatening to harm their family members who remained in Turkey. Nevertheless, they remained steadfast and refused to collaborate with the Turkish secret service.

M. S. from Şırnak had to flee to Southern Kurdistan two years ago, because a trial for "membership in a terrorist organisation" was conducted against him already during his studies, in which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In South Kurdistan he started to work in a cafeteria. He tells about the recruitment attempt of the MIT as follows: "On November 23, 2019, I received a message from a telephone with the number 05061154728. The message said that the sender was writing from Ankara, by someone at a high state level. It contained a request to work as an agent. At first I thought someone was playing a joke, but then the sender gave the exact details of my family and me. He declared that he would help me materially and in every other way if I worked with him. If not, my mother and father would be harmed in every possible way. If I wanted to do good for my family, I would have to work with them. He said I should share with him everything I know, saw or heard about the PKK and its cadres. But I refused.

28 MIT units in Southern Kurdistan

I was told that there are 28 MIT units in Southern Kurdistan and that I would be introduced them if I worked with them. They mainly wanted me to go to the PKK cadres and get information about their work. If I did this, they would help me in both Southern and Northern Kurdistan. They said that my security is the main focus, they have already trained many agents and I don't need to worry. They explained that they wanted to expand their agent networks especially in Sulaymaniyah, Hewler (Erbil), Zakho, Duhok and Maxmur and that all those who worked with them were living a very relaxed life. When I repeated that I would not do this, they threatened to harm my family and that I would not be safe in Southern Kurdistan either.

"Your family and your loved ones will suffer"

When I asked how they reached me, they explained that they had a long arm and could reach any place. They tried to convince me with the words 'As a State I can reach any place, that is what it means to be the State'. They said that if I cared about my parents' lives, I should work with them. They threatened: 'This is your decision, but your family and your loved ones will suffer. "We'll give you a chance, we'll drop your lawsuit. In this way they try to wrap young Kurds like me around their fingers. Every patriotic Kurd has to be careful about these recruitment attempts."

A similar case

K. D. from Siirt, father of five, had been arrested five times between 2009 and 2010 without any proof because of his work for the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party), accused of "membership of a terrorist organisation". He was threatened, blackmailed and pressured during the arrests. He was convicted in three trials and was set to go to prison for decades. He eventually fled to Southern Kurdistan four years ago: "I worked in a café for a long time. On 10 December 2019 I received a short message. They said that they got my number from a friend from Southern Kurdistan and they contacted me from Ankara and wanted me to work as an agent. At first I didn't take it seriously and I didn't believe it. Then they sent me the number of my lawsuit file so I was convinced that they were from MIT. They said they could help me, that my case would be dropped and I could return to my family as all my arrest warrants would be rescinded. They said they would give me a car, an apartment, a phone and money and introduce me to the other MIT agents in Southern Kurdistan. They told that they know my children and my family, then they listed their names and whereabouts one by one and threatened to harm them if I refused. However, I did not accept it. I did not accept this unworthy and immoral behaviour. I told them to leave me alone. They want to force us to give up and to break us through this blackmail. No Kurd should accept such a thing."

 

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