DİYARBAKIR - Ali Rıza Arslan, father of Hakan Arslan who lost his life during the curfew and was released in a bag 7 years later, condemned the festival to be held in Sur and said: "If our people go to this festival, they will kill us once again."

 

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a "festival" will be held in the historical Sur district of Diyarbakır between 8-16 October. During the curfews declared in the district in 2015, more than 80 people lost their lives in the neighborhoods that were destroyed. In Sur, which was meant by the then Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's words "We will make this place Toledo", historical buildings were demolished and structures resembling a prison were built instead.

 

While the traces of the destruction in Sur are evident, a "festival" will be organized by the Ministry of Culture between 8-16 October under the name of "Sur Yolu Culture Festival". Another condemnation to the festival came from Ali Rıza Aslan, who is the father of Hakan Aslan who lost his life in the clashes in the Sur district during 2015, took his son's body in a bag after years.  

 

'WE DO NOT ACCEPT'

 

Ali Rıza Arslan, who condemned the organisation called "Sur Yolu Culture Festival", underlined that he did not accept the "festival" to be held and that his citizens should not go to the festival in question. Calling on him not to join the organisation, Arslan said: "If our people go to this festival, they will kill us once again."

 

'OUR CHILDREN WERE KILLED HERE'

 

Reminding the prohibitions of that period, father Arslan said, “They killed our children here. We do not accept this festival. They gave us the bones of our children in bags. Now they are holding a festival in the place where our children were murdered, we do not accept this festival. Our people should not go to this festival; If they go, they are insulting us. If our people go to this festival, they will kill us once again.”

 

MA / Mehmet Shah Oruc - Mahmut Altintas