The opposition CHP submits a petition for a parliamentary inquiry into the bombings in Şemdinli

GÖKSEL BOZKURT

ANKARA - TDN Parliament Bureau

As public protests continue in the town of Şemdinli over the recent spate of bombings, pro-Kurdish Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) mayors of the Southeast arrived in town to call for calm, and the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) submitted a petition on Monday for a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.

  Even local high students staged a protest against the local education chief's decision to open schools on Monday. The students chanted, “We don't want an education with bombs,” and were only persuaded to enter their classrooms after the arrival of DEHAP leaders.

  DEHAP leaders also called on local shopkeepers to open their shops, which had been closed since the bombing in protest of the police roadblocks.

  Diyarbakır Mayor Osman Baydemir addressed the public, saying the criminal gang responsible for the attack had fallen victim to the people of Şemdinli. “Everybody who works to solve this case will find the people of Şemdinli and Diyarbakır behind them,” said Baydemir. He used both Turkish and Kurdish in his speech and said: “The people of Şemdinli have given Turkey the possibility of a bright future. The people of Şemdinli have done what they had to. We need to utilize this bitter opportunity. The prime minister, the interior minister and the chief of general staff need to utilize this opportunity.” Many chanted slogans in support of jailed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan.

  CHP deputy from Hakkari Esat Canan, who was in the region for most of last week, said the investigation into the matter was not proceeding well, suggesting that the incident will be covered up. Canan dismissed claims that it was purely a local matter.

  On July 15 and Nov. 9, 17 explosions occurred in Hakkari's Şendinli and Yüksekova regions. The explosion on Nov. 9 killed one and injured six and a PKK informant, also a noncommissioned officer, was arrested over the weekend in connection to the bombing. The car believed to have been used in the bombing was found to contain rifles and explosive materials in addition to a map of the region.

  As the local prosecutor was investigating the crime scene, gunfire shot out from a car with civilian license plates, resulting in six injuries and one death. The release of two noncommissioned officers held a suspects added to the public uproar.  

‘It will be covered up':

  CHP deputy Canan, in a statement made to the Turkish Daily News, said the release of two of the three people apprehended gave him the impression that the investigation was not going too well and that there was a possibility it would end prematurely.

  “I've been there since the beginning. The people there expect the state to resolve the case in its entirety. If this incident remains unsolved, the people there will have no incentive to look to the future with hope,” he said.

  He said he wished the judiciary would handle the matter in its own way but added that under present conditions he felt Parliament needed to intervene.

  Canan said the Şemdinli bombing had aspects similar to the Susurluk scandal, in which a traffic accident uncovered illicit links between the mafia, the security services and politicians.

  “If we had punished those who were responsible for the Susurluk scandal in the past, we would not be facing this incident in Şemdinli. The gang in Yüksekova started with a PKK informant. Eventually it led to certain people with a background in the military, but that case was not solved either,” he said.

  Canan said no state official should be protected and that every detail of the case made public. He said the thorough response should preclude such incidents from ever happening again.

Parliamentary inquiry:

  The CHP parliamentary group submitted an application for a parliamentary inquiry on Monday, a day before the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is expected to do the same.

  CHP deputy leader Cevdet Selvi said media reports reflected most of the truth, noting that the recent incidents had caused tension in the region to escalate dramatically. “The judiciary needs to take up the case immediately. The concerns of the people in the region should be eased,” said the deputy. He also said they were very interested in what the reports of various agencies would say about the bombing and its aftermath.

  CHP deputy from Mardin Mahmut Duyan said: “At this point in time, nothing frightens the people in the region. They intend to get to the bottom of the matter. This attitude is apparent by the fact that they were the ones who apprehended and turned in the suspects to the police.”