IHD (Human Rights Association) released a report on the civilian killings and right violations committed in the Kurdish region during the period between July 24 and October 8 and has announced that 113 people have been killed in the Kurdish region in the last 78 days.
The report was made public at a press conference attended by executives of the Association in Turkish capital Ankara.
Speaking here, IHD General President Öztürk Türkdoğan invited the Red Cross, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Kurdistan to observe the incidents at scene.
‘STATE FORCES MURDERED CIVILIANS’
Describing the re-initiation of a conflict process as of July 24 as a very heavy and unacceptable situation, Türkdoğan said out of the 113 people that have been murdered since, 5 were armed militants affiliated to PKK and some others were killed in unidentified cases, while all the rest were civilians that lost their lives as a result of attacks by state forces.
Türkdoğan said this situation constituted a war crime and an explicit violation of the Geneva Convention, stating that the majority of the civilian deaths occurred in towns where a curfew was imposed. He urged the implementation of an effective investigation and trial for those who gave the order for these curfews, whether they were governors or the Minister of the Interior.
Recalling that in addition to the curfews, many people have lost their lives during this process due to a denial of access to medical service, Türkdoğan also called for an investigation and trial of those responsible in this regard.
CALL TO INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Türkdoğan underlined that the Red Cross, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights must pay a visit to Turkey for an observation of the extrajudicial executions. He added that they will take action to ensure this.
Calling for effective investigations and an end to the policy of impunity with regards to the murder of civilians, Türkdoğan said the Turkish Parliament must also establish a Research Commission to expose the truth on all these severe violations of rights.
“The right violations committed against civilians show that the re-initiated conflict must be ended immediately and a process of dialogue and negotiation must be started to ensure a permanent silence of arms. On this occasion, we want to remind both sides that arms must be silenced in the shortest time”, he said.
‘WHO ARE THE MOBILE UNITS PATROLLING IN CARS WITH NO LICENSE PLATE?’
Pointing to the presence of a special unit in relation to the murder of civilians in the Kurdish region, IHD President said; “In many cases, there is a question of some mobile units wearing ski masks, who are said to be special operation police but not known who exactly they are.
“Who are these people? Are they members of the counter-guerrilla organization within the state, who acted under the name of JITEM in the past?”, Türkdoğan asked, and called for an exposure of this case.
CALL TO BOTH PARTIES FOR A CEASEFIRE
Calling attention to the debates about a ceasefire to be declared by PKK on October 11, Türkdoğan criticized the Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan who has recently highlighted an objection to a mutual truce. IHD President said Akdoğan must reconsider this matter, called for an immediate declaration of a ceasefire and an official obedience to it by the state.
