Habertürk television has manipulated an interview with residents of Afrin through faulty translation in a special program. The Afrin resident’s comments on the FSA gangs looting the city were translated as “YPG”.
According to an article by Bianet, the interviews Veyis Ateş held with residents of Afrin in Çobaney were manipulated in an “Afrin Special” broadcast on Habertürk TV. The footage can be seen on the official YouTube channel of the network.
Social media users noticed the manipulation in the program dated March 27. Bianet Kurdî has rechecked the dialogue and translated it to Turkish.
On the 34:10, the Afrin residents start talking about the FSA stealing their property, while an interpreter wearing an AFAD vest translates these comments as “YPG did it” for the broadcast.
The Bianet article includes a clip of the program from the mark at 34:10 onwards. The following is an excerpt from the Kurdish original and the Turkish translation of the interview:
Veyis Ateş: We will ask Afrin residents, the people who live here, the before and the after, i.e. to compare two weeks ago with what the Turkish state has provided. How was it, and how is it now?
Afrin Resident #1: Ehlê Efrîn em dixwazin hiro, mezahir muselliha (hêzên çekdar) di Efrîn da tine be. Innû Ceyşîl Hûrr ne Ceyşîl Hûrr e. Diz in. Mixerrebî nin, îrhab in. Malêt me birin. Jinêt me... Şeva çû, sê qîzik xera kirin. Emrê wê deh û pênc salî...
[Translation: We don’t want armed forces that don’t belong here to be here. The Free (Syrian) Army is not a free army. They are thieves. They are terrorists. They took our property, they took our women. My 3 daughters were raped just last night. One of them was 15...]
Interpreter: Here we don’t want people not from Afrin to live in Afrin. YPG was not an organization that belongs here, they came later. They looted our property, they targeted our dignity and we don’t want them here. They are not the true owners of this place.”
Afrin Resident 2: Ev mûsellihîne derên. Em naxwzin hero wer.. Eva malêt me xera kirin. Makîne birin. Tişt birin. Ne tiştek, ne tiştek, bes evna... Ne mal ne tiştek.
[Translation: These armed men should go. We don’t want these people coming everyday and... These people tore down our homes. They took our vehicles. They took our property. They left nothing, nothing. (pointing to his clothes) We have only these left. We have no property, no nothing left...]
Interpreter: We want Turkey to be here, we love Turkey. We want Turkey to come and kick them out. Because they, the YPG, when they came they looted our property and tore down our homes. That is why we want Turkey to stay here and kick them out.
Veyis Ateş: Could you ask them, have they come and taken their children or grandchildren away, their neighbors, their property, their livestock, have they come and stolen them for child soldiers?
Afrin resident 3: Li Şêx Meqsûd... Sê çewal şelandine. Hem zêr birine, pereyê jinan... Bi qilakê jinan ketine... Dest kirine sîngê jinika zêra deraser kirine.
[Translation: In Şêx Meqsut... Their loot was 3 full sacks... They took the women’s gold and money and.... They stole from the women’s ears. They put their hands in the women’s bosoms to take their gold.]
Interpreter: They took our daughters by force, they took our children by force, they took the jewellery of our people, they took their earrings by force. They entered our home after 10.00 and took jewellery from the women. They took the jewellery as the women were wearing them, from their necks. This went on for 2-3 days.
