Cemil Kýrbayýr disappeared 30 years ago: his old mother is still waiting for him
Cemil Kýrbayýr disappeared 30 years ago: his old mother is still waiting for him
Mikail Kýrbayýr is taking part at the march from Istanbul to Ankara organized by the relatives of the disappeared people of Turkey. He will go to Ankara to find the grave of his brother Cemil who disappeared after being detained 30 years ago. Kýrbayýr also wants the state to face its responsibilities with all the disappeared people including his brother and wants the responsible of his disappearences to be brought to justice.
At the end of the one-week march organized by the Human Rights Association (IHD) and seven families, the relatives of disappeared people will meet party executives to voice their demands.
Taken to police station and not brought back
One day after the 12 September military coup, Cemil Kýrbayýr was taken from his house in Göle/Kars.
His brother Mikail Kýrbayýr tells; “Cemil was the third child of the family standing on it’s own feet. He was withheld one week long at 247. Infantry Regiment in Göle.then, he was taken to 9. Corps centered lockup in Kars and was withheld there for a long time. When I went to see him on 7 October, we didn’t have the possibility to talk face to face. I gave him clothes and some money. He sent me a message to tell me that he got the clothes and the money and that he was well off."
This was the last news from Cemil in the last 30 years. The family house was raided in the evening of the visit day.
“I was a government officer then. My father came to me on 8 October at around 9 in the morning and said; ‘ Soldiers have searched our house, they are looking for Cemil. They say Cemil has run away.’ It was not possible for him to run away from there in the hardest days of the military coup. It was not possible even to go on streets. Father, you mean they’ve killed Cemil...”
His brother set off after Cemil. “I first went to 247. Infantry Regiment. They didn’t let me meet the commander. I insistently called him and he said me, ‘A right government officer you are! Dead or alive, the state will give you your brother. It doesn’t fear you.’. So I went to Kars to the lockup; Cemil wasn’t there. I started to get frustrated. Someone looked at the charge notebook and said; ‘Yes, they were here. Undercover police took him and other four people yesterday evening. I went to 1. Department but they said that he wasn’t there. I turned back and we looked at the notebook again. Across Cemil Kýrbayýr name, it was written ‘not brought back’ with a red pen.
Their solution was to suspend me from there. I was sent to Karaman and was exposed to compulsory residence for five years. So, they drew me away and prevented me from searching as I was the only member of our family to follow the case.”
Mikail learned the facts when the detainee friends of Cemil were set free. “With closed eyes, he was tortured. He was screaming and shouting when his voice suddenly deadened. A panic started; they set other ones free without questioning.”
Three of eyewitnesses of the torture are still alive.
“Give me his grave”
Almost 60, a thick moustache, tall and kind Mikail Kýrbayýr says with his fine strong voice; “Our breath will be on their back till death.”
“The state is obliged to ensure primarily the life of each citizen. When a citizen kills another, you turn to the state for justice. The state got loose at the murder of Münevver Karabulut and the murder was rounded up immediately; as it has to be. However, nobody is turning a hair for the people that the government has killed since 12 September military coup. We have to get out on the streets.”
He explains his demand simply; “ You killed him but give me his grave. Let no more people die any more. The state must know that get away with the murders even after 30-40 years. It will sooner or later be brought to justice.”
He can’t accept murder of people to whom the state in fact should help to reach their happiness.
“My mother is 103 years old and still waiting for her son to come home. She wonders if he will come. She is suffering from indefiniteness. My father too, is suffering. He is an uneducated worker who did 48 months military service, paid taxes and voted. He shouldered all his civic responsibilities and stood up to poverty.”
“Wanted”
He remembers his brother who was among the leading names of Devrimci-Yol (Revolutionary Way)in the region as “a leftist who read, helped people getting educated, empowered people and stood up against blood feuds, forest cutting, milk exploiters and dairy owners.”
“He lived in Kars. He was in the last class of Kars Education. After his military service, he started education. He was killed because he was a honorable, honest, dignified person loved by people.”
According to state authorities, Cemil Karabýyýk run away and is still being looked for. He would be 54 if he were alive now. His brother Mikail Kýrbayýr demands justice for himself and all relatives of other disappeared people.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
At the end of the one-week march organized by the Human Rights Association (IHD) and seven families, the relatives of disappeared people will meet party executives to voice their demands.
Taken to police station and not brought back
One day after the 12 September military coup, Cemil Kýrbayýr was taken from his house in Göle/Kars.
His brother Mikail Kýrbayýr tells; “Cemil was the third child of the family standing on it’s own feet. He was withheld one week long at 247. Infantry Regiment in Göle.then, he was taken to 9. Corps centered lockup in Kars and was withheld there for a long time. When I went to see him on 7 October, we didn’t have the possibility to talk face to face. I gave him clothes and some money. He sent me a message to tell me that he got the clothes and the money and that he was well off."
This was the last news from Cemil in the last 30 years. The family house was raided in the evening of the visit day.
“I was a government officer then. My father came to me on 8 October at around 9 in the morning and said; ‘ Soldiers have searched our house, they are looking for Cemil. They say Cemil has run away.’ It was not possible for him to run away from there in the hardest days of the military coup. It was not possible even to go on streets. Father, you mean they’ve killed Cemil...”
His brother set off after Cemil. “I first went to 247. Infantry Regiment. They didn’t let me meet the commander. I insistently called him and he said me, ‘A right government officer you are! Dead or alive, the state will give you your brother. It doesn’t fear you.’. So I went to Kars to the lockup; Cemil wasn’t there. I started to get frustrated. Someone looked at the charge notebook and said; ‘Yes, they were here. Undercover police took him and other four people yesterday evening. I went to 1. Department but they said that he wasn’t there. I turned back and we looked at the notebook again. Across Cemil Kýrbayýr name, it was written ‘not brought back’ with a red pen.
Their solution was to suspend me from there. I was sent to Karaman and was exposed to compulsory residence for five years. So, they drew me away and prevented me from searching as I was the only member of our family to follow the case.”
Mikail learned the facts when the detainee friends of Cemil were set free. “With closed eyes, he was tortured. He was screaming and shouting when his voice suddenly deadened. A panic started; they set other ones free without questioning.”
Three of eyewitnesses of the torture are still alive.
“Give me his grave”
Almost 60, a thick moustache, tall and kind Mikail Kýrbayýr says with his fine strong voice; “Our breath will be on their back till death.”
“The state is obliged to ensure primarily the life of each citizen. When a citizen kills another, you turn to the state for justice. The state got loose at the murder of Münevver Karabulut and the murder was rounded up immediately; as it has to be. However, nobody is turning a hair for the people that the government has killed since 12 September military coup. We have to get out on the streets.”
He explains his demand simply; “ You killed him but give me his grave. Let no more people die any more. The state must know that get away with the murders even after 30-40 years. It will sooner or later be brought to justice.”
He can’t accept murder of people to whom the state in fact should help to reach their happiness.
“My mother is 103 years old and still waiting for her son to come home. She wonders if he will come. She is suffering from indefiniteness. My father too, is suffering. He is an uneducated worker who did 48 months military service, paid taxes and voted. He shouldered all his civic responsibilities and stood up to poverty.”
“Wanted”
He remembers his brother who was among the leading names of Devrimci-Yol (Revolutionary Way)in the region as “a leftist who read, helped people getting educated, empowered people and stood up against blood feuds, forest cutting, milk exploiters and dairy owners.”
“He lived in Kars. He was in the last class of Kars Education. After his military service, he started education. He was killed because he was a honorable, honest, dignified person loved by people.”
According to state authorities, Cemil Karabýyýk run away and is still being looked for. He would be 54 if he were alive now. His brother Mikail Kýrbayýr demands justice for himself and all relatives of other disappeared people.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
