Subjected to racist attack, seasonal agricultural workers leave the village

* Photo: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)

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Attacked and threatened by a racist group of around 300 people, the seasonal agricultural workers living in Bayralar village in Elmalı district in Antalya have left the village after the incident.

As reported by Hamdullah Yağız Kesen from Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Servet Kurğa, one of the workers, has said:

"They attacked us the other day (July 31). Our boss has his nose and ribs broken. They told us, 'You are Kurds, leave our lands.' They came and attacked us yesterday (August 1). We are now being taken out of the village under the supervision of the gendarmerie. We have been unable to get our stuff. We are going to our relatives in Elmalı."

'16 people taken out of the village'

Mustafa Kurğa, a member of the Kurğa family residing in the Aegean province of İzmir, has said that he could contact his family only 4 hours after the incident: "They are evicting 16 people, including children. I was concerned about the life safety of my family. I still am."

Mustafa Kurğa has also said, "The gendarmerie who came to the scene of the incident told my family, 'There is nothing we can do. Leave this place for the safety of your life.' A group said to my family, 'You are Kurds, we don't want you here. If you do not leave Elmalı, we will burn you together with your family.' Two attacks were carried out. These people were villagers but they were calling themselves [ultranationalist] 'Idealists' (or 'Grey Wolves'). The village head is provoking the incident. He says, 'They will leave this place." (DŞ/SD)