Turkey commemorates victims of Ankara Train Station Massacre on 9th anniversary

Ceren Bayar & Osman Çaklı / Gazete Duvar

Turkey on Oct. 10 commemorated the ninth anniversary of the Ankara Train Station Massacre and its 104 victims.

Families of the victims, pro-Kurdish Peoples Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, Labor Party (EMEP) Chair Seyit Aslan, numerous opposition MPs, and leaders of unions and professional organizations attended the commemoration at the scene of the attack in the capital province of Ankara. 

Following a moment of silence at 10:04 a.m., the exact time of the attack, the names of the 104 victims were read aloud.

Ihsan Kocabıyık, co-chair of the October 10 Peace Association, addressed the ongoing legal proceedings related to the massacre and emphasized that the families would never give up their fight for justice, stating, "We will continue our struggle until the real perpetrators are punished."

Kocabıyık also referenced the October 10 memorial, which was inaugurated the day before with the participation of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) chair Özgür Özel, and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş. He thanked sculptor Metin Yurdanur for his support of the families' stance.

Kocabıyık declared, "The memorial is undoubtedly ours. It belongs not only to us but to the 301 miners killed in Soma, the 34 people murdered in Roboski, the victims of Gezi, and those killed in the Maraş Massacre. This memorial is for all of us. No one should try to take credit for it."

Sculptor Yurdanur also spoke, recalling the words of Sebahat Hanım, the teacher of 9-year-old victim Veysel.

"She asked, 'How will I now teach my students about peace?' We will teach peace through this memorial, through the image of the woman resisting with her daughter in her arms."

Mehtap Sakinci, co-spokesperson for the October 10 Peace Association, delivered the association’s statement. She highlighted that anger over the massacre, the largest civilian attack in Turkey’s history, grows stronger each day.

"We all know by now that this massacre, which resulted in enormous pain, could have been prevented. It is clear that the October 10 Ankara Massacre was a political assassination, carried out during a dark period between two elections, as evident in the rhetoric of the politicians of that time."

Sakinci also explained why the association did not attend the memorial’s inauguration, which took place the previous evening, and described the process leading up to it. "We were told that if we wanted to, we could attend as 'guests' and speak, but that the municipality would determine the opening protocol, and the association and its affiliates would not have the right to speak."

Sakinci stated that the association engaged in nearly five hours of negotiations with the CHP, during which it became clear that the options presented were bureaucratic impositions. The association was left with no choice but to withdraw from the opening ceremony.

She criticized the political motivations behind the event, saying, "The memorial’s opening, which we fought so hard for, was treated merely as a job to be done, and it became a contest for political superiority. Despite our tears, our requests were ignored, and we were excluded from the memorial opening."

Hatimoğulları and Aslan on the Massacre and Justice

DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları followed Sakinci’s speech, declaring, "We will never forget the 104 doves of peace we lost here. If we do, we risk opening the door to future massacres." She also accused the government of cooperating with ISIS, stating, "This government maintained its power through collaboration with ISIS. They were aware of all these massacres. If you examine the court records, it’s clear how state forces, law enforcement, and the intelligence agency paved the way for this massacre."

EMEP chair Seyit Aslan added that those who facilitated and protected the perpetrators of the massacre are responsible for it, saying, "Your state apparatus is the source of all these crimes. Some ministers walk arm in arm with gangs and mafias. You will pay for these massacres."

The commemoration ended with the laying of carnations at the memorial, after speeches from democratic mass organizations and professional groups.

Another commemoration was held in Istanbul's Kadıköy Pier. The crowd expressed their anger with slogans like "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism" and "The 10th of October will be avenged," also held a press statement.

In the statement, protestors emphasized that the verdict in the October 10 trial did not ease consciences, "The October 10 Ankara massacre remains a political assassination."

The statement was frequently interrupted by chants of "We will not surrender to darkness."

It was also noted that the 9th anniversary of the massacre should not only be a time of remembrance but also a moment to build a hopeful future. "We bow in respect before the memory of our friends. We will not forget October 10," the statement concluded.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed the Oct. 10 attack, marking the country’s bloodiest attack with 104 victims.

The radical Islamists targeted a rally gathered to march for peace ahead of national elections on Nov. 1. The victims were largely supporters of the Kurdish-oriented People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and other leftist organizations. 

After the bomb attack, the police arrived at the scene before the medical teams and attacked the injured people with tear gas and water cannons. 

The crime scene was not guarded nor did the crime scene investigation teams and prosecutors arrive at the scene immediately. The teams arrived about 1.5 hours later and the deputy chief prosecutor arrived 2.5 hours later.

A Turkish court in 2016 filed a lawsuit against 36 defendants, yet most of the key figures could not be captured alive during operations. In June 2024, the court sentenced 10 defendants to aggravated life in prison.

Erman Ekici was the first defendant charged with "crimes against humanity" in Turkish legal history. The court acquitted him of the charge but handed him an aggravated life sentence.

(English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)