In the 5th year of the curfew declared for the 8th time in Mardin's Nusaybin district on March 14, 2016 and completely lifted on April 21, 2018, the traces of the demolition is still there for all to see. More than a hundred people lost their lives and the city was destroyed in the process that goes down in history as the "Nusaybin Syndrome" due to the psychological problems experienced by law enforcement during the clashes. Journalist Meltem Oktay, who followed the process as a reporter, was arrested after a raid on her home in April 12, 2016 and was held in prison for three years. Oktay told about her experiences during the curfews on it's fifth year.

 

Stating that she was not allowed into the city when she first arrived and she tried to follow up the process from outside, Oktay said: "We heard gun shots all day and night. People and neighborhoods were raked continuesly."

 

ONLY DEMAND WAS SELF-MANAGEMENT

 

Underlining that upon entering the city she met with a very enthusiastic mass of people when the curfew ended, Oktay said: "The scene made one get goose bumps. I could clearly see that the people supported the process, that they demanded self-management too and were tired of the oppression of the state. The people were resisting with the youth. Everyone was involved in the resistance and in solidarity with each other however they can. They had one demand and it was self-management."

 

THEY WERE LEFT FOR DEAD

 

Pointing out that the level of attacks increased after every curfew that was declared, Oktay said that the electric transformers and water tanks were damaged first on purpose as the basic needs of the people living in the area where there was a curfew. Oktay said: "People did not have electricity and no water, they did not have access to food but people were helping each other. Women were baking bread for those who don't have bread, they shared whatever food they had with their neighbors. They were deprevied of any access to their basic needs but breaking the resistance was not possible. They did not allow the ambulances to get into these neighborhoods and left the people for dead on purpose. Civillians were declared terrorists with governorate's statements. But these people are live 55 year old Ahmet Sönmez or Selamet Yeşilmen, mother of 5 children."

 

'THEY SAW THE RESISTANCE WHEN THEY CAME'

 

Oktay said despite the curfew declared 8 times in the city, the resistance of the people continued for months. Reminding that Nusaybin was surrounded by all kinds of technical and military forces before the curfew announced on 14 March, Oktay said that the neighborhoods were started to be hit with howitzers, mortars and tanks. Oktay said: "They wanted to demolish the houses and crush every teenager that resisted. It continued for days and the youth kept on resisting. The government thought that they could bring down Nusaybin with war tactics but they saw the resistance when they came."

 

'I WAS DESPERATE'

 

Sadly expressing that she saw dozens of people die in this process, Oktay said she was devastated when she saw Medeni Orak and Rohat Karakoç was shot dead from an armoured vehicle in the middle of the street. Pointing out to the desperation she felt when the ambulances were prevented from picking the wounded from the streets, Oktay said: "I was caught in the middle. I was a journalist. Was I supposed to photograph the situation, write about it and inform the public or lend the people a helping hand? Then I realized, this was a carnage, an atrocity. I had to let people know what's going on in here. And then I acted on this realization. The solidarity in the neighborhood was helping the people to hold on. It was refreshing. People invited me to their homes. That made me very happy." 

 

'IT WAS HISTORICAL'

 

Stating that following her arrest, she continued to follow the process from the media and from other prisoners, Oktay said: "It was historicak. It was a turning point for me. The resistance continued only on will power and it would go down in history. I have witnessed an atrocity in Nusaybin. You can not go on with your life like nothing happen after something like that. It leaves its mark on you. I started to work on a book thinking what I witnessed must be written, it must go down in history. I am planning to publish it soon."

 

 

MA / Ahmet Kanbal