Dilan Babat

ANKARA - Drawing attention to the increase in racist attacks against different identities, especially Kurds, Responsible from Labor Commission HDP Vice Co-chair Şaziye Köse said that the reason for the attacks was due to the ‘’othering’’ language of the government. Şaziye also pointed out that the investigations launched into the attacks were shown as ‘’judicial cases’’ and they were tried to be covered up.

The polarizing language of power has begun to show its effect in almost every region of Turkey. While the racist attacks against Kurds caused by the said effect continue to increase, despite the calls made in the face of these attacks, the government's opening the way for attacks against Kurds with its rhetoric instead of leaving the marginalizing language is met with reaction.

One of the attacks caused by the othering language took place in the Altındağ district of Ankara in the evening hours of the previous day. A family from Mardin was exposed to an armed attack by a family from Kırıkkale.

Again, at regular intervals, two families were subjected to racist attacks in the Çarlıköy and Bahçeşehir neighborhoods of Konya's Meram district.

280 racist attacks in the last 10 years

According to the report published by the Human Rights Association (IHD) for 2020, there have been 280 racist attacks in the last 10 years. According to the report, the reason for the increase in the number of racist attacks against many groups, especially Syrian refugees and Kurdish seasonal workers, is ‘’impunity’’. Again, according to the report of the IHD, five people lost their lives as a result of racist attacks, and 1097 people were injured.

Some of the racist attacks in the report in 2020 and the last seven months are as follows:

*19-year-old Afghan Hafizzullah, who came to Turkey, was killed with a sharp object in the Ataşehir district of Istanbul on May 30, 2020, while collecting paper.

*On May 31, 2020, Barış Çakan (20) from Ağrı Patnos was murdered with a sharp object in the heart in the Alsancak Neighborhood of Etimesgut district of Ankara for listening to Kurdish music.

* On June 7, 2020, Taha B. attacked the family of Syrian refugee Yusuf’s family, who were neighbors in Uzunkavak Neighborhood of Reyhanlı district of Hatay, with a firearm.

* On August 22, 2020, a family from Mardin working in a hazelnut orchard in Sakarya was racistly attacked by their employer. Women were also injured in the attack.

*On July 19, 2021, a racist attack took place against Kurds, who are seasonal agricultural workers, in Derecine town of Sultandağı district of Afyon. Seven people, including two women, were injured in the attack.

* On July 12, 2021, a Kurdish family living in Bahçeşehir Neighborhood in Meram district of Konya was attacked by a racist group living in the same neighborhood on July 12. Seven people, including four women, were injured.

*On July 20, 2021, a family from Kırıkkale in the Altındağ district of Ankara attacked a family from Mardin with a firearm. While one person's life was in danger in the attack, four people were injured.

*On July 20, 2021, a racist attack took place on a family from Diyarbakır, who has been residing for 20 years in Çarıklıköy, in the Meram district of Konya. One person died in the attack.

Almost every summer, many people with different identities, especially Kurds, who go to different cities of Turkey for agricultural work, are faced with racist attacks.

We talked to the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Vice Co-Chair who is responsible from Labor Commission, Şaziye Köse, about the increase in racist attacks.

‘The reason for the attacks is marginalizing language’

Stating that the attacks were neither the first nor the last, Şaziye said: ‘’The reason for this is the marginalizing language of the government. This is to deprive people of farming on their own land and to open a channel for people to go all over Turkey as seasonal agricultural workers. When we look at the agricultural policies implemented by the government, it is actually to leave the fields that are suitable for agriculture empty. Thousands of agricultural lands are kept idle in Urfa and Diyarbakır. Because the electricity and water policies implemented, causing a scourge like DEDAŞ, terrible bills, continuous increase in agricultural expenses, these people have to migrate to different parts of the country every year instead of working on their own agricultural lands. Again, due to the discriminatory language used by the government, they are subjected to various insults and become the target of attacks.’’

The main problem is that there is no definition of ‘labor law’

Connecting the main problem to the lack of the definition of "labor law" among agricultural workers, Şaziye continued as follows: ‘’Unless this definition is made, neither the wage problems, social security problems, nutrition, shelter, health and education problems of these people will be solved. As HDP, we carry out various studies, our agriculture commission carries out similar studies. Our priority is to be defined in 'labor law' and to have a social security. These people will be provided with social security first and then life security. First of all, we will take steps to solve the problems of seasonal agricultural workers, the obstacles in front of unionization are clear and the government continues its one-to-one disorganization move. But there are various forms of organization. Together with cooperatives, we will ensure the organization of seasonal agricultural workers through solidarity networks in the upcoming processes. Because although there is no similarity in the 'labor law', although separate arrangements are made with maritime and press workers, seasonal agricultural workers are excluded from this. We will take various steps in this direction, and we will bring the event to the agenda with legislative proposals.’’

‘Racist attacks are shown as ‘judicial cases’’

Stating that the racist attacks were recorded as ‘’judicial cases", Şaziye reminded the attack on seasonal agricultural workers in Afyon on July 19. Şaziye pointed out that those injured in the attack were taken to the hospital to give their statements, leaving their treatment unfinished, and said: ‘’The law enforcement officers in the areas where they work actually present the events as ‘judicial cases’, and by covering them up, people are somehow left unpunished, thus paving the way for these attacks. When we look at the legal dimension, we still could not get a result in the racist attack in Sakarya. The reason for this is that the event is shown as a 'judicial case'. These incidents are not recognized as racist attacks, they are left to the process, families are threatened, sometimes families may hesitate to complain because they will go there to work again. This state of impunity encourages those who commit racist attacks. If even a few of these racist attacks had been sued and resulted, it would have been a step back. People would not be harmed.’’