Co-Mayor of Êlih (Batman) Municipality Gülistan Sönük, who is deposed by the Ministry of Interior and replaced by a trustee, evaluated the developments since 4 November. Reminding that trustee appointments have been put into effect since 2016, Gülistan Sönük said: "The government and the trustees it appointed were used to rent, theft and plunder in the municipalities. Therefore, they were carrying out a cultural genocide through the municipalities by feeding their own circle. They also saw the changes in society as a result of women's work. The trustee created a chain of pollution in the localities with many bureaucrats. For the government, this had to be continued."

 

Gülistan Sönük stated that there is no legal basis for the trustee appointments and said: "Even they themselves do not believe in the justifications they have invented. However, they used this as an excuse when there was no evidence to prove absurd allegations such as corruption, theft or, as they claimed, 'transferring money to the organisation or opening a space for the organisation' against any of our co-mayors from 2016 to today. As a result of all the trials, all our friends have already been acquitted."

 

'TRUSTEESHIP IS KURDISH HOSTILITY'

 

Evaluating the trustee policy as Kurdish hostility, Gülistan Sönük said that co-mayor of Colemêrg (Hakkari) Municipality Mehmet Sıddık Akış, was sentenced in order to legitimise the appointment of trustees.

 

"While all these trustee appointments are taking place, there is no acceptance or intimidation among the people.  The people themselves have clearly seen what has been experienced, what has been done and what is wanted to be created in the 8 years of trustee practice. Therefore, they encountered a great resistance," she said.

 

'6 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT FOR ALL KURDS'

 

Gülistan Sönük reminded that the co-mayors of Dêrsim (Tunceli) and Pulur (Ovacık) municipalities were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison and trustees were appointed to replace them and said: "They are now used to 6 years and 3 months, almost all Kurds are punished with 6 years and 3 months. They are now trying to show this as a legitimate and legal justification."

 

Gülistan Sönük pointed out that many legal organisations have also stated that the trustees have no legitimate grounds.

 

'PEOPLE OF ÊLIH DID NOT GIVE UP THE RESISTANCE'

 

Pointing out that the pre-election attacks continued with the appointment of a trustee, Gülistan Sönük said: "The masculine power constantly targets us with sexist discourses. When the trustee was appointed, thousands of people came and claimed their will. There was a great resistance. Of course, along with this resistance, there was an attack by the police. People were detained with torture. Neither the Batman Police nor the Ministry of Interior expected such resistance. The people of Êlih were detained, they were beaten with water cannons and kicked and slapped. People's clothes were torn. People's shoes were torn. The bruises on people's bodies did not go away for two weeks, but despite this, people did not leave the areas."

 

'WE TOOK STRENGTH FROM THE PEOPLE'S RESISTANCE'

 

Gülistan Sönük emphasised that those who were detained under torture continued to resist in front of the municipality after they were released and continued as follows: "We were getting great strength and morale from these friends. People were defending their will. The people of Êlih worked day and night. They elected their municipality with a record vote among 81 provinces. The resistance messages of our detained friends motivated us and gave us strength. We waited in that resistance area for days with this energy and power we received from them. The announcement made by our friend Vedat (Özer), 'Evacuate our municipalities', gave us great strength. We competed in the election. In this city, you -AKP- received the lowest vote rate in 81 provinces. This is the only province that has a 50 percent difference to its closest rival. Of course, people will be angry at the usurpation of success. This is our most natural right."

 

'APPLICATION FOR STAY OF EXECUTION MADE'

 

Stating that the city has a history of resistance and they will continue to resist, "We are the elected people of this city until five years. We will continue our work. We may not be able to pour asphalt, but we will continue our work to stop violence against women. We will continue our fight against drugs, which are wanted to spread to Kurdistan as a special war policy. We will continue our struggle to end early child marriages. Our struggle to establish a moral and political society, which we claim against the drowning of society with its own problems and creating an apolitical society, will continue in every way. The four walls may have been usurped today. Our resistance against this will continue every day, we will have demands every day. Our lawyer friends are also taking care of the legal aspect, we have filed lawsuits for a stay of execution. But in the social dimension, we will build the municipalities together," Gülistan Sönük said.

 

MA / Fethi Balaman