Speaking at the “Conference on Child and Violence in the Context of Human Rights” organized by ÝHD (Human Rights Association) with the support of European Union, Diyarbakýr Medical Chamber Ex-President Dr. Selçuk Mýzraklý remarked that the violence against Kurdish children is living on the Kurdish perception of the system’. At the conference, which was given at Diyarbakýr Metropolitan Municipality Conference Hall and moderated by Emin Sarýkaya, Diyarbakýr Medical Chamber Ex-President Dr. Selçuk Mýzraklý, ÝHD Diyarbakýr Branch Head Lawyer Keziban Yýlmaz and Dicle University Faculty of Literature Lecturer Assistant Professor Doctor Abdurrahim Özmen made presentations. At the first presentation, Mýzrak made a reference to the “Dersim’s Lost Girls” film in the contaxt of its relatedness with violence and assimilation policy. Mýzrak spoke as follows; “What we call assimilation is the extinction of a child’s memory”. Mentioning the political-based violence that Kurdish children are exposed to in particular, Mýzraklý said; “What lies behind this violence? Do they want to cow the children into submission or the families? Children are now kept in prisons where their parents and grandparents were kept earlier. In the background, the system’s eye on Kurdish people is maintaining violence”.

‘TMK amendment is fraudulent’

At the next presentation, Lawyer Kezban Yýlmaz interpreted the law amendment in TMK (Anti-Terror Law) as fraudulent and remarked that children are now being judged with the 2. paragraph of the 2. article, which shapes “Opposing the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”, while they were not judged with this article before the amendment. Yýlmaz mentioned that 15 of the children, who were recently detained with home raids in many corners of Turkey, were arrested, adding that the legal amendment made is creating an illusion by means of media.

Types of Torture on Children

Making the last presentation themed “Child perception of society and violence”, Lecturer Assistant Professor Doctor Abdurrahim Özmen told the historical basis of approach to children. Özmen pointed out that the change of historical perception brought an altering perception in child rights, adding that this perception newly starting to be formed. Özmen handled the violence against children under two separate titles he expressed as exterior violence and protector violence. Özmen emphasized the second title more, telling that this type of torture results from the right of disposition on children by families who do not regard them as an individual. Özmen underlined that he finds this torture type dangerous.

Translation: Berna Ozgencil