DERSIM, NORTHERN KURDISTAN
Following the disappearance of Munzur University student Gülistan Doku, rape and harassment cases are increasingly drawing attention in Dersim. Upon further investigation, it has been confirmed if there was ever any doubt, that special teams of the invading Turkish state are assigned to Kurdish regions to ‘undignify’ the leading force of society, the young women.
Speaking to the students of Munzur University, it was reported that specialist sergeants who are being assigned to the region frequently wait in front of the “Tunceli” Dormitory and Ehlibeyt Dormitory where the female students reside. The assigned sergeants usually wait in their vehicles, while communicating with the young women inside the dormitories through virtual media.
Specialist sergeants, who operate under a systematic and coordinated network, have been heard saying “we killed another Kurd,” after every female student they harassed.
Students who have been subjected to harassment and rape of the invading sergeants are said to either leave the university, leave the city or commit suicide.
A student, preferring to stay anonymous, explained that she was granted a scholarship in return for silence after being raped by the sergeants.
Students who react or make legal applications are also tried to be silenced with coverup stories or are threatened into prostitution. It is affirmed that the attacks women face in the city are a special policy of the assimilating, rapist Turkish state.
Beritan Akdağ and Hivda Tekkaynar, students of the University of Munzur, explained what happened:
We killed another Kurd…
Beritan Akdağ, a 3rd-year student at the Sociology Department of Munzur University, expressed that these attacks are being experienced in every dormitory. Akdağ said, “Students come here trusting the nature of Dersim and its people. Two years ago, there really was no such problem. But even those who go out day to day become anxious. Especially recently, cars have been circulating around the country. These people drop our female friends into their own network. Imagine that our friends go to those people in the evening after attending events with us. We know for what purpose these people approach us. These people are people who want to destroy our language, culture and identity. They need to be aware of this. ”
Akdag, who noted that abortion incidents were spoken in the dormitories, said, “When one of our female friends talked to the sergeant, we heard the words” We killed another Kurd “. When we do any activity, they are trying to reach us from social media. These incidents are coated.
There was a rape incident in the press recently. But no information was reached after it was covered up. In this case, our female friends either drop out of school or have to leave the city. When we make our complaints, there is no response. They have no concern for the people of Dersim. The people here really do not harm anyone.
We know with what intentions these sergeants approach our friends. Don’t expect any love from them. The reason for them being in Dersim is obvious. They have a completely special policy. It is ridiculous to expect something forward from them because the result of such situations is getting dire. ”
Watched every second…
Stating that the missing Gülistan Doku incident is related to this, Akdag said that this is a part of the policy implemented by the male system on women. Stating that not enough investigation was carried out enough in the Doku case, Akdağ said, “Last year, the corpse of our friend Evin Tankaş was found within two days. It is impossible not to be found even if Gulistan is in the water. The mountains, stones and streets of this city are watched every second. I think a lot of things are being concealed. Our friends are taken into custody whenever they do an activity. But no news has been heard from a woman for 2 months. We women, we need to see the policy implemented. So, to change this world, we have to go to the fields on March 8 and make our voices heard. If we are together, we will be stronger. After 8 March, I urge all women to continue to strengthen solidarity with each other. ”
Suicide after being raped by sergeant
Hivda Tekkaynar, one of the students who stated that there is great attention to those who study at Dersim, emphasized that they are uncomfortable with this situation. Tekkaynar shared her experiences with the following words: “There are a lot of expert sergeants in Atatürk Neighbourhood. Their only purpose is to communicate with women and disrupt the city’s texture.
Unfortunately, women are seriously becoming victims of these policies. In the past months, it was reflected in the press that several experts raped a woman. These situations were constantly being discussed. We witnessed women who were pregnant in the dorm, having miscarriages.
It is hidden and covered by people who do these events. For example, a woman was raped two months ago by a sergeant. The woman tried to commit suicide, her friends noticed and intervened. Gülistan Doku is one of the events that the state wants to cover. We should raise our voice for Gulistan. We don’t look at it as suicide. There is a reason for this even if there is suicide. We have to see them. ”
Mezopotamya News Agency
