Kurdish nut pickers discriminated in Black Sea region
Kurdish nut pickers discriminated in Black Sea region
It was normal for Kurdish workers to move to the Black Sea areas to pick nuts. It was normal. Now it isn't anymore. Local farmers and employers have in fact decided to get workers from Georgia, instead of Kurdish workers. Kurdish workers have been subjected to racial abuses and discrimination in Ordu, Giresun and Samsun in recent years.
According to the information received, Black Sea employers think that Kurdish people will help the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) and cause trouble.
The Kurdish people that will enter the region will be subjected to strict control. The decision concerning nut pickers was taken at the so called “PKK Summit”. The “PKK Summit” was organized in May in Giresun with the participation of law enforcement authorities, security intelligence authorities and military authorities from Tokat, Giresun, Samsun, Ordu, Istanbul, Dersim, Sivss and Bingöl. High-rank military and civil authorities from Amasya, Sivas, Giresun, Ordu, Gümüþhane and Tokat were also there. Each city was scrutinized and many decisions were taken. Among the decisions taken are; intelligence service to be established in the region, rangers and weapon delivery to the villages will be increased in Black Sea Region.
BLACKLIST IN BLACK SEA
Every year Kurdish workers use to go to the Black Sea Region under bad circumstances for the nut season which starts in August. The workers work nearly 18 hours and have to accept small pays for their job. Nevertheless, according to the new decision, now workers will be brought in from Georgia and if any Kurd enter Black Sea region, they will be written on a blacklist.
The field owners will have to declare details of Kurdish workers' identity cards firstly to Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, then to governorship and lastly to all security units.
Every year it is estimated that between 150-200 thousand seasonal nut pickers are made to work under hard conditions and under the controlling of police and gendarme.
While some workers are provided with housing and food by field owners, many workers aren’t provided with anything. So, workers put up tents in empty areas and stay there. Their living conditions aren’t any different from the poor countries of Africa. The large part of the nuts are in West and East Black Sea Regions and estimates put at 2 billion dollar a year the business. The profit is assured by seasonal workers coming from Kurdish cities like Urfa, Batman, Diyarbakýr, Antep and Mardin.
DISCRIMINATION ON KURDISH WORKERS
Despite all difficulties lived by Kurdish workers even before they arrive to the Black Sea region, they come. They earn 18 YTL (around 9 euro) for a full working day. If they are provided with housing and food though, the pay goes down to 15 YTL (around 7,50 euro). On the other hand, local workers are paid 25 YTL (around 12,5 euro) per day. Kurdish workers have often complained about the discrimination but to no avail. Workers from Batman and Urfa going to Ordu and Giresun, have also to pay some 10 per cent commission on their income to the men called “Dayýbaþlarý”, the passeur, who bring them to the Black Sea.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
According to the information received, Black Sea employers think that Kurdish people will help the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) and cause trouble.
The Kurdish people that will enter the region will be subjected to strict control. The decision concerning nut pickers was taken at the so called “PKK Summit”. The “PKK Summit” was organized in May in Giresun with the participation of law enforcement authorities, security intelligence authorities and military authorities from Tokat, Giresun, Samsun, Ordu, Istanbul, Dersim, Sivss and Bingöl. High-rank military and civil authorities from Amasya, Sivas, Giresun, Ordu, Gümüþhane and Tokat were also there. Each city was scrutinized and many decisions were taken. Among the decisions taken are; intelligence service to be established in the region, rangers and weapon delivery to the villages will be increased in Black Sea Region.
BLACKLIST IN BLACK SEA
Every year Kurdish workers use to go to the Black Sea Region under bad circumstances for the nut season which starts in August. The workers work nearly 18 hours and have to accept small pays for their job. Nevertheless, according to the new decision, now workers will be brought in from Georgia and if any Kurd enter Black Sea region, they will be written on a blacklist.
The field owners will have to declare details of Kurdish workers' identity cards firstly to Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, then to governorship and lastly to all security units.
Every year it is estimated that between 150-200 thousand seasonal nut pickers are made to work under hard conditions and under the controlling of police and gendarme.
While some workers are provided with housing and food by field owners, many workers aren’t provided with anything. So, workers put up tents in empty areas and stay there. Their living conditions aren’t any different from the poor countries of Africa. The large part of the nuts are in West and East Black Sea Regions and estimates put at 2 billion dollar a year the business. The profit is assured by seasonal workers coming from Kurdish cities like Urfa, Batman, Diyarbakýr, Antep and Mardin.
DISCRIMINATION ON KURDISH WORKERS
Despite all difficulties lived by Kurdish workers even before they arrive to the Black Sea region, they come. They earn 18 YTL (around 9 euro) for a full working day. If they are provided with housing and food though, the pay goes down to 15 YTL (around 7,50 euro). On the other hand, local workers are paid 25 YTL (around 12,5 euro) per day. Kurdish workers have often complained about the discrimination but to no avail. Workers from Batman and Urfa going to Ordu and Giresun, have also to pay some 10 per cent commission on their income to the men called “Dayýbaþlarý”, the passeur, who bring them to the Black Sea.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
