A human rights delegation was formed by Ad Osman Baydemir, Vice Chairman of Human Rights Association (IHD); Ad. Şeyhmuz Ülek, Vice Chairman of Organization of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (Mazlum-Der); Celal Beşiktepe, Member of the Central Board of the Union of Architects and Engineers of Turkey (TMMOB); Ismail Boyraz, Deputy Secretary General of the Human Rights Association; Feray Salman, Documentation Centre Coordinator of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV), Hanefi Işık, Regional Coordinator of the Human Rights Association, Dr. Kamuran Yıldırım of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB); Ad. Zülfü Demir of Assocation of Solidarity for Displaced People (Göç-Der); Arif Akkaya, Yakup Keskin and Bahri Karhan representing the secretariat of the Diyarbakır Democracy Platform, in order to investigate allegations about forced displacement of Aşat village with 15 households and Ortaklı village with 30 households on 20 July 2001; implementation of food embargo, ban on ins and outs to Ilıcak village with 70-80 households, Dağaltı village with 40-50 houselholds and Hisarkapı with 12 households and their risk of being evacuated as well as allegations for torture practices in Beytüşşebap District of Şırnak Province. The Delegation conducted its mission between 8 and 10 August 2001 in Beytüşşebap and made investigations on above-mentioned incidents.
The Delegation shall prepare its detailed report as soon as possible and present it to the public opinion. However, due to the gravity of the situation, the delegation felt imperative to present its preliminary observations and identifications to the public opinion and relevant autorities.
The panaroma which was witnessed by the Delegation is hair-rising. A population of 600-700 villagers of the evacuated Aşat and Ortaklı villages resided nearby the Beytüşşebap municipality borders in about 80 tents. Majority of the population are women, children and elderly people. Almost all are living in poverty, deprivation and uncertainty. Fear and trauma the villagers experience at highest level. Victims we have seen reported that about 600 animals, beehives and orchards and gardens were destroyed due to lack of maintenance since they were evacuated on 20 July 2001. Production veins of the villagers were cut off.
The Human Rights Delegation would like to draw the attention of the fact that these victims have not received any health care services and are subjected to the risk of serious health problems including outbreaks due to the physical conditions of the tent life.
As displaced villagers verify it also, Ilıcak, Dağaltı and Hisarkapı villages are now subjected to a food embargo practices. The delegation made investigations in Ilıcak village and observed that residents of this village are also in fear and anxiety. The delegation identified that the control point have the embargo and barricades at the road to village which was dismantled one day before the delegation’s visit. It was also reported by villagers that soldiers and village guards on duty at this control point were only withdrawn for the day of Delegation visit. Residents of the Ilıcak village reported that the embargo was softened a little in recent days so that villagers have been able to obtain limited food only after the approval of the list concerning foodstuff presented to the Gendarmerie Commander of the Beytüşşebap District.
In interviews of the Members of the Delegation with both displaced villagers and villagers under embargo, all mentioned that they had no relation with mine explosions which caused deaths and wounds of some soldiers during military operations in July, and reported that areas may have been mined long time ago and mined areas are at 40 or 25 km. far from their villages. Relatives of detained and arrested villagers after mine incidents alleged that torture was applied to detained and arrested people, that they have been threatened continously and arms of village guards have been confiscated. It was also reported to the Delegation that Cafer Aslan arrested in connection with mine explosion had been discharged from his military service one month before the occurance of the mine incident.
The delegation was not subjected to any pressure other than the normal practices of the State of Emergency Region on the way to Beytüşşebap. However, during discussions with victims, security forces in civil dresses tried to record talks and identify speakers. This led victims to avoid talking openly. The Muhtar of the village said to the Delegation that they left their village on their own will. But women therein denied what Muhtar said and stated that Muhtar was under threat and forced to talk to the Delegation in that way. Immediately after Muhtar’s statement, a young person, Rasim Aşan (18) intervened and asked Muhtar to tell the truth. He went on giving his statements to the delegation. Rasim Aşan approached the delegation 40 minutes after his statements and claimed that he was being threatened and he expressed his wish to leave Beytüşşebap together with the Delegation to secure his life. By taking a common decision, the Delegation took Rasim Aşan in the eyes of security officers escorting to the Delegation from the entrance of Şırnak and left Beytüşşebap.
Security escort accompanied the delegation on the way back to Şırnak. The delegation’s car was stopped at the gendarmerie control point at the entrance of Şırnak. Members of the delegation were threatened to give all video and camera films taken during mission. All videotapes, camera films and notes were confiscated by gendarmerie. The delegation was taken under de facto detention by obstructing the Delegation to inform the public prosecutor and other officials. Rasim Aşan who had given his witness to the Delegation was taken under custody with a reason that he may have held a fake ID Card.
The delegation forwarded its decision to officials not to leave Şırnak until Rasim Aşan was released. Rasim Aşan was brought to the office of the Şırnak Public Prosecutor at 14:00 on 9 August 2001. He stated that he was tortured and forced to give and sign a statement against members of the Delegation. Although he declared that he was tortured and although there was a doctor report identifying the torture scars on his body, he was arrested by the Court under Article 159 of Turkish Penal Code and sent to the Şırnak Prison. All members of the delegation were witnesses of this legal scandal.
Upon the statements that were forcibly signed by Rasim Aşan at the police station, the Public Prosecutor alleging that he got Rasim Aşan to commit crime interrogated Osman Baydemir, vice president of the Human Rights Association. Osman Baydemir was released after interrogation. Afterwards, he was taken under custody by Anti-Terror Branch of the Şırnak Security Directorate by the reason that there is a search warrant for him in police records. He was released after being kept in Anti-Terror branch approximately three hours. It was declared that there was a mistake in the records.
Governor of Şırnak and deputy governor responsible for Provincial Coordination Board of Human Rights rejected the appointment requests of the Human Rights Delegation with different reasons, although the Delegation applied all authorities to make appointments and stated its objectives before conducting such an investigation. Likewise, representative of the Sub-governor and Gendarmerie Commander of Beytüşşebap did not receive the delegation with a reason that they were in hamlets around Beytüşşebap. Mayor of Beytüşşebap, whom the Delegation was able to meet, made statements in a manner that he hadn’t seen and heard anything and he knew nothing. The mayor’s statements amount to the pressure on him and his mood concerning the incident.
Human Rights Delegation has observed that village evacuation and food embargo practices are the real facts and have witnessed the statements of villagers indicating that those who were taken under custody had been tortured. All villagers either victims of village evacuation or food embargo have been experiencing a human tragedy. All citizens living in the area will be under very high risk as long as the responsible persons are protected and/or kept secret. A comprehensive report, together with the relevant visual materials, that is being prepared by the Delegation will be presented to public opinion and relevant authorities.
Inhuman practices that the Delegation has witnessed must be promptly put an end. We invite the Government to stop these inhuman practices that are in contradiction with the universal values of human rights and the rule of law.
We want to be known that we are going to follow-up the incident until sufferings of the people end.
We call the press, public opinion and all other circles to be sensitive to these practices and human tragedy.
Av. Osman Baydemir
Vice president of the Human Rights Association (IHD)
Av. Şeyhmus Ülek
Vice chairman of Organization of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (MAZLUM-DER)
Celal Beşiktepe
Member of the Central Board of the Union of Architects and Engineers of Turkey (TMMOB)
Dr. Kamuran Yıldırım
General Executive Board Member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB)
M.Hanefi Işık
Regional Coordinator of the Human Rights Association (IHD)
İsmail Boyraz
Deputy Secretary General of the Human Rights Association (IHD)
Feray Salman
Documentation Centre Coordinator of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV)
Av. Zülfü Demir
Executive Board Member of Assocation of Solidarity for Displaced People (GÖÇ-DER)
Zülküf Karatekin
Secretariat of the Diyarbakır Democracy Platform
(representing Cambers of Civil Engineers in Diyarbakır-IMO)
Bahri Karhan
Secretariat of the Diyarbakır Democracy Platform.
(Representing Union of Architects and Engineers of Turkey-TMMOB)
Arif Akkaya
Secretariat of the Diyarbakır Democracy Platform.
(representing Worker Unions in Diyarbakır)
Yakup Keskin
Secretariat of the Diyarbakır Democracy Platform.
(representing Confederation of Public Service Employees’ Union -KESK)