Roboski massacre victims commemorated with demand for justice 12 years on

Hacı Bişkin / Gazete Duvar

Roboski villagers in the southeastern province of Şırnak and politicians commemorated on Dec. 28 those killed in an airstrike, as the village continues to exhibit pain and suffering 12 years on.

A total of 34 people, mostly children, were killed in an airstrike by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in Şırnak's border village of Roboski on Dec. 28, 2011. The bombs left bodies dismembered, with families unable to identify their loved ones.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları also attended the commemoration.

Sadık Alma, who lost his son 25-year-old Nadir Alma in the massacre, said that his pain is still fresh. Alma, who was among the delegation that met with the then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said that Erdoğan did not keep his promise he gave after the massacre.

Alma said the attitude towards Kurds in Turkey has not changed 12 years on. “They tried to silence us. We did not remain silent. We resisted. Lawsuits were filed against us. But at this point, we, as Roboski families, have given up hope.”

Then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with the Roboski families for the first time on July 26, 2013. 

“Erdoğan told us, 'I know about the case. I did not give the (airstrike) instruction. If you want, get the compensation, we will give you some positions from the state. I know everything. I promise to do my best.’ 12 years have passed. He didn't keep his promise. He was implicitly implying that the lawsuit we filed as Roboski families would not yield any results. That’s what happened,” Alma said.

“They tried to silence us by offering (public employee) positions. If you are wondering, let me tell you that most of the compensation mentioned was not given either,” he added.

Alma lastly noted that Erdoğan was covering up Roboski, but “the world knows what happened in Roboski. This massacre took place in front of the world.” 

Zeynep Encu, who lost 11 of her relatives in the airstrike, said they had more anger than mourning. 

“We were detained. Our houses were raided. A mother's son was murdered, one son was taken into custody, and one went to prison. The massacre was covered up. This silence made us very tired. We will not give up on our case. Many parties visited us. We have a request from them. When they go to the parliamentary rostrum, let them say justice to Roboski with one voice. Let them reopen the closed file,” she said.

The Roboski families' search for justice both in domestic courts and in the international arena failed. Right after the massacre, the families filed a complaint in order for those responsible to be tried, but after years of waiting, a military prosecutor's office dismissed the case.

The families in 2014 took the case to the Constitutional Court, which deemed it inadmissible due to errors in the submission that stemmed from the Şırnak Bar Association's serious mistakes.

The latest blow to the Roboski families was dealt by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) when it dismissed their appeal on the grounds that domestic legal means weren't exhausted since the files weren't submitted properly to the Constitutional Court.

On the other hand, former main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Levent Gök had a monument built for Roboski with the proceeds of his book “Roboski: Uludere’s Tears,” Ceren Bayar from Gazete Duvar reported.

The monument, which could not be placed due to winter conditions, will be placed in the village when the winter conditions disappear.

"I commemorate with mercy the 34 civilians who were bombed and murdered in Uludere 12 years ago. We will not let this massacre be forgotten until all those responsible, who are protected because of a lack of effective investigation, are tried and the truth is revealed," CHP leader Özgür Özel said in a tweet.