'Başbağlar is the orphan case of Turkiye'
In the village of Başbağlar, Kemaliye district of Erzincan, the pain of the relatives of the villagers whom massacred by PKK, still remain freshness despite the 24 years passed.
The PKK, which is full of historical cruelty, bullying and massacres, murdered 2 children, totally 33 villages in the village of Başbağlar, Kemaliye district of Erzincan on July 5, 1993. 5 of them were burnt, 28 of them executed by gunfire. Despite 24 years has passed, the pain of the relatives of the villagers still remain freshness.
Witnesses of the massacre and relatives of martyred villagers expressed that their pain continues due to the murderers still haven’t been caught and punished.
Ahmet Kucur, who lost his grandfather in the massacre, said that the gendarmerie arrived at the village 12 hours after the massacre and that the funerals were taken by the truck.
Kucur, who complained to the authorities of the day, said that they would fight to for the Başbağlar case not to be forgotten.
“We want to know the consequences and reasons of this massacre from the authorities of that day,” said Kucur, complaining that the martyrs were buried in the village of Başpınar, which is an hour away from the village, “Our martyrs were put in trucks by our municipal authorities. Not by a funeral vehicle. Statesmen came to here on the following day. No one cared about us. Why did not the martyrs be buried in here? Why did the martyrs were buries to a village which an hour away from our village?”
“There were 70 bullet holes on my granddad’s robe”
Kucur said: “We knew what our demised people’s body were like. There were 70 bullet holes in my grandfather's robe. The genocide they did was not massacre, they targeted civil war in Turkiye. They wanted fight between alevis and sunnis. The only reason for the massacre in our village is that we are a Muslim village. Still women are crying, the reason why they cry is the pain in their heart.”
“Başbağlar is the orphan case of Turkiye”
Kucur added, "Look, women are crying in spite of the fact that 24 years has passed. They should find the traitors of this country. The Başbağlar case is not only on July 5. Shall we run wild to me Başbağlar case come to the agenda? Are they are doing it because we are not opening our mouths? Başbağlar is the orphan case of Turkiye.
Hatice Türkücü, whom her husband murdered in the massacre, named Şaban Türkücü, wanted the perpetrators to be found and punished.
“We are suffering for 24 years”
Expressed that her 5 children left orphan after the massacre, Hatice Türkücü said, “I was 29 when the massacre happened. One of my daughters went to bring water from the fountain. She told me that anarchists raided on the village after her return. I did not know what I could do. We locked the door and went in. They came to my door. I told my children to say ‘mummy is not at home, she locked the door and went somewhere.’ My children said how I told them. They said, ‘Get out of the door, we will break it.’ They broke the door and walked in. Each of my children was crying. They took us by saying, ‘there is a meeting’, without giving opportunity to wear our sweat. Then they set our houses on fire. Then we went to the place where we were going to be massacred, everyone was lying on the ground, we took our children who were afraid and we went without knowing where we were going. Now our demand from our authorities to seek for our rights. We are suffering for 24 years.”
Mehmet Kaya, who was 13 years old when he experienced the massacre, said that they are still carrying the hope of the capture of the slaughterers.
“They took people from mosque and executed by shooting”
Kaya, who stated that he lost his grandfather, two uncles, and brother in law used the following statements: “According to us, Başbağlar is still not understood. So no killers have been found, we are still in sadness and sorrow, blood of our martyrs remains. The aim of those who carried out this massacre first was the Ummah and our lands. I myself experienced the event. We were out of the village. We were coming to the village from tableland. I had Yahya brother with me. They crossed our path and took us to the village. Then they took people out of the mosque and executed by shooting. I heard the bullets till the morning. I saw all of the corpses in the morning. The tubes in the houses exploded. I heard that some were asking for help, but I could not do anything because I was a child. They martyred Yahya who was beside me. Justice must be for everyone.”
İbrahim Özdemir lost his father in massacre and stated that he was 6-years-old. (M. Hüseyin Temel - ILKHA)