‘I Still Have Treatment for My Wounded Legs, What Defense Are You Talking About?’

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"I am not surprised that I have been dismissed, I was expecting that. When the June 5 case was concluded, I was thinking that something like that would happen. But, people have got really surprised. No one was expecting that. I was as sure as they were not expecting it."

Lisa Çalan lost her both legs in the ISIS attack against the rally of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakır on June 5, 2015.

The state-appointed trustee of the Metropolitan Municipality of Diyarbakır has dismissed Lisa Çalan without presenting any reason.

The incident was first brought into public agenda with a news report by Özlem Akarsu Çelik from Gazete Duvar. As it has sparked criticisms, the Municipality has released a statement in response.

In its statement, the Municipality has alleged that Lisa Çalan "did not come to work for 45 days without presenting any excuses."

'An accelerated procedure of dismissal'

Speaking to bianet, Çalan says that she started working for the municipality in 2016, had 12-13 surgical operations for her legs since then and she informed the municipality about the surgeries with medical reports.

Telling us that she was not notified about her dismissal, Çalan states the following:

"Dismissed from the municipality themselves, my friends told me that I was dismissed. They did not send me any document or give any information.

"In fact, I received two documents yesterday. I mean, I heard it from my friends that I was dismissed. In the letter sent to me yesterday, I was requested to make defense."

'They have the reports for the days when I was absent'

"First, they dismissed me, then, requested my defense", says Çalan, adding that there is nothing to make a defense about. Her ongoing treatment and her open wounds are a defense in themselves, Çalan indicates further.

"What defense can I present to them? My condition is obvious. There is nothing to request a defense about or nothing that I can make defense about. My treatment still continues.

"I had at least 12-13 surgeries. I submitted my reports to them as well. They have my reports for the days they say that I was absent. What defense are they expecting from me, I cannot understand."

'I will definitely take it to the court'

"I did not give up in the judicial process, I will not give up now, either", says Çalan and concludes her remarks in following words: "I have never given up. I am not a person who gives up the struggle. I will not give it up now, either. There is an unlawfulness and injustice. I will definitely take it to court."

(EMK/SD)