CHP MPs speak to press amid sound of gunshots

DİYARBAKIR - Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

A group of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) female MPs have visited the Sur district of southeastern Diyarbakır province, where prominent lawyer Tahir Elçi was killed in November, to speak out about the difficulties faced by the residents of the curfew-stricken district. 

CHP deputy chair Selin Sayek Böke and MPs Melike Basmacı, Gamze İlgezdi, Elif Doğan Türkmen, Zeynep Altıok and Nurhayat Altaca Kayışoğlu met with the village leaders of the Sur district, where a curfew has been declared due to ongoing clashes between Turkey’s security forces and outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants.

They visited the district to raise a voice for citizens of the region, whose fundamental right to life has been taken away, in addition to the difficulties local residents have had reaching food, education and health services, Böke told reporters gathered in Dağkapı Square, as gunshots rang out in the background.

The curfew instituted in Sur on Dec. 2 came after prominent lawyer Elçi was shot dead in the town on Nov. 28, in clashes that erupted after gunmen opened fire at police officers nearby, killing two officers. The initial curfew was imposed on six neighborhoods and a major central street in Sur. 

After the curfew, which lasted over nine days, Sur was left a warzone-like ghost town, with several buildings on the verge of complete destruction. 

Turkey’s security forces have imposed curfews in many districts across the country’s east and southeast in recent months, stating they wanted to prevent civilian casualties during clashes with PKK militants. 

Sur had hit headlines when Elçi was shot dead after he delivered a press statement to condemn special forces teams for damaging the base of Diyarbakır’s famous Four-Legged Minaret.