Local authorities in the Karakoçan district of Elazığ, eastern Turkey, restored Kurdish traffic signs on Sep 22 after they were removed, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reported.
The markings, which included pedestrian safety messages like “Pêşî Peya/Önce Yaya” (Pedestrians First) and “Hêdî/Yavaş” (Slow), had been painted by the district municipality, which is run by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. It remains unclear whether they were removed by authorities or civilians.
In response, Karakoçan’s co-mayors, along with DEM Party Bingöl MP Ömer Faruk Hülakü, returned to the site on the same day to repaint the removed messages.
Speaking to reporters briefly outside the municipality, Hülakü said, “Kurdish is the oldest language of this land; it cannot be erased or destroyed. We have repainted the markings that were removed in Dep [Karakoçan].
“The existence of Kurdish will continue with the honorable resistance of our people. Every attempt to attack our language will only strengthen our resolve to protect it.”
The DEM Party began introducing Kurdish-language traffic warnings after winning back the control of municipalities in Kurdish-majority areas in the Mar 31 local elections. Many of these municipalities had previously been under government-appointed trustees.
This is not the first time Kurdish-language road signs and markings have been removed. In the past, similar actions have taken place in cities like Van, Diyarbakır, Mardin, and Batman, following directives from the Interior Ministry and local governors' offices. The markings were removed on technical grounds, as they did not comply with highway regulations. (VK)