Melike Aydın 

 

İZMİR - Reacting to the murder of a Kurdish family of seven as a result of the racist attack, the women said: ‘’This is no longer a problem only for Kurds, but for everyone living in this geography. Because racism is a problem of humanity and racism is a problem of everyone who say I am human. If the perpetrators are not punished, the way for new massacres will be opened.’’

 

Konya has become the last center of the racist attacks that have increased recently against the Kurds. seven people from the same family living in Hasanköy Neighborhood of Meram district of the city center were murdered as a result of a racist attack on 30 July evening. The house of the family where seven people, including four women, were killed with firearms, was also set on fire by the perpetrator. The names of those killed are as follows: Mother İpek, father Yaşar and siblings Serpil, Serap, Sibel, Barış and Metin Dedeoğulları.

Reactions to the racist massacre continue to come from all segments, from politicians to artists, from activists to journalists.

 

‘The massacre took place publicly’

 

Ayşe Özdamar from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir Women’s Council said that the massacre took place publicly. Reminding that there were documents of the attack on May 12, seven people were detained for this reason, but they were released again, Ayşe noted that the family's demands were left unanswered by the authorities because they were Kurds, and the massacre took place publicly. Ayşe said: ‘’This is an indication of where the state's policy of impunity has taken us. We see that there are efforts to polarize the country, that there is a desire to create chaos, and that the AKP-MHP government probably wants to continue its survival with this chaos.’’

 

‘Racism is a problem of everyone who say I am human’

 

Pointing to the danger of the situation, Ayşe used the following expressions: ‘’Actually, the button was first pressed in İzmir. Our comrade Deniz Poyraz was murdered. There was an attack on our party building in Marmaris. Attacks took place in Afyon and Ankara. We are seeing a growing attack situation. We are now in the face of an attack that has been torn from its ropes. This issue is no longer the problem of the HDP, but of the opposition forces all over Turkey. This is no longer just the problem of the Kurds, but of everyone living in this geography. Because racism is a problem of humanity and racism is a problem of everyone who say I am human.’’

 

‘The main problem is the male state mentality’

 

Stating that similar processes were experienced in the massacres of women, Ayşe emphasized that men who committed crimes against women were released and women were not protected. Ayşe said: ‘’Actually, we see the male state mentality here. This mentality is against women and Kurds. It is the mentality that watches our forests burn without taking any protection measures. It is a mindset against everything that exists in the world, against everything but its own interests.’’

 

‘The authorities are responsible for this massacre’

 

Human rights activist Günseli Kaya said that the worst example of racism reaching its level of brutality was experienced in Konya. Günseli said: ‘’The fact that the massacre was carried out before evening shows how comfortable they are, how they take courage from their recklessness and impunity. Because the perpetrators of the previous attack have been released and the family feels unprotected, it has been revealed that beyond feeling, how vulnerable and even targeted they are, unfortunately, by taking their lives. All civil, administrative and judicial officials of the state are responsible for this massacre, especially if the perpetrators are not punished as soon as possible, the way for new massacres will be opened.’’

 

‘Kurds want unity’

 

The Peace Mother, Hediye Korkut, started her speech by condemning the massacre, and said: ‘’They committed a massacre in our party as well. We do not want massacres, we want peace. Mothers don't deserve tears. Now mothers must come together. No mother wants her child to be born and raised and then die. We as Kurds want unity.’’

 

‘We stand with the Kurdish people’

 

Tuğçe Kızıldemir from Mor Sarmaşık (women’s organisation) also expressed her reaction with these words: ‘’The state protects racist fascist killers. Instead of protecting the oppressed, women and Kurds, the state encourages them to lynch them, leaving those who attack them with impunity. Moreover, this situation is a preview of future attacks if there is not enough public reaction. We are trying to prevent the attacks by taking to the streets and saying that we stand with the Kurdish people in the face of attacks.’’