Turkish main opposition leader promises justice for Roboski massacre victims

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Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) promised to enlighten the Roboski massacre of 2011 during a visit to the village on Aug. 4.

“A painful incident occurred on Dec. 28, 2011. The pain has not yet subsided. For the pain to subside, the incident needs to be enlightened. I am here to give the promise of enlightening it. There can be no 'making amends' without justice prevailing,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Last year, Kılıçdaroğlu launched a campaign of “making amends” by acknowledging injustices in the country and promised to pay a visit to those who suffered at the hands of the state.

As part of these “Making Amends Meetings,” Kılıçdaroğlu on Aug. 4 went to the Kurdish majority village of Roboski in the southeastern Şırnak province.

“Of course, those who died will not come back, but the pain of the mothers needs to subside a bit. We will ensure justice; this is our duty. If you can ensure justice, then you can establish peace and tranquility in society,” Kılıçdaroğu said.

Kılıçdaroğlu also touched upon the allegations of fraud in the civil servant exam KPSS during his speech, saying that it is one of the indicators of “rottenness of the state.”

“I know that there is rottenness in the state. It was not for nothing that I have been visiting state institutions. I have also said here that justice needs to prevail. I promise here from Roboski that we will bring justice to the country,” he said.

A total of 34 civilians, including 19 children, were killed in the airstrikes carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in Roboski on Dec. 28, 2011. The bombs left bodies dismembered, with families unable to identify their loved ones.

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.