My name is Nadir Alma
My name is Nadir Alma
My name is Nadir Alma.
I am not a statistic.
I am a human being!
And I have a story too
I was born as the second son of a 13 member family, in a season of sadness
Just like all sea pearls are different from each other, my mother used to love each of use in a different way She added the love for her husband to the love for each of her child, giving an exceptional place to each of us. I for the first time saw such a boundless heart in my mother
Poverty was the partner of our lives too. It was always having the seat of honor at our home and table. We had already reconciled ourselves to our situation but our honor guest would somehow not go away Poverty was the only reason why I dropped out of the second class of a secondary school
We were leading a mousy and limpid life My best friend was my elder brother Hikmet with whom I was carrying the burden of our house together. When I went to Erzurum to perform my military duty, I loaded the burden on my shoulders on him and he didnt utter a single word
During my military service, I learned that the absence from my home, mother, lover and village was an unbearable longing
Poverty had completely settled in the village of Roboski by the time I returned home after finishing the military service. The only way open for us was to smuggle, to pick up where I left off in other words
At that night as well, it was never a pleasure for me to go after the donkey caravan which was burdened with poverty and hope. Two brothers of mine were doing their military service and they had no money. I went to smuggling that night to earn some money for them and for the needs of our house. The next thing I was going to do afterwards was to save some money for my wedding ceremony which my mother had been looking forward to for a long time. However, my turn didnt come!
We were caught in a merciless disaster. The sound that night torn not only the night but also our lives. We resorted to the wings of the night but it was useless as our daytime lives turned into a night My body which had been remaining standing with tiredness and poverty fell down on the ground
Thirty four stars fell from the heaven that night, thirty four wishes were made, thirty four breaths were held
My name is Nadir Alma, I could live only twenty five years of my life. Should someone ask about me, tell them that I am smiling now, from inside of the eternity of death
This may annoy you but I have several words to say;
I demand justice,
If the bombs that killed me didnt kill the justice too
Doesnt everyone have the right to justice?
Or,
Should I apologize to the state because it has warted those huge, expensive bombs for killing me,
Should I thank the General Staff for not missing the target and for killing me!?
* Platform for Justice for Roboski publishes the life story of 34 people from the villages of Roboski and Gülyazý who were killed by bombs on 28 December, 2011. These stories which will be published for 34 days are also sent to the offices of President, Prime Minister, Ministry of Justice and Interior Ministry via fax and mail.
I am not a statistic.
I am a human being!
And I have a story too
I was born as the second son of a 13 member family, in a season of sadness
Just like all sea pearls are different from each other, my mother used to love each of use in a different way She added the love for her husband to the love for each of her child, giving an exceptional place to each of us. I for the first time saw such a boundless heart in my mother
Poverty was the partner of our lives too. It was always having the seat of honor at our home and table. We had already reconciled ourselves to our situation but our honor guest would somehow not go away Poverty was the only reason why I dropped out of the second class of a secondary school
We were leading a mousy and limpid life My best friend was my elder brother Hikmet with whom I was carrying the burden of our house together. When I went to Erzurum to perform my military duty, I loaded the burden on my shoulders on him and he didnt utter a single word
During my military service, I learned that the absence from my home, mother, lover and village was an unbearable longing
Poverty had completely settled in the village of Roboski by the time I returned home after finishing the military service. The only way open for us was to smuggle, to pick up where I left off in other words
At that night as well, it was never a pleasure for me to go after the donkey caravan which was burdened with poverty and hope. Two brothers of mine were doing their military service and they had no money. I went to smuggling that night to earn some money for them and for the needs of our house. The next thing I was going to do afterwards was to save some money for my wedding ceremony which my mother had been looking forward to for a long time. However, my turn didnt come!
We were caught in a merciless disaster. The sound that night torn not only the night but also our lives. We resorted to the wings of the night but it was useless as our daytime lives turned into a night My body which had been remaining standing with tiredness and poverty fell down on the ground
Thirty four stars fell from the heaven that night, thirty four wishes were made, thirty four breaths were held
My name is Nadir Alma, I could live only twenty five years of my life. Should someone ask about me, tell them that I am smiling now, from inside of the eternity of death
This may annoy you but I have several words to say;
I demand justice,
If the bombs that killed me didnt kill the justice too
Doesnt everyone have the right to justice?
Or,
Should I apologize to the state because it has warted those huge, expensive bombs for killing me,
Should I thank the General Staff for not missing the target and for killing me!?
* Platform for Justice for Roboski publishes the life story of 34 people from the villages of Roboski and Gülyazý who were killed by bombs on 28 December, 2011. These stories which will be published for 34 days are also sent to the offices of President, Prime Minister, Ministry of Justice and Interior Ministry via fax and mail.
