NORTH KURDISTAN : Organisations meet in Roboski

25 December 2012 – ANF – Commemoration ceremonies have been taking place across Turkey in the last one week to mark the first anniversary of the Roboski massacre.

Commemoration ceremonies have been taking place across Turkey in the last one week to mark the first anniversary of the Roboski massacre which claimed the lives of 34 Kurdish civilians on 28 December 2011. A number of political parties, non-governmental organizations, establishments and institutions as well as civilians will be in the village of Roboski (Uludere/Şırnak) on 28 December, including Platform for Justice for Roboski which was founded in Diyarbakır with the participation of 850 political parties, NGOs, unions, chambers and associations.

Platform Coordination Member Hüseyin Bardakçı says that the struggle for justice for Roboski will not end unless the perpetrators are taken to court, and adds; “This is most probably the first time in Kurdish history that so many institutions came together and took such a commitment.” Bardakçı gave information about a series of events and activities the Platform has organized in Diyarbakır for the anniversary of the massacre. Bardakçı said that the Platform will stage a march on 27 December and issue a declaration in Diyarbakır to demand the trial of perpetrators before going to Roboski on the 28th in solidarity with the families who lost their children in the massacre. Bardakçı noted that the AKP government has tried to cover up the massacre by paying compensation to families and trying to treat the incident on a criminal ground. Platform member Bardakçı underlined that the AKP government must apologize to the Kurdish people for the massacre and added; “Otherwise this incident will never come up with a solution. The AKP will not take the perpetrators to trial as long as it maintains its present point of view and mentality”. Bardakçı ended calling on Turkey’s people to bring the authorities to account for the massacre.