As Yüksekova Haber newspaper turns 21...

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Twenty-one long years have passed since the establishment of Yüksekova Haber Newspaper on May 5, 2000. During this period, Yüksekova Haber has come to this day by taking its share from the fluctuating periods of the country, while leading the way on many grounds.

Of course, the practices faced by the free press community after the bloody coup attempt on July 15, 2016 were very different from previous periods. It was as if the system was turned upside down, democracy was shelved with the heat of the coup, without discriminating right and wrong. Therefore, Yüksekova Haber was blocked first by taking its share from the Statutory Decrees of the state of emergency period, and when this was not enough, it was completely shut down. Our newspaper, which we raised with great efforts, was closed by the Statutory Decree No. 676 dated October 30, 2016.

However, Yüksekova Haber led the way in the field of journalism, despite the difficult conditions of the region it lived in. It was one of Turkey's first local websites, so much so that many of our journalist friends who grew up in our newspaper took part in national and local newspapers in the following periods. Working like a media school, Yüksekova Haber always developed and grew by observing the universal principles of the press.

Therefore, it never compromised its publishing principles. Because Yüksekova Haber never forgot that the public would only be informed through an objective press. We knew that if we would deviate from this basic principle and surrender to the capital-politics relationship, it would not be called journalism. For this reason, we did not allow any fractions to direct Yüksekova Haber. Of course, those who failed at their tries to direct us closed our newspaper as a last resort.

'Journalism is a passion'

Yüksekova Haber was the work of a small but faithful staff that was objective and did not compromise the public's right to receive news and carried the pulse of the public to the reader's liking and the country's agenda with its programs. Despite all the inadequacies, the newspaper caught the news from its freshest and most crucial point and brought it to the readers' agenda. In doing this, we always repeated: "Journalism is a passion. It is the job of loving your hometown. If you do not like your country, you cannot express the problem of your country."

Perhaps with the excitement of this mission, Yüksekova Haber became the place to go and find the news, rather than desk reporting in the challenging geography of Hakkari. It gave place to the problems of the people day and night, rain and mud. Sometimes it took risks for the sake of delivering news to the public in a conflicted environment. It proudly embraced its true journalist identity, disregarding life in the harsh conditions of nature and the environment. Therefore, it was chasing the news on horseback sometimes in the harsh visuals of nature, sometimes in beets, sometimes in sickness. It was a reliable bridge between the public and the people.

A window opening to world from Yüksekova

Yüksekova Haber was able to show this to the world with the shutter, without ignoring the geography it lived in and without turning its back on its people, that is, staying loyal to its geography at least as big as its mountains. Thus, in a challenging city like Hakkari, it became a window to the world, despite all the obstacles. All the same, in this window, many columnists evaluated national and local problems, sometimes harshly criticized, sometimes tried to offer alternatives.

Of course, in the harsh political atmosphere in the geography we live in, Yüksekova Haber had always been a target. We had never taken the side of conflicts and deaths in these processes. But no matter what, we preferred to raise the microphone to everybody and to inform the public about different angles. Just as there is opposition in politics, there must be opposition media. The public should be enlightened with conscientious and accurate news, and no incident should be left in the dark. This can only happen with impartial and independent media. Censoring or blocking the press means hiding something from the public.

Yüksekova Haber awaits to reopen

We fit a lot of things in the past twenty-one years. Undoubtedly, this happened with the great efforts of our friends who walked with us with the principle of the free press. As a result, we reached the stage of a media organ followed in every corner of the world. In this respect, we also served as a platform bringing together different colors of the country. Despite all our efforts, our newspaper was unjustly shut down. Ten press workers of Yüksekova Haber were aggrieved. All materials were confiscated.

We do not accept this. Because we did not commit a crime, we are not guilty. The death of the truth can be demanded by darkening TVs and closing newspapers. But the truth is vicious, it shows up somehow. For this reason, Yüksekova Haber and all other media organs should be reopened immediately.

Yes, journalism in this country has always been a "shirt of nessus". Press workers have been wearing this shirt for years, but now we want this to end and the country to normalize. The way to do this is through the free press. Because the free press means a free society.

(NÇ/NÖ/DCE/SD)