‘July 8 is the doomsday for us, it is a black day’

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Two years ago today (July 8), 25 people, including seven children, lost their lives and 340 others were wounded in Çorlu train massacre.

A commemoration ceremony was held in memory of the deceased at Uzunköprü Train Station, which was the first station which the train departed on July 8, 2018. While the commemoration was attended by the aggrieved families and Uzunköprü Mayor Özlem Becan, Mısra Öz, who lost her son Oğuz Arda Sel in the massacre, briefly stated the following:

'We have learned their names by heart'

"The real responsible ones are either promoted or dismissed so that they can be protected. But just as we will not forget the names of our 25 loved ones and feel this sorrow all the time, we have also learned their names by heart.

"I am very sorry that they made us feel this sorrow, that the murderers are protected in such a country as this. I am very sorry that the next generations will also face such massacres unless the real justice is served.

"We, the families of 25 people, are now closely united. We feel the same sorrow. My heart is here... filled with the sorrow of all mothers and fathers. My heart is here... filled with the sorrow of all people who lost their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters... We suffer the same agony. We will go up to this massacre. We want justice, we don't want justice to be run over by train."

'State railways is a murderer in our eyes'

Having lost her daughter Bihter and sister in the train derailment, Zeliha Bilgin also expressed her sorrow in following words:

"I know that everyone who is here with us today suffers the same agony with me and 25 lost lives. July 8 is the doomsday for me, it is a dar day.

"In fact, I feel like I am standing at the home of a murderer now. Because the State Railways (TCDD) is a murderer in the eyes of me as well as in the eyes of 25 families. You are murderers, you are unjust and without any conscience. Because you have our heavenlyl ives into hell.

"The State Railways became the murderer of my daughter. It is so hard to suffer this agony... There is no one telling me 'Good morning, mummy' everyday. I trusted State Railways and sent my daughter and siblings myself. We have become so big a family and got so closely united that they will be unable to whitewash themselves. Justice will definitely be served one day.

"I am now ashamed of saying this over and over again for two years. What do we say? We say no matter if it is the minister, the State Railways or a politician... No matter who that is, the responsible ones have to pay for this."

Elif Kurt, the daughter of İrfan Kurt, also said, "Today, Uzunköprü is pitch-black for me. Even the sun is not shining. The mountain behind me has just collapsed. We want justice, this needs to have a price."

Wreath removed by officers

After these statements, a wreath was placed on the railroad. Öz said that when they were praying, the wreath was removed from where they put it:

"How unfortunate that they did not let us commemorate our sorrows. They removed our wreath while we were praying. I took the wreath and placed it on the door of the institution. They said I could not put it there, to which I responded: 'Today is a black day and this wreath is the black signature of the State Railways. This wreath will stand on your door as a black signature.'

"On a day when everyone is shedding tears, the chief there laughed at my face. If this black wreath will be removed, it will be on his head. That black mark will stay on their door."

Afterwards, the group visited the Çorlu Train Massacre monument built by Ekrem Tuna, who survived the derailment, but lost his wife, at his house across the Uzunköprü Train Station.

(AÖ/SD)