“Kuşkonar Bombardment Suspects May Stand Trial in 20 Days”

Diyarbakır Bar Association Chairman Tahir Elçi spoke up to bianet on the recent ECHR verdict on Kuşkonar Massacre. “There is neither a decision to stop investigation nor statute of limitations. The case investigation is still underway,” advocate Elçi told bianet. 

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found Turkey guilty of “bombarding a village”. On 26 March 1994, a range of Turkish military aircraft fired on and bombed Kumçatı and Koçağlı villages, killing 38 of the inhabitants, injuring others and destroying most of the property and livestock. Following the incident, Kuşkonar villagers fled and never returned to their villages again. 

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found Turkey guilty of “bombarding a village”, ordering Turkey to pay 38 applicants a sum of 2,305,000 euros as non-pecuniary damages and 5,700 euros as pecuniary damages. 

Launched 19 years ago, the official investigation yielded no results. Recently, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin released a statement, saying that they were working on to re-launch the investigation process. 

“Statute of limitation is out of question”

“Minister Ergin meant to say that even though the case was closed, it could be reopened again within the forth judicial package according to ECHR verdict related to lack of investigation,” advocate Elçi continued.

“Investigation file is still pending at the desk of Diyarbakır Prosecutor’s Office. There is neither a decision to stop investigation nor statute of limitations. The case investigation is still underway. An efficient investigation must be done.”

“Next step is identification”

Elçi said the next step would be the identification of flight crew.

“Flight crew must be identified and punished accordingly. This is the next step.”

“Minister’s statement is positive but action also must be taken. Investigators must do an efficient investigation not only because of ministry order but at a part of their profession.”

“Defending crime is a crime”

Elçi claimed that their efforts yielded to the finding out facts about the bombing.

“Now we only have to find out who pulled the trigger. Authorities can find this within a 20 day investigation. We have the information about aircraft’s name, serial code or when it left the base. It would probably be crime to say that the culprit can’t be found. Because defending crime is also a crime.”

Elçi also added that they would translate the ECHR verdict to Turkish and submit it to Diyarbakır Prosecutor’s Office.

What did authorities say?

On March 26, 1994, Kumçatı and Koçağlı villages have been bombarded during the presidency term of Süleyman Demirel. “Those bombarding airplanes do not belong to the state,” Tansu Çiller, the prime minister of the era, said.  

Interior Minister Nahit Menteşe said the following: “A airstrike has been performed against a group of 1,000 terrorists located in the rocky fields of Stoker Hills and Kuşkonar Village.”

Turkish Armed Forces, on the other hand, replied to the prosecutor’s office as follows: “No jets have been scrambled that day on that region”. The eras prominent generals were Doğan Güreş, Aydın İlter and Halis Burhan. (AS/BM)

* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.