WAN - Workers dismissed by the kayyum (Trustee) in Wan (Van) have been in resistance for 25 days. The workers emphasised that they will not back down in the face of injustice. 

 

The protests of 223 workers, who were dismissed from their jobs on 31 July by the Wan Metropolitan Municipality under the kayyum administration, have been continuing for days. Most of the labourers are people who were dismissed under the former trustee and reinstated by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party administration after the local elections on 31 March 2024. 223 workers made some contacts in Ankara in addition to their marches. 

 

25 DAYS OF RESISTANCE 

 

Worker Cuma Çiftçi said that claim of "security investigation" was not true and that the real reason is political. He emphasised that the people never left them alone during the resistance. "They have always had a grudge against Wan since 31 March. That's why the biggest victims of this incident were the employees. Until 223 people return to their jobs, we will not step back and we will resist," he said. 

 

8 YEARS OF VICTIMISATION 

 

Dismissing for the second time by kayyum, Cemalettin Kurtla stated that he started working in 2012 and was dismissed by the trustee in 2017. Stressing that he struggled for 8 years, Kurtla said: "After 8 years, DEM Party won the municipality again and hired us. They wrote to the governorship and asked for an answer. We were dismissed after 6 months from the job we entered with the approval of the governorship. The bread of our children was cut. They brought people from another country and dismissed me. The so-called general secretary of the municipality Ulaş Akhan threatened us. I do not accept this injustice to my labour." 

 

Elif Gemicioğlu said that she started working at the municipality in 2012 and took part in language and culture activities for 5 years. She stressed: "We had a lot of students, we used to teach 40 hours a week. We were doing language, culture and art work. They dismissed us in 2016. For 8 years, we waited to return to our jobs in a legal way. Most of the 223 workers returned to their jobs with a court decision. Despite such a process, the trustee chose 223 of us and dismissed them. It is not only 223 workers who are victims here, but also their families. But no matter what, employees will not accept this injustice and unlawfulness. We will defend our rights until the end."