People of Yüksekova: We will not leave our lands

Local people dealing with animal husbandry in uplands to earn a living voiced determination to not leave their lands despite the recently enhanced bombardments by Turkish jets.

People of Hakkari's Yüksekova district are facing major difficulties due to the increasingly ongoing activities and attacks by Turkish forces.

Speaking to ANF, local people dealing with animal husbandry in uplands to earn a living voiced determination to not leave their lands despite the recently enhanced bombardments by Turkish jets.

Hakan from the village of Alakan (Shepherd): The Turkish state is shelling us for the last several days, which mainly gives a harm to the locals, shepherds and animals. During the most recent shelling, I was herding in Kaniya Spi area. The bombs fell near us.

The governor asked us through the village headman to take the animals out of this area but this is the only place where we can feed our animals. Stock farming is our main source of living. We are not going anywhere.

Turkish officials say that jets are firing pinpoint shots, but this is a lie. They are bombing the areas at random, and harm mainly us, civilians.

Rizgar from the village of Alakan (Shepherd): The night before, jets shelled a point very close to us. We had nowhere to hide, so we lied down among the animals and spent the night in that way in an effort to protect ourselves. These are our lands and nobody can drive us away from here. They should rather stop bombing us with warplanes.

Rêber from the village of Alakan (Shepherd): Warplanes flew over us from 8 pm in the evening till 2 am at night. Government officials asked us through the village headman to leave the area. However, we have nowhere else to feed our animals. Stock farming is our single source of living and we will not leave even if they send warplanes to bomb us every night. I am preparing for the university entrance exam now and saving some money to afford my expenses for then.

Maliya from the village of Alakan: May God not accept this persecution perpetrated on the Kurdish people. We are feeding and breeding our animals to earn a living. The bombardments are greatly hindering us. We have no other way to live and earn a living. What do they want us to do, and where do they want us to go?I wish the very same persecution for Erdoğan himself.

A mother from Gever: I do not know what Erdoğan wants from us, and why our animals are being targeted by bombardments. This is our single source of living. Erdoğan calls himself a just and Muslim person but this has nothing to do with Islam. They have no fear from God and the Qoran they hold in their hands before the people. If it is that easy, they should send their own children to war. We are also citizens of this country but suffering a never-ending repression.

Another mother Emine Ayna: I am 65 years old and still working on these mountains for my bread and butter. They are bombing our animals. May God punish these thieves and murderers.

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