ŞIRNAK- Two years have passed since the curfew was declared in Cizre where the resisters said, “We will not surrender; we will not go out with white flags. The rest of people should be proud of us, we will not kneel down.” 

 

Two years have passed since a curfew was declared in Cizre district of Şırnak on December 14, 2015. The curfew, which was imposed in the district between December 14, 2015 and March 1, 2016, was first lifted partially and then it was completely lifted. During 79-day of clashes, 213 civilians and 66 YPG members were killed. The state forces surrounded the city against the resistance of the people with tanks and more than 150 people were burned alive in Cudi and Nur neighborhoods of Cizre. 

 

‘Be proud of us’ 

 

Thousands were forcibly displaced; houses of thousands were burned and pulled down. “We will not surrender. Everyone should know this. We will not go out with white flags. Now we are waiting for death. I am addressing the Kurdish people now. This is a struggle. It is true it is a long-termed march. All of us know that this movement will not end with the killing of 100 people. You must all keep your morale high. Have no doubt; I am sending greetings to all friends continuing the struggle. Despite the cold, the hunger and thirst, the people of Cizre did not kneel down. We have been screaming, shouting, appealing to the people for 60 days. This is why the people left behind need to be proud of us. We will not kneel down to the AKP fascism,” said Cizre People's Assembly Co-chair Mehmet Tunç, who was killed in a basement of Cudi Neighborhood, and his words have never forgotten. 

 

Prosecutor found what had happened in Cizre ‘Lawful’ 

 

The United Nations (UN) released a statement and said, “We have reports about more than 100 people who were burned to death in the basement that were surrounded by the security forces.” Although two years have passed after the clashes, none of the state forces members, who burned more than 150 people, have been brought to account for nothing, and the international justice and the public have just reported what had happened. Lawyers of the Libertarian Lawyers Platform (ÖHP) filed a criminal complaint on the behalf of families lost their relatives in the basements but their complaint was rejected. Cizre Prosecutor’s Office found the burning of more than 150 people “lawful”. 

 

161 police-soldiers lost their lives 

 

The lawyers made objection against the decision and said, “According to report of the HDP on Cizre, dead bodies of 177 people, including 23 children, had been taken from the three basements. 103 of them were identified while 74 unidentified people were buried. Prof.Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, forensic medicine specialist and human rights defender, identified the bones of a child buried in Cizre’s basement and said, “The prosecutor did not conduct the investigation effectively by not entering in the basements.” And during the clashes, 161 police officers and soldiers lost their lives and 117 police officers and soldiers were wounded in Yafes, Cudi, Sur and Nur neighborhoods. 

 

TOKİ built buildings on dead bodies 

 

TOKİ (the division for state housing) got the approval of the AKP after the curfew was completely lifted in Cizre on March 1, 2016 and pulled down all destroyed houses and began to build buildings on them. They also built buildings on basements, where more than 150 people had been burned alive. 

 

Police outposts in every street

 

The first thing the AKP did in Cizre was building police outposts in every street. The town is still besieged by police, special forces and police outposts. The most women and children are affected from 24-hour psychological pressure.

 

Closed schools giving lessons in Kurdish were given to the AKP and Hüda Par

 

After the curfew, Turkish and Arabic language courses and Koran courses have been opened in the town and all associations, schools and kindergartens giving lessons in Kurdish languages were completely closed down. Nûbihara Biçûkan Kindergarten and Berîvan and Melayê Cizîrî Primary Schools were closed down and their buildings were given to AKP Women’s Branch and assigned to religious education of the Hüda Par Party.