On 7 February 2016, during the curfew declared on 14 December 2015 in Cizre district of Şirnex (Şırnak), which lasted for 79 days, more than a hundred people were massacred in the basements of 3 buildings where they were trapped. Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Party Assembly (PM) member Mehmet Yavuzel, one of those killed in the basements, was buried side by side in the family cemetery (Kobanê Martyrdom) in Pirsûs (Suruç) district of Riha (Urfa) on 26 February 2016.

Halil Yavuzel told about his brother Mehmet Yavuzel, who was murdered 9 years ago, and reiterated their demand for justice.

 

"He was small but his heart was very big" Mehmet Yavuzel said for his brother and stated that Mehmet never bowed down to injustice at any moment of his life. Halil Yavuzel pointed out his brother turned to Cizîr against the injustices experienced and said, "As a politician against oppression, he turned to Cizîr, Sur and Nisebîn. As a politician of the people, he sided with the people. They persecuted people and wanted to displace them. As a family, we went to Cizîr against this persecution, but they did not let us into the district. When they were wounded, we applied to many places. There were many attempts to remove the wounded. However, while the authorities were saying 'we will take them out' to locate them, they also carried petrol to burn them. They said 'let the doctors come and we will take them out', we found doctors, but they carried petrol in ambulances and burned people as if they were mocking us. It is not possible to accept this. There was a massacre in the basements. We will not forget this massacre even if years pass."

 

Stating that his brother grew up in a patriotic family, Halil Yavuzel said, "His duty was to be with the people. He always endeavoured to solve the problems of the people. He was the youngest of us. All of our relatives and neighbours loved him. Although he was the youngest, he behaved like the eldest in the house and fulfilled his responsibilities. Once we asked my mother what he did for a living. Mehmet said, 'My job is politics. If I become a martyr one day, you will understand what I do'. He loved the Kurdish people and Kurdistan very much. He was imprisoned between 2011 and 2013. During that period he went on hunger strike for a long time. He never bowed down."

 

Halil Yavuzel pointed out that those who massacred people in the basements in Cizîr were not put on trial and said, "We applied to many places. The Constitutional Court rejected our application. We went to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) but we still haven't got any result. People were massacred by burning. We will pursue this case until the end. We will never forget those who were murdered. They will always live in our hearts. One Mehmet is gone, but now there are dozens of children named Mehmet. My brother was in the same prison with Mehmet Tunç. Mehmets do not end. Every year we commemorate them at their graves. We will commemorate them this year too. We are waiting for everyone. They cannot prevent us from commemorating our martyrs with obstructions. We want an honourable peace."

 

MA / Emrullah Acar