MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Colemerg (Hakkari) – In the 1990s, thousands of villages were forcibly evacuated in many Kurdish cities, particularly Hakkâri, Şırnak, Mardin, Diyarbakır and Siirt, for “security” reasons. As a result, thousands of villagers were forcibly displaced from their homes to overcrowded cities. The evacuated villages were burned and destroyed and the forcibly displaced villagers have lived away from their villages for years. After years, some villagers have returned to their villages; however, dozens of villages in Hakkari are still banned for villagers. The villagers who want to see their villages are stopped and reported to the police station by the village guards.

Police stations were built in place of their burned houses

One of the villages, where villagers are banned from entering, is the Ayranlı (Kurdish: Bêdaw) village of Hakkari’s Şemdinli (Kurdish: Şemzinan) district. In 1993, the village was burned and depopulated by soldiers and village guards. Five police stations were built in the village located on the Iraqi border in place of the villagers’ burned houses. Although no official ban is imposed in the village, the villagers are prevented from entering the village.

They were forced to leave their village

While the villagers, who want to enter the village are stopped and reported to the police station by village guards, the roads built by the villagers to rebuild their houses are destroyed. Nedima İsal is one of the villagers, who have longed for her village for 30 years. Despite her advanced age, Nedima İsal still remembers the day when they were forced to leave their village. “Soldiers and village guards burned our house and forced us to leave the village,” she said, “After years, the houses in many villages were rebuilt but we are not allowed to enter the village. We are told, ‘It is banned’.”

“They burned everything in the village”

Nedima İsal wants to return to her village with her children. “I remember the day when we were forced to leave our house, village. We were told to leave our houses by the soldiers but we refused. Then, they burned our houses to force us to leave our village. Some villagers went to overcrowded cities, some to Van and some to other villages. At that moment, we became refugees. I have lived in a city, far away from my village for 30 years. I have been a refugee for years,” she told us.

“We have been banned from entering our village for 30 years”

Pointing out that the war that existed 30 years ago still exists, Nedima İsal said, “Despite the bans and war, all we want is to return to our village. This war does not end. Other people have already returned to their villages and rebuilt their houses; however, we are not allowed to enter our village. There are police stations and burned houses in the village now. I have not been able to see my village for 30 years due to the bans. There are only soldiers in the village where we should be.”

“I will directly return to my village when I are allowed”

Nedima İsal has been living in Şemdinli with her children for 30 years. After being forcibly displaced from their village, they also faced arrests and pressure by the state. “I will directly return to my village when I am allowed. I have longed for my village both in summer and winter. However, I am not allowed to enter my village. Sometimes, my children go near the village to see it but they are stopped and reported to the police station by the village guards. They are not allowed to even see their village. All we want is to return to our village.”