Killers of Bedriye Gümüş remain unpunished for 29 years

Bedriye Gümüş was killed in front of her house located in the Kuşkaya village of Mardin’s Nusaybin in 1992. Her mother has been demanding justice for her daughter for 29 years. “Our struggle is for peace and justice” said her sister Hayriye Doğan, who joins weekly protest of relatives of disappeared by carrying one of her sister photographs.

Amed- Soldiers constantly raided the houses in the Kuşkaya village, where Bedriye Gümüş lived. The villagers were threatened to become village guards. On February 17, 1992, the villagers wanted to march from Kuşkaya village to Yardere to protest the situation. The soldiers blocked the villagers to march. They fired into the crowd and killed five villagers. Bedriye Gümüş was wounded and taken to a hospital.

According to her family, they were told my soldiers to say that the PKK carried out the attack while Bedriye Gümüş was being taken to the hospital. Bedriye Gümüş underwent a surgery but she couldn’t be saved and died in the hospital. An investigation was opened into the killing of five villagers. Even though years have passed, no one has stood trial until now.

“We have faced many difficulties since then”

The killers of Bedriye Gümüş, who was married and had two children, haven’t been found for 29 years. The killers have remained unpunished for 29 years; Hayriye Doğan said that her only demand is justice. Hayriye Doğan stated that her sister died as a result of the fires randomly opened by the soldiers. Hayriye has struggled for her sister since her sister was killed. “I just demand peace and justice. I have struggled for years for peace and justice. We have faced many difficulties since then; her children have lived without their mother, our village was burned down, we were forcibly displaced from our village. Despite everything, I just demand justice for my sister. I demand the killers of my sister and other people to stand trial,” said Hayriye Doğan, who join weekly protest of relatives of disappeared by carrying one of her sister photographs.

“We have waited with photos in our hands”

Hayriye Doğan told us that she will struggle to the end.

“I've been living with this pain for years. Thousands of people have suffered from this pain like me. Enough; don’t allow other people to die anymore. I have struggled for years demanding justice for my sister and I will keep struggling to demand peace. We have waited for the justice to be secured. We will continue to demand justice until we have it. We will keep waiting with photos in our hands.”