Suspension of Curfew Demanded for 24 Hours for Evacuation of Civilians in Sur

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The delegation carrying on its meeting with the Governor for the evacuation those wounded and stuck in Sur where curfew has been ongoing for three months, NGOs and trade bodies from Diyarbakır have demanded suspension of curfew for 24 hours in order to provide solution before more people die.

In the press statement held in Şeyh Sait Square in Diyarbakır yesterday (February 24), it was stated that as many as 200 people of whom 15 are children under 10 are stuck and there are many bodies in the neighborhoods.

Following statements were included in the declaration signed by Diyarbakır Bar, Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch, Diyarbakır Industrialist and Businesspeople Association (DİSİAD), Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine, KESK Diyarbakır Branches Platform, Ayşegül Devecioğlu, Bahri Bayram Belen, Dilek Gökçin, İbrahim Akın, Ferhat Tunç, Lale Mansur, Naci Sönmez, Nurcan Baysal, Türkan Uzun and Zeynep Tanbay:

Urgent Call for Resolution of Humanitarian Crisis in Sur District of Diyarbakir!

Our country is on fire… We do not want to lose even one more spirit. The curfew in Sur district of Diyarbakir city center continues for 84 days. We know that there are about 200 people stuck in three different neighbourhoods of Sur district, including 15 children under 10 year-old and injured ones. There are also dead bodies now on the streets and houses in those neighbourhoods. 

We demand suspension of the curfew for 24 hours that would enable rescuing besieged people and bring about a humanitarian solution to this crisis before having more deaths. We hope that a positive move towards resolution of humanitarian crisis in Sur would also pave the way for sustainable and just peace environment across the country in near future. 

For the sake of future of our children and our country, we invite all parties to consider this offer with reason, act restrainedly and obey ceasefire terms in the course of humanitarian intervention.

Governorship had proposed “white flag”

The delegation consisting of lawyer Bahri Belen, artists Ferhat Tunç, Zeynep Tanbay, Lale Mansur, Dilek Gökçin and writer Ayşegül Devecioğlu had met with Deputy Governor Taner Bircan, and Greens delegation of 13 people from European Parliament had met with Governor Hüseyin Aksoy.

The governorship had told that civilians in Sur will be given an hour to leave with white flag. At the time set by the Governorship, “surrender” calls and artillery shootings had started. (ÇT/TK)