GULÊ SEVCAN

Şırnak- A 24-hour-curfew was declared in Cizre district of Şırnak province on December 14, 2015. Hundreds of people lost their lives during the curfew. Five years have passed since the declaration of the curfew but the bodies of 14 people haven’t been given to their families. Hacer Arslan is one of 14 people. Arslan family has looked for the body of Hacer Arslan for five years. The bodies of people who lost their lives in basements were taken under the rubbles and the bodies were delivered to families after DNA tests. But the bodies of 14 people lost their lives during the 24-hour-curfew lasted for 79 days haven’t been found despite the DNA tests.

She found her son while looking for her daughter

The family gave a blood sample many times for the DNA tests. Hacer Arslan’s brother Sait Arslan also lost his life during the curfew. And his body was found by the DNA test. Hezne Arslan says there is no place left to apply to find her daughter’s body and her only wish is to have a grave for her daughter.

 Hezne Arslan has lost not only her two children but also her brother Selim Turay, father of three. She says what she faces as follows;

“I learned that my daughter was in the first basement on TV. Then news bulletins reported that a fire was started in the third basement. That time I learned my daughter lost her life. When the curfew was lifted, we gave blood samples for a DNA test. Then we were called by the municipality saying they had a body for us. I thought they found my daughter’s body but they found my son’s body.”

“I see my daughter in my dream every night”

Undelivered bodies were brought to the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Şırnak MP Nuran İmir previously asked where the undelivered bodies are to the Turkish Ministry of Justice Abdülhamit Gül but there is no response. HDP MP Nuran İmir talked to our news agency and she said they haven’t been informed about the undelivered bodies despite their applications. “We have made application many times for unfounded bodies of 14 people. Families gave blood samples for the DNA test. The bodies cannot be found, probably because the ashes of these people are not found. During that time, the families waited near the Tigris River, where the rubbles were left, for days to find the bodies of their loved ones. The names of 14 people are known. Although 5 years have passed, nothing has been done. We have applied to find the bodies many times, but our applications have been sent back to us for different reasons. We will follow the process until the bodies are found.”