The reaction of the people against the trustees appointed to the municipalities of Dêrsim (Tunceli) and Pulur (Ovacık) on 22 November by the decision of the Ministry of Interior is unrelenting. While the entrance of Dêrsim Municipality was blocked with concrete barriers after the appointment of trustees, 9 of those detained during the protests and house raids were arrested.

 

We took the microphone to the people of Dêrsim who organised marches and demonstrations during the day and noise protests in the evening against the usurpation of their will.

 

'PROTEST IS A RIGHT'

 

Abdulhalim Kerim, evaluating the trustees as "handcuffs on the will of the people", said: "They do this to Dêrsim every time. They don't do it in the West, but they do it in Dêrsim. Protesting against injustice is our most natural right. The people have to defend the president they elected." 

 

'NOT ONLY DEM PARTY'S PROBLEM'

 

"The trustee is a project of destruction," said Yusuf Polat from the town of Perî (Akpazar), adding that the system is implementing all kinds of extermination policies in the city. 

 

Stating that migration and the expansion of mining areas are part of this policy, Polat said: "They are trying to silence us as they did in the past. Dêrsim is the most resilient city in Kurdistan. They want to disperse the organised structure with detentions and arrests. It is absolutely necessary to unite against the trustees. This problem is not only a problem of DEM Party, it is a problem of identity and geography. Therefore, if we live in this geography, we need to do justice to it."

 

'THEY ARE COMMITTING AN OFFENCE'

 

Emphasising that the will of the people was usurped, Alican Gündüz said: "If trustees will be appointed, why are they allowed to be elected? This is a crime. Dêrsim is our will, let's struggle and defend our will. People are defending their will, they are being detained. This is a crime against the people. We will defend our municipalities. We will continue our struggle and will not back down."

 

Fatma Yılmaz stated the following: "The situation of the people of Dêrsim is obvious, there are neither factories nor any job opportunities here. We are worried about hunger, they are worried about appointing trustees."

 

Stating that they want to live in a free country where democracy prevails, Mehmet Turan said: "No one can stand in front of the will of the people. They cannot get anywhere with detentions, arrests and threats. Nothing happens where there is no democracy."

 

'THE VOTER DISMISSES'

 

Firdevs Çelik, who stated that their right to vote and be elected was taken away from them, reacted as follows: "Then there should be no elections. Why do we elect Cevdet Konak? We elected Cevdet Konak and if we don't dissmis him from office, you can't."

 

FIRST TARGET WOMEN

 

Şükran Yılmaz Koç stated that the state violated its own Constitution and said: "The trusteeship is also a system against women. That's why women and cultural institutions are the first to be attacked. Dêrsim is a place that the government especially wants to win. The message is; 'Even if you don't accept me officially, I will take it by illegitimate means'. However, it knows very well that it will never succeed. Their practices are more orientated towards losing. Dêrsim is ours, it will remain ours."

 

'DÊRSIM IS A PROBLEM FOR THEM'

 

"Where is my will? I am looking for my will," reacted Seyrali Bulut and continued as follows: "You gave me the right to vote and I chose the person I wanted. Why are you appointing a trustee? The state has never given us peace since the beginning of history. We haven't seen the light of day because of the oppression and persecution. Dêrsim is a city where the AKP has never been able to get an MP. This is also a problem for them. The people of Dêrsim are a people who question, defend the right and resist. Everyone needs to react against this injustice. We want our will to be reinstated."

 

MA / Şirvan Şilan Çil- Heval Önkol