The protests that started after the appointment of a trustee to the municipality of Êlih (Batman), which was run by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), continue. The protests, which started in the daytime in the vicinity of the municipality and on Diyarbakır Street and other busy points in the city, spread throughout the city at night. Êlih is resisting against all attacks to protect their will and the co-mayors they elected with 64 percent of the vote. 

 

'YOU ARE DUMB DEVILS'

 

The first reaction to the trustee came from the mother of İpek Er, who was forced to commit suicide after being raped by specialist sergeant Musa Orhan in front of the municipality on July 1, 2020 and later died. Mother Er reacted with the words “Have you no honor”. 

 

The second reaction came from a citizen who said she is a teacher. “If you are silent, you are dumb devils. Why did you hold elections if you were going to appoint trustees? I brought my elderly parents from outside. They voted, we don't accept injustice,” she said. Reactions and protests began to spread in waves. 

 

RESISTANCE SPREAD TO NEIGHBOURHOODS

 

The resistance that started in front of the municipality with the participation of co-chairs Gülistan Sönük and Yeşil Işık spread throughout the city. Thousands of Êlih citizens responded with slogans such as “Thief trustee, thief AKP” and “Jin jiyan azadî (Woman, life, freedom)”. The police attacked with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons against the resistance of the masses. At least 60 people were beaten and detained after the attack. Against the attacks and oppression, the people did not back down and increased their resistance. 

Young people in many neighbourhoods of Êlih responded to the police attack with stones and fireworks. In the face of the resistance of the youth, the police could not enter many neighbourhoods. 

 

MESSAGES OF RESISTANCE

 

As the resistance continued, the police closed the two roads in front of the municipality, the back streets and the area up to the train tracks with barriers. On June 2, 2015, Basın Kavşağı, where the HDP rally was held with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people, was chosen as the site of resistance. The masses marched to the site of resistance from 3 directions: Salih Özdemir Park, Bağlar Neighbourhood and Gök Taxi Station, frequently chanting slogans such as “We will win if we resist”, “The trustees will go, the peoples will come” and “Jin jiyan azadî”. 

 

When they reached Basın Junction, their meeting point, the enthusiasm reached its peak. The police, who could not tolerate the enthusiasm here, attacked 4 times, but the masses did not back down and resisted. Throughout the day, feminist women, TJA activists and political party representatives visited the area and gave messages of resistance. The resistance that started in 3 neighbourhoods on the first day of the trustee appointment spread to 12 neighbourhoods. 

 

YOUNG WOMEN LEAD THE WAY

 

On the 3rd and 4th day of the resistance, marches were organized in 3 columns, while young people stood in the halay of resistance at Basın Junction, the site of the resistance. While the slogans “Bijî serok Apo (Long live Leader Apo)” and “Bê serok jiyan nabe (Without Leader there is no life)” were raised in the area and during the night resistance to send a message to the government, it is noteworthy that young women are leading the resistance. Despite all the attacks of the police, the resistance against the usurpation of will continues its 5th day in Êlih.