Rojda Aydın

 

ŞIRNAK - Selamet Tetik, whose son is a drug addict, reacted to the use and sell of drugs by describing the difficulties she experienced. ‘’The state wants our young people to die using drugs,’’ she said. Selamet called families to protect their children.

 

As part of special war policies, the age limit for increasing drug use in the region has also decreased. Young people, who are worried by the impact of basic problems such as unemployment and poverty, are made addicted during this period. In Şırnak province and its districts, where drug use has increased, the use and drug pushing have become widespread, especially after the curfews declared in 2015 and 2016. Selamet Tetik, who lives in Cizre and whose son uses drugs, reacted to the use and sell of drugs.

 

‘Drugs are deliberately brought to the region’

 

Drawing attention to the economic crisis and the government’s approach to the region, Selamet said, ‘’The economic crisis is getting more and more widespread in Turkey. People can no longer make a living. Everything has been very expensive. Our children cannot work because there is no job. Families in the region are particularly affected’’. Saying that the state has a different approach to the cities of the region where the crisis is deep, Selamet stated, ‘’Now, most of our youth use drugs. In the past, young men used drugs, now young women do too, and the numbers of them too much. In the past, drugs were not used here, but now most young people in Cizre, Silopi, İdil and Şırnak use drugs. Drug use is deliberately brought to the region’’.

 

‘Those who are responsible must be punished’

 

Saying that her son also used drugs and could not save him, Selamet shared that she did her best to keep him away. Selamet continued, ‘’I could not get my son away from drugs. I tried so hard but it did not work. Many of our young people both use and sell drugs. The state itself knows who is selling the drugs, but does nothing. It closed its eyes and ears. Drug users roam the neighborhood and no one can do anything. The police detain young people who use drugs, but release them again the same day. Those who are responsible must be arrested and punished. The state also wants our youth to be in this situation’’.

 

Prosecutor to mother: Let him go

 

Selamet finally said, ‘’My call to families is this: Protect your children. All families should come together and fight this drug use. I went to the prosecutor’s office because my son used drugs. The prosecutor said to me, ‘That child is already gone, let him go’. He is a prosecutor who says this. How can I leave my child in this situation? There was never anything like this in our city before, but today our young people are in a drug swamp. This issue needs to be solved as soon as possible. We do not accept this situation. Mothers need to protect their children. Let’s rise together. Do not remain silent about drug use. The state wants our youth to die using drugs’’.