Father tells of how he lost his 'Hope'
Father tells of how he lost his 'Hope'
On June 7, Umut Petkkaya, a 15 year-old shepherd, lost his life in the rural areas of Diyarbakýr’s Çermik district when an explosive device he found while he was tending his flock exploded, making a two-meter wide hole in the ground. His family buried him on Thursday in his hometown. Two others were injured in the blast. They remain at the Dicle University Medical Department Hospital.
Umut Petkkaya’s father spoke to DÝHA about the tragedy, “While my son was herding sheep in the countryside, he played with what turned out to be a bomb. While he was playing, he was killed. My son’s name was Umut, which means 'Hope'. I hope his death will be a hope for peace. Do not let more pernicious bombs kill other Umuts or Ceylans in Kurdistan, don’t let them die. We are saying, ‘enough is enough.’ We are screaming, we are lamenting. We don’t want another mother to weep, we don’t want anything else. We are weeping blood. My heart went this direction, don’t let other hearts burn. My Umut’s mother wept, Ceylan’s mother wept, enough already.”
Umut’s father continued, “Find the criminals and punish them. An operation happened two years ago! Why haven’t you cleared the area of left over explosives? Why hasn’t the area been declared a forbidden zone? Why did my son find a bomb when he went there and why was my son blown to pieces? Enough already, enough of this pain!”
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Çermik District Chair Muhittin Çelikten spoke about the tragedy; “As long as this country isn’t solving the Kurdish issue and it is not giving Kurds their democratic rights, more Umuts will be killed. For this reason, the state must take immediate steps towards a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.”
The Çermik District Police Department and the District Gendarmerie Command are conducting an investigation into the incident.
According to local sources, there was a violent clash in the area two years ago. It lasted for hours and included arial bombardment. One PKK member lost his life during the clash. Last year, another military operation was carried out in the same area.
The military has neither cleared the area of unexploded ordinance, nor has it declared it a forbidden zone.
Shepherds from local villages who use the area to graze their flocks frequently find empty bullet casings.The legal struggle against those responsible is continuing. If it necessary, the Petekkaya family will pursue the case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Umut Petkkaya’s father spoke to DÝHA about the tragedy, “While my son was herding sheep in the countryside, he played with what turned out to be a bomb. While he was playing, he was killed. My son’s name was Umut, which means 'Hope'. I hope his death will be a hope for peace. Do not let more pernicious bombs kill other Umuts or Ceylans in Kurdistan, don’t let them die. We are saying, ‘enough is enough.’ We are screaming, we are lamenting. We don’t want another mother to weep, we don’t want anything else. We are weeping blood. My heart went this direction, don’t let other hearts burn. My Umut’s mother wept, Ceylan’s mother wept, enough already.”
Umut’s father continued, “Find the criminals and punish them. An operation happened two years ago! Why haven’t you cleared the area of left over explosives? Why hasn’t the area been declared a forbidden zone? Why did my son find a bomb when he went there and why was my son blown to pieces? Enough already, enough of this pain!”
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Çermik District Chair Muhittin Çelikten spoke about the tragedy; “As long as this country isn’t solving the Kurdish issue and it is not giving Kurds their democratic rights, more Umuts will be killed. For this reason, the state must take immediate steps towards a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.”
The Çermik District Police Department and the District Gendarmerie Command are conducting an investigation into the incident.
According to local sources, there was a violent clash in the area two years ago. It lasted for hours and included arial bombardment. One PKK member lost his life during the clash. Last year, another military operation was carried out in the same area.
The military has neither cleared the area of unexploded ordinance, nor has it declared it a forbidden zone.
Shepherds from local villages who use the area to graze their flocks frequently find empty bullet casings.The legal struggle against those responsible is continuing. If it necessary, the Petekkaya family will pursue the case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
