MÛŞ – Residents of the village of Zêkreş, who were attacked by village guards while trying to graze their animals on the Dexda plateau, stated that the guards carried out an armed attack against them and subjected them to torture, and called for the abolition of the village guard system.

 

The village guard system, imposed on Kurdistan in the 1990s, became one of the most significant pillars of oppression policies. Those who refused to accept the system — imposed under the guise of security — had their villages burned, while many people were forcibly displaced. The effects of this period, during which pasture lands and plateaus were banned from use by citizens, continue to this day.

 

In recent days, due to these same policies, residents of the village of Zêkreş in the Milazgir (Malazgirt) district of Mûş — whose access to their plateau had been banned in the 1990s on the grounds that they refused to accept the village guard system — were subjected to an armed attack and physical violence by village guards on 7 June. The villagers, who were attempting to reach the Dexda plateau to graze their animals, were forced to leave the plateau following the attack. On 8 June, gendarmerie forces also intervened against the villagers, who had been waiting at the plateau entrance for a long time. The villagers, whose main livelihood is animal husbandry, expressed their reaction to the fact that the said practice is still ongoing.

 

Burhanettin Esen and Mehmet Koca, two of the citizens who were attacked by village guards on the plateau, recounted what they experienced.

 

Referring to the attack they were subjected to by village guards on Sunday evening, Burhanettin Esen said the guards did not comply with the gendarmerie's warning to "not fire." Noting that other villagers besides himself had also been beaten, Esen said the violence continued even though one citizen had a broken leg and arm. Esen stated that 16-17 villagers were handcuffed and had a vehicle driven at them. Noting that animal husbandry is permitted on the plateaus of other villages and that only they are being blocked, Esen said there are more than 2,000 head of cattle in the village but that the village's pasture is insufficient for animal husbandry.

 

Stating that the village was referred to as a "PKK village" in 1999, Esen said soldiers who told them "you are harbouring PKK members here" banned their access to the plateau. Esen said the plateau had been seized and that the village guards were acting with the support of the state. Esen said: "I will file a criminal complaint against the village guards. I also call on the Ministry of Interior to abolish the village guard system. Under the name of village guards, injustice is being done to the people. They are of no benefit to the state. The governor has declared it a prohibited zone. The matter is in court. We are awaiting the court's ruling. Is it banned for us but free for them?"

 

Mehmet Koca, who described the physical violence he was subjected to on the plateau, emphasized that they were faced with inhumane treatment. Stating that no investigation has been opened against the village guards, Koca said: "We report it to the state and get the answer 'File a complaint.' We are already filing complaints. A few of our friends had videos of the incident. The soldiers forcibly took their phones and deleted the videos."

 

The ban on accessing the plateau remains in effect.

 

MA / Can Kirbas