Commission says tragedy due to land
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Göksel Bozkurt
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 25, 2009 00:00
ANKARA- A land dispute was the cause of the tragedy in Bilge village, where 44 people were murdered during an engagement ceremony last month, according to Parliament’s Human Rights Commission.
The Human Rights Commission, headed by Zafer Üskul, completed its report late Friday on the cause of the massacre in Mardin province’s Bilge village where 44 people including the bride and groom were gunned down at the engagement ceremony.
The report did not recommend the abolition of the disputed village guard system but said it needed to be reformed. The report said a statement from the commander of the local gendarmerie station in the area also suggested that a land dispute was the likely reason behind the tragedy.
The report stated that the weapons used in the massacre were not the type issued to village guards.
The tragedy had nothing to do with a blood feud or honor crime but was due to a dispute over land, the report stated. Ahmet Ersin from the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, who is a member of the commission that prepared the report, stated his objection to the conclusion drawn in the report.
The role of the village guards came under the spotlight following the tragedy, as media reports largely hinted that the perpetrators of the crime were suspected of being guards.
The report also made suggestions on how to help avoid such tragic incidents in the future. It called on the media to be sensitive while reporting on such issues and not to engage in sensationalism. While underscoring the commission’s belief in the freedom of press in a democracy, it called on media to use appropriate language in such situations.
Education a must
The report said basic education was a must to avoid such tragedies. It said the incident also involved certain social factors, and that bad traditions, beliefs and behavior could only be tackled through education.
The report said starting from the family unit measures needed to be taken to educate society. The report also stated that state organizations should take the lead in attempts to protect the right to live and prepare a plan to this end while not getting caught up in bureaucratic red tape. The report said that the state should carry out a full investigation of the incident, and if needed, an administrative investigation should be launched too.
The report stated that the village guard system was not the cause of terrorism but a result of it. The report did, however, state that the system needed reform in accordance with current conditions. The report also pointed to the need for long-tern rehabilitation processes for survivors of the tragedy. The report also said families suspected of being at risk should be transferred out of the region and be accorded safety.
The report did not recommend the abolition of the disputed village guard system but said it needed to be reformed. The report said a statement from the commander of the local gendarmerie station in the area also suggested that a land dispute was the likely reason behind the tragedy.
The report stated that the weapons used in the massacre were not the type issued to village guards.
The tragedy had nothing to do with a blood feud or honor crime but was due to a dispute over land, the report stated. Ahmet Ersin from the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, who is a member of the commission that prepared the report, stated his objection to the conclusion drawn in the report.
The role of the village guards came under the spotlight following the tragedy, as media reports largely hinted that the perpetrators of the crime were suspected of being guards.
The report also made suggestions on how to help avoid such tragic incidents in the future. It called on the media to be sensitive while reporting on such issues and not to engage in sensationalism. While underscoring the commission’s belief in the freedom of press in a democracy, it called on media to use appropriate language in such situations.
Education a must
The report said basic education was a must to avoid such tragedies. It said the incident also involved certain social factors, and that bad traditions, beliefs and behavior could only be tackled through education.
The report said starting from the family unit measures needed to be taken to educate society. The report also stated that state organizations should take the lead in attempts to protect the right to live and prepare a plan to this end while not getting caught up in bureaucratic red tape. The report said that the state should carry out a full investigation of the incident, and if needed, an administrative investigation should be launched too.
The report stated that the village guard system was not the cause of terrorism but a result of it. The report did, however, state that the system needed reform in accordance with current conditions. The report also pointed to the need for long-tern rehabilitation processes for survivors of the tragedy. The report also said families suspected of being at risk should be transferred out of the region and be accorded safety.