The “curfew” and blockade that continued for months in Hakkari’s Gever (Yüksekova) district was partially lifted with the governorate’s announcement 3 days ago. Thousands of people are on their way back to their houses that they had to evacuate, but they were stopped on control points and kept waiting for days. And yesterday, several people were wounded when the state forces attacked the people wanting to return their homes. Some of the people who managed to get to their houses despite all obstacles fainted when they saw the state of their homes.

“THE HOUSES WERE DEMOLISHED AFTER THE CLASHES ENDED”

HDP Hakkari MP Nihat Akdoğan said they were sad to find Gever changed so much and that the houses were demolished on purpose. Stating that the state had implemented Devlet Bahçeli’s words to “Not leave two stones together” to the full extent, Akdoğan said the houses were demolished deliberately after the clashes ended, not during the course of the fighting.

“WE WILL REBUILD GEVER”

Gever residents ANF spoke to say they will rebuild the town again, without the state’s help. The residents say that Gever was flattened like a prairie, and that the state’s goal was “to rid this place of people. The state had a plan for Yüksekova for many years, and now they have implemented it. Our job is to stand strong in the face of this and rebuild our life.”

ROJAVA ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY WITH GEVER

The Rojava Association reached the region after the lifting of the curfew and started distributing aid supplies to people. Uğur Özlü from Rojava Association called for solidarity from everybody against the demolition and depopulation policies and to rebuild Gever.