"Silence has taken over in Cizre"

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The teachers receiving SMS in Turkey’s southeastern Cizre and Silopi districts of Şırnak province have left for their home cities, and immediately after that curfew has been declared “until a further notice”. Military build-up has been made in the districts, and today (December 15) Turkish Airlines (THY) announced that six flights to Şırnak from Ankara and İstanbul have been cancelled.

We have spoken with Saadet Yıldız from İMC TV on incidents taking place in Cizre and Silopi. Yıldız being in Cizre expressed that mostly children are effected, and that there is silence pervades the district:

“People are nervous. ‘It is not about only the ban, but we are constantly under state of emergency. This problem needs to be solved, it has to be returned to the solution process’, they say”.

In the SMS sent by National Education Directorates to the teachers in Cizre and Silopi, it was stated that they were taken to in-service training starting from December 14 and that many teachers have left the districts.

Yıldız saying the residents have headed for markets to victual following teachers’ departure, added some Cizre residents have moved to other neighborhoods.

CLICK- VIOLENCE, CURFEW RESTRAIN RIGHT TO EDUCATION

“There are people immigrating in the district but it is hard to mention thousands leaving nor the district is being evacuated”.

Yıldız said they witnessed military dispatch in the district entrance.

Teachers left, curfews started

Yıldız whom we asked how children feel upon teachers’ leaving, she conveyed her interviews with the children:

“The children are negatively affected. They fear war will break out again and there will be deaths. A child made a bet with the teacher on whether curfew will be declared. The child said there won’t be curfew, that was his/her wish”.

However, curfew has been declared following teachers’ departure, the child from Cizre lost the bet.

“Silence is worrisome”

So, how is the overall atmosphere in the district?

CLICK - CURFEW IN CİZRE, SİLOPİ 

Yıldız describes the atmosphere as “There is a deep silence in the district”.

“Two children shot and wounded yesterday (December 14) but no clear information could be obtained. There is no major clash in the district but this silence increases the worries as to what is going to happen next. Everyone is worried about a comprehensive operation. A serious conflict is yet to break out but this silence is worrisome”.  

Encü: Hospitals were instructed to “take precaution”

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair, Figen Yüksekdağ, in her speech today (December 15) said, “Why are the teachers being called back? Because Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is in preparation of a massive massacre”.

HDP Şırnak MP, Ferhat Encü, in his parliamentary question submitted to be responded by Minister of Interior, Efkan Ala, claimed that instructions were given to education institutes, hospitals and some public institutions to take precautions. 

About Cizre district

Şırnak Governor: Ali İhsan Su

Cizre sub-Governor: Ahmet Adanur

Cizre Mayor: Leyla İmret (BDP)

Population: 132,857

Politics

Border trade

Cizre is historically an important settlement. Historic Silk Way goes through Cizre. Income channel of the region is border trade. The Syrian civil war has dealt a huge blow on the economy of the district.

Agriculture

The locals mostly go to various regions in Turkey as seasonal agricultural worker. Because of abandoning villages in the 90s, agricultural lands have considerably lost their economic value. Another reason why the agriculture regressed is decrease in river discharge because of dams built on the river.  

Bilingual city

The population is predominantly Kurdish. Practice of bilingualism has been carried into especially in municipality services in the Solution Process. The signs in the district are mostly bilingual. (AS/TK)