SIRNAK - The former village rangers who condemned the operation launched by Turkey against the Federated Kurdistan Region and which the village rangers have been forced to join, called out, "Brothers should not kill each other."

 

The operation launched by Turkey in the Zap, Metîna and Avaşîn regions of the Federated Kurdistan Region on April 17, in partnership with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), continues. Unable to advance beyond the border, the AKP-KDP began to pressure the village rangers to join the operation. Former village rangers, who became village rangers in the Gundikêmele District of Şırnak in the 1990s as a result of state repression and then laid down their arms, condemned the operations.

 

GOVERNMENT PRESSURE

 

One of the former village rangers, Nurettin Anıl (45), stated that he became a village ranger in 1994 as a result of state pressure and stated that he left in his 4th year in order not to point guns at his brothers anymore. Anıl said, "They said that we could either become a village ranger or they will burn our village down. We accepted being rangers so that they would not burn our village down. I was ranger for 4 years. However, I served in the military for 18 months. When I was in the military, they told me 'the best Kurd is the dead Kurd'. However, I served as a village ranger for 4 years and served in the military for 18 months. Since 'the best Kurd is a dead Kurd', I said that it's not my job and left the job right after my military service. Whatever you do for them is useless, but when you do something for your people, you will get rewards.”

 

'SHEDDING BLOOD OF YOUR BROTHER'

 

Stating that the village ranger system means "shedding blood of your brother" for Kurds, Anıl said, "This is not a moral thing. You shouldn't do this for money. I worked as a village ranger for 4 years, but I still think about how I can make up for those 4 years. I did it for 4 years and quit. However, no Kurdish should choose to be a village ranger because even if you sacrifice yourself to this state, what it deems worthy of you in the end will be that 'you are terrorists'. For this reason, first of all, people should stand by their own people." 

 

'I QUIT MY JOB AS A RANGER, NOW MY HEAD IS HIGH

 

Mehmet Tahir Bayık (46) also worked as a village ranger for 3 years from 1997 to 2000 as a result of the state pressures. Bayık, who left the village ranger, said, "What makes people honorable is to be with their own people. They forced us into being rangers and gave us guns. We have a lot of friends who worked as a ranger for 30 years. No one died of hunger. But how can a person drink the blood of their brother?"

 

Stating that he makes a living as a shepherd today, Bayık said, "My conscience is clear, I do not earn money by shedding anyone's blood. You see my situation. My house is not 6 floors, nor is it made of concrete. Our elders also lived in these houses and died with dignity. I'm willing to go hungry, but I am not crestfallen. I refuse to be paid for betrayel and bloodshed. We want to live together. We want peace, unity and tranquility."

 

'END THE ATTACKS'

 

One of the former village rangers, Sadun Sezer (42) said that he worked as a village ranger under pressure for 3 years since 1992 and emphasized that the Kurds should be united so that brotherly blood is not spilled any more. Sadun said, “They continue to work as village rangers for money and are not ashamed.” Sezer called for an end to all kinds of attacks against Kurds.

 

Pointing out that all forces unite when it comes to attacks against Kurds, Sezer said, “The world is against the Kurds, and the Kurds are against each other. This is our call to those who are hostile to the Kurds; In the 21st century, you still cannot sit at a table and talk about the Kurdish national problem. Our call to the KDP is, if you see yourself as the leaders of these people, then sit at the negotiating table and establish the Kurdish alliance.”