Guerrilla send a letter from prison to say he is still alive
Guerrilla send a letter from prison to say he is still alive
Abdulhalim Ozdemir, one of eight guerrillas who are recorded as buried in mass at Mahmudiye Cemetery after losing their lives in a clash at Amanos Mountains in Hatay in 1998, sent a letter from Antep Prison to Human Rights Association (IHD) Adana Branch, writing that he is held in Antep Prison and Hüseyin Acar is still alive.
Eight PKK members lost their lives during the operation on 16-19 March 1998 at Amanos Mountains in Hatay and the bodies were buried in the mass at Erzin City Cemetery after the clash. However, as a result of some racist approaches and constraints, the bodies were brought to light with municipality vehicles and buried in mass in a hollow by the stream bed at Mahmudiye Cemetery near the military zone.
While IHD Adana Branch applied to Erzin Prosecution's Office in February 2011 for the opening of the mass grave, Erzin Prosecutor, responding the application two months later, explained that eight PKK members were buried in mass at Mahmudiye Cemetery. The army's sketch given to the court under the investigation defined the burial place and listed the name of guerrillas as Abdulhalim Özdemir, Hüseyin Acar, Çetin Saðýr, Süleyman Barýþ, Hüseyin Ýþcan, Selahattin Güneþ, Abdulmecit Aydýn and Kazým (surname unidentified). In consequence of the investigation, the public prosecutor ruled that opening a case against th event was impossible as the incident was time barred, while IHD's lawyers demanded the opening of the grave.
One PKK member, indicated as buried in the mass grave, sent letter from prison
After the publication of news on the issue, Abdulhalim Özdemir, who was indicated as buried in the mass grave, took place in the mentioned clash and put in Antep H Type Closed Prison when captured alive during another operation afterwards, sent a letter to IHD Adana Branch and gave information about the incident. Özdemir, noting that he was also in the clash, wrote the followings; "The clash, where eight guerrillas lost their lives, broke out on 18-19 March 1998 in the rural areas of Sofular Plateau of Gökdere/Erzin and Olukbaþý Plateau of Osmaniye. The news published on the event listed the names of guerrillas who lost their lives at the clash but the names of me and Hüseyin Acar (Dilþer) were also written on the list. Hüseyin Acar didn't lose his life at the clash; I know that he is still alive. The name list of the prosecution doesn't match up with the name list I have."
The name of PKK members on Özdemir's letter is as follows;
* Ercan Kavak, code name Ibrahim, from Batman
* Süleyman Barýþ, code name Kendal, from Mardin Nusaybin
* Murat Güven, code name Yaþar, from Muþ Bulanýk
* Code name Þirin, from Hýnýs/Erzurum
* Code name Þiyar, from Elazýð
* Code name Hayri, from Bingöl
* Code name Nurhak,from Pazarcýk/Maraþ
* Code name Dr. Bedran, from Afrin/Syria
Concerning the issue, IHD Adana Branch Chairman Aydin Sincar said the followings; "We have received a letter which says that there is a mistake about the identities of the first and second numbered guerrillas on the list of the prosecution office given to us. Abdulhalim Özdemir, at his letter concerning the clash, tells that the mentioned clash took place and eight guerrillas lost their lives, which shows that Erzin Prosecution's Office knows about the names and code names of the guerrillas who were involved in the clash and lost their lives. During the autopsy of casualties, each dead guerrilla was given a code name and recorded like that. It is seen that some of the names given by the prosecution office are not true. We, as human rights defenders, demand the disinterment of the bodies, a DNA test on the guerrillas and delivery of the guerrillas' bones to their families."
Families waiting for the prosecution's reply
On the other hand, the families of Ercan Kavak (Ýbrahim) from Batman, Süleyman Barýþ (Kendal) from Nusaybin/Mardin and Abdulmecit Aydýn (Þirin) from Istanbul have still not been answered by Erzin Prosecution's Office for the application they made through IHD.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
Eight PKK members lost their lives during the operation on 16-19 March 1998 at Amanos Mountains in Hatay and the bodies were buried in the mass at Erzin City Cemetery after the clash. However, as a result of some racist approaches and constraints, the bodies were brought to light with municipality vehicles and buried in mass in a hollow by the stream bed at Mahmudiye Cemetery near the military zone.
While IHD Adana Branch applied to Erzin Prosecution's Office in February 2011 for the opening of the mass grave, Erzin Prosecutor, responding the application two months later, explained that eight PKK members were buried in mass at Mahmudiye Cemetery. The army's sketch given to the court under the investigation defined the burial place and listed the name of guerrillas as Abdulhalim Özdemir, Hüseyin Acar, Çetin Saðýr, Süleyman Barýþ, Hüseyin Ýþcan, Selahattin Güneþ, Abdulmecit Aydýn and Kazým (surname unidentified). In consequence of the investigation, the public prosecutor ruled that opening a case against th event was impossible as the incident was time barred, while IHD's lawyers demanded the opening of the grave.
One PKK member, indicated as buried in the mass grave, sent letter from prison
After the publication of news on the issue, Abdulhalim Özdemir, who was indicated as buried in the mass grave, took place in the mentioned clash and put in Antep H Type Closed Prison when captured alive during another operation afterwards, sent a letter to IHD Adana Branch and gave information about the incident. Özdemir, noting that he was also in the clash, wrote the followings; "The clash, where eight guerrillas lost their lives, broke out on 18-19 March 1998 in the rural areas of Sofular Plateau of Gökdere/Erzin and Olukbaþý Plateau of Osmaniye. The news published on the event listed the names of guerrillas who lost their lives at the clash but the names of me and Hüseyin Acar (Dilþer) were also written on the list. Hüseyin Acar didn't lose his life at the clash; I know that he is still alive. The name list of the prosecution doesn't match up with the name list I have."
The name of PKK members on Özdemir's letter is as follows;
* Ercan Kavak, code name Ibrahim, from Batman
* Süleyman Barýþ, code name Kendal, from Mardin Nusaybin
* Murat Güven, code name Yaþar, from Muþ Bulanýk
* Code name Þirin, from Hýnýs/Erzurum
* Code name Þiyar, from Elazýð
* Code name Hayri, from Bingöl
* Code name Nurhak,from Pazarcýk/Maraþ
* Code name Dr. Bedran, from Afrin/Syria
Concerning the issue, IHD Adana Branch Chairman Aydin Sincar said the followings; "We have received a letter which says that there is a mistake about the identities of the first and second numbered guerrillas on the list of the prosecution office given to us. Abdulhalim Özdemir, at his letter concerning the clash, tells that the mentioned clash took place and eight guerrillas lost their lives, which shows that Erzin Prosecution's Office knows about the names and code names of the guerrillas who were involved in the clash and lost their lives. During the autopsy of casualties, each dead guerrilla was given a code name and recorded like that. It is seen that some of the names given by the prosecution office are not true. We, as human rights defenders, demand the disinterment of the bodies, a DNA test on the guerrillas and delivery of the guerrillas' bones to their families."
Families waiting for the prosecution's reply
On the other hand, the families of Ercan Kavak (Ýbrahim) from Batman, Süleyman Barýþ (Kendal) from Nusaybin/Mardin and Abdulmecit Aydýn (Þirin) from Istanbul have still not been answered by Erzin Prosecution's Office for the application they made through IHD.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
