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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Representatives from several Kurdish parties in Turkey were blocked by the army from visiting Kurdish workers attacked in Sakarya on the grounds of coronavirus restrictions, politicians said Monday.
“Today, the Kurdistan Alliance and the HDP bloc wanted to visit the village of Keleke [Mardin province] after a racist attack was carried out against people in Sakarya. We wanted to show solidarity with the family,” Communist Party of Kurdistan (KKP) leader Sinan Ciftyurek told reporters.
“However, they [army] blocked the village road on the grounds of coronavirus restrictions. We condemn this illegal decision.”
The KKP is one of eight parties included in the Kurdistan Alliance, alongside the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP), which went to visit the workers.
Sixteen women from Keleke village claim they were beaten by a farmer and his sons on Friday after traveling some 950 kilometres west to Sakayra to pick hazelnuts.
“He slapped me on the face, on the side and on my neck.” said Shilan Demir, a migrant worker.
“They had a scythe and axe with them and were saying they would kill my brother,” added Khedar Demir.
Meral Danis Bestas, an outspoken HDP parliamentarian, condemned the army’s decision.
“Those who failed to protect people against an attack in Sakarya did not allow them to get support from us today. We condemn it and they can never cut us off from our people. We can go again tomorrow and the day after,” she said in the same press conference.
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