NEWS CENTER - Families of Mahsun Karaoğlan and Mustafa Dağ, who were killed by the police during the march held for the 60th birthday of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, called for participation in the event to be held this year with the slogan "To Amara for Freedom''.
Preparations for the "To Amara for Freedom" march to be held in the Amara Neighborhood of Xelfeti (Halfeti) district of Riha(Urfa) on April 4, the birthday of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, have been completed. Families of Mahsun Karaoğlan and Mustafa Dağ, who lost their lives as a result of the police attack on the "Journey to the Sun" march organized in 2009 under the leadership of the Federation of Families of Prisoners and Prisoners (TUHAD-FED), called for participation in this year's march.
After the police and soldiers attacked the march with gas bombs and live bullets in the Karataş district of Birecik district, where 10 thousand people participated, construction worker Mustafa Dağ, born in Pirsus (Suruç) and Mahsun Karaoğlan, a student of Dicle University, born in Erxenî (Ergani), lost their lives at the scene. The investigation launched by the Birecik Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the murder of Dağ and Karaoğlan has been on the shelves for 14 years.
'I AM PROUD OF MY SON'
Dağ's mother Naime and father Salih Dağ, who live in the Qeruk District of Pirsûs(Suruç), said that they are proud of their son despite the pain they have got through. Stating that her son Mustafa enthusiastically took the road to Amara, Naime said: “As our financial situation was not very good, my son was making a living by working in construction. He was newly married and had 2 children, one 6 months old and the other 2 years old. He was loved by everyone, he would benefit everyone. He set out for Amara. Then we got a phone call. I learned on the phone that my son was a martyr. The pain of a child is difficult, but despite everything, I am proud that my son was martyred on that road. He was martyred in Berecûk (Birecik) before he even got there. He was only 25-26 years old, very young. They have no conscience and no mercy."
'GOVERNMENT COULD NOT ACCEPT THE CELEBRATION'
Abdurrahman Karaoğlan, the father of Mahsun Karaoğlan, who lives in Erxenî, also stated that his son took permission from him before he set off and said: "He went to celebrate the birthday of Leader(Öcalan). The state could not accept the celebration, as a result of the gas bomb attack with real and rubber bullets, Mustafa and I were together. They were seriously injured and martyred in Birecik State Hospital."
'HE WAS GUIDING US'
Baba Karaoğlan said: "We feel sad when the subject of Mahsun is brought up. He was the youngest of my 6 children. He was a student at Dicle University when he died. His brothers always say we can't be like Mahsun. Because Mahsun was guiding us. He was a sensitive person to his friends and environment.
'NO PROGRESS IN THE FILE'
Explaining that he was a follower of the incident after his son was murdered, father Karaoğlan said: "I met with the Birecik Chief Public Prosecutor twice, and the prosecutor said that they had the camera footage of the incident. He said they would reveal the case. Afterwards, the file was given a confidentiality decision.
It has been 14 years, and there has not been a millimeter of progress in the file. As long as I live, I will be both a follower of my son's cause and I will be standing to celebrate the birthday of Öcalan. We know that these deaths will not be the first or the last in Kurdistan. We are proud of our children's cause."
'EVERYONE SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE CELEBRATION'
Expressing that Amara is one of the "red lines" of the Kurds, Karaoğlan made the following call: "Just as Newroz is a day of celebration and ownership for the Kurds, so the birthday of Öcalan should be like Newroz. Everyone should participate in the celebration. How does Demirci Kawa stand up against cruel Dehaq? If he rebelled and created the holy Newroz, today the birthday of Öcalan is a holy day for the Kurdish people because of his revolt against oppression."