HDP: 300 Village Guards Are Being Hired

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Group Interim Chairman Idris Baluken submitted a parliamentary inquiry to PM Ahmet Davutoğlu regarding the reasons for hiring village guards in the southeastern province of Bingöl and Elazığ during the resolution process. 

According to data of İHD (Human Rights Association), village guards killed 93 people with the guns of government in 2009 and 2013. 

The report also said that village guards committed 38 crimes of firing village, 14 crimes of evacuation of village, 12 crimes of sexual harassment and rape, 22 crimes of kidnap, 294 crimes of armed attack; they were charged with wounding 176 people in armed attacks, killing 132 people in armed attacks, 2 cases of loss, 50 executions, 70 seizure, 454 torture and battery, 9 causing to comment suicide and 17 firing forestry.

Baluken wrote that governors of Bingöl’s Kiğı district and Elazığ’s Karakoçan district gave an order to publicize for the hiring for a total of 300 village guards. 

He also cites that local residents reacted “with democratic protests and demonstrations”. 

“During the discussions whether we need to transition towards negotiation process, it seems that hiring of village guards are rather sounding like war,” Baluken wrote in his letter. 

“It is clear that Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) are worrisome despite the peoples of Turkey’s willingness for peace.” (YY/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.