More than 3 thousand villages and hamlets in Kurdistan wre forcibly made uninhabited on the ground of "security" with the village evacuations that started in the 90s. In this process, approcimately 1 million people who refused to accept the state's imposition of village guards were displaced from their lands. For 35 years, citizens who could not go to their villages, vineyards, gardens and lands on the grounds of "special security" have expressed hope to return to their villages with the will for a solution put forward by PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in isolation in İmralı Type F High Security Prison.

 

DEM Party İmralı Delegation held 2 meetings with Abdullah Öcalan on different dates on İmralı Island. After the meetings, the declaration prepared by Abdullah Öcalan for a solution was shared with the public. In this context, the DEM Party İmralı Delegation continues its contacts with political parties. It was announced that Abdullah Öcalan will make a call in February. While the historic call to return to their villages in the Gabar and Cudi mountains of Şirnex (Şırnak) has already created excitement among the public, citizens who have been unable to return to their villages in the Gabar and Cudi mountains of Şirnex for 35 years on the ground of "security" have stated that they will return to their lands after the call. 

 

'THE KEY TO PEACE IS THE KURDS'

 

Ali Gün, from the village of Berkevir in the Cizre district of Şirnex province, said that after the evacuation of their village they could not regain their former peace and that the new process has created excitement in them. Gün said, "When we lived in our village, we did not need anything. We didn't have electricity or water, but we had everything. We were raising animals and planting crops, and we made a living by selling the leftover products. Not only us, but all the villages of Botan were like this. With the evacuation of villages, we lost most of what we used to have. We have come to such a situation that we now long for even a rotten tomato. With a new process and the establishment of peace and tranquility, the return to the village and the reconstruction of villages will make us happy. With the reconstruction of the villages, the economic problems we experience with animal husbandry and labor will end.” 

 

Stating that the economic and social problems in Turkey are not independent from the Kurdish issue, Dün said, "People in our region make a living from agriculture and animal husbandry. Most of the villagers want to return to their lands. The Middle East cannot prosper without solving the problems in Kurdistan. The Kurdish people are the key to peace in the Middle East. Arabs, Turks, Persians and the peoples of the Middle East cannot breathe unless the Kurds are free. We have not pinned our hopes on anyone. I just want to state that as long as we are not free, they will not be free either. They should know this well."

 

Osman Aksu from the village of Dershew, located on the foothills of Gabar Mountain and evacuated in 1994, stated that they have not been able to go to their village for 31 years. Noting that they are hopeful and excited about the new process, Aksu said, "It is not enough that they destroyed our village, they are also destroying its nature with oil exploration. Our village is suitable for animal husbandry and all kinds of fruits are grown. Our village life was intertwined with nature. But now we eat hormonal products in the cities. This brings disease with it. Gabar was a fruit paradise. We have been away from the village for 31-32 years and we want to return to our village as soon as possible and rebuild.  Since 1994, we have only been able to go 1-2 times with permission. With the solution of the Kurdish issue, we want to return to our village and our lands and live there."

 

NATURE SLAUGHTERED

 

Stating that their village on the slopes of Gabar Mountain was evacuated in 1993 Hatice Durmuş said that they will return to their villages with the solution of the Kurdish issue and the establishment of an environment where peace prevails. Hatice Durmuş added, "We had to migrate after the village was destroyed. Many of us went to work in Turkish metropolises to make a living. This year we went and registered our names, but they did not let us go again. They destroyed and looted our village. As if this was not enough, they also ruined the nature of the village by building a road to search for oil."

 

'WE WANT TO BUILD LIFE IN THE VILLAGE'

 

Cahit Akıl, who is from Shilerut village, located on the slopes of Cudi Mountain and evacuated in 1993, stated that they want to rebuild their village and engage in cultivation with the new process. We used to be able to go to and from the village for a certain period of time, but it became difficult due to security reasons. Villagers can go but cannot stay. Because it is not safe. On the other hand, the state does not have any policy for returning to the village. With the negotiations with Mr Abdullah Öcalan and the new process that has emerged, we want to return to our village and live there once the war ends. We want to engage in cultivation and animal husbandry in our village. We are waiting for Mr Öcalan's statement. We support him on this issue. We want a new process without war and conflict to start in Kurdistan and Turkey. The pain and traumas that have been experienced should disappear to some extent. The villagers in the region want to return to our villages and build life there. I want this process to lead to peace for the Kurdish and Turkish peoples. I am hopeful."

 

MA / Ömer Erdoğan