Bediz Yılmaz, Serdar Ulaş Comment on KCK Discharges

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Academics members Asst. Prof. Dr. Bediz Yılmaz Bayraktar and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serdar Ulaş Bayraktar from the Department of Public Administration in Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Mersin University were relieved of public service through the statutory decree.

We spoke with Bediz Yılmaz, who were already fired from the university before the discharge, and Yılmaz Bayraktar, who was discharged, on passport cancellations and ban on challenging the decision made through the statutory decree.

21 academics were discharged from Mersin University through the statutory decree No.689 dated April 29.

The 21 academics were signees of the declaration entitled “We will not be a Party to This Crime”.

Bediz Yılmaz: We are being doomed to civilian death

Bediz Yılmaz, who was fired by university not renewing her contract, said that she went to Germany after the she was fired. Nine months after that, she was discharged through the statutory decree dated April 29.

Yılmaz stated that her children and spouse are still in Turkey and that they cannot go to Germany since their passports have been cancelled.

“Their purpose was to leave us unemployed, however, some of us found the chance to work abroad because we were fired before the statutory decree. I am one of them but my spouse and children are in Turkey. My spouse’s passport was cancelled because he was discharged through the statutory decree. They cannot come here and if I go there, I won’t be able to return to my job here.

“They are trying to isolate us. We are being doomed to civilian death with my children”.

Ulaş Bayraktar: They cannot prevent me from opening a tantuni shop

Serdar Ulaş Bayraktar, who wrote an article titled “You will not be able to make me hate you” on the day of his discharge, said that hundreds of thousands of people have survived in this way and he can continue his life by opening a tantuni shop.

“Our right to take legal steps has been seized through this statutory decree. The first place to which we can apply is the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) but we don’t keep our hopes high.

“What they seized is our right to work in public service. Hundreds of thousands of people continue their life in that way, they cannot prevent me from opening a tantuni shop or sell stuff in bazaars.

“We have a better grasp on the Syrian refugees and their living conditions since we live in Mersin. We have enough resources to start a new life with an inflatable boat. Life will go on one way or another.

Quoting from the Star Wars, Bediz Yılmaz said “Fear leads to rage, rage leads to hatred. Fear is the path to the dark side”.

“I will not pass to the dark side. This is a resistance, we will deal with it. I didn’t look at the incident which killed my father with hate. I don’t look at this with hate either. I just pity their pitifulness.

“They crave for power and political authority. They won’t come to their senses by being shaken off but when they come to the end of the read, they will realize it”. (TP/BK/TK)