People living in Uzunbahçe (Baluþ) Village of Diyarbakýr were exposed to armed threat in front of DEDAÞ (Diyarbakýr Electricity Distribution Inc.) where they went to discuss about the electricity problem which was left unanswered despite all applications made. While security staffs threatened press members also, 40 village people were taken under custody.

People in Uzunbahçe (Baluþ) Village have gone to DEDAÞ for some time now due to the unsolved transformer problem in the village. People of the village wanted to see the manager as they have been living without electricity for one month. About 70 villagers went to the Administration building where they were prevented by the security staffs and not allowed to see the director. A clash broke out when the staff didn’t let villagers who insisted on seeing the director. While special security officers shot into the air during the clash, villagers responded the intervention with sticks.

DEDAÞ Provincial Director Nihat Nurbaki locked the door of his office where he stayed during the clash and called police rather than conciliating the events. TOMA response vehicle, police tanks, action forces and civilian police officers arrived at the scene thereafter and detained about 40 villagers and put into police vehicles.

An other dispute broke out this time between press members and security staffs who prevented the press members’ shooting. The security staff got into a flap due to the shooting of pres members and were unable to slow down to threaten journalists, saying; “"We break your cameras”.

Translation: Berna Ozgencil