ŞIRNAK - Hezne Arslan hasn’t been able to find the body of her daughter although three years have passed since the curfew declared in Cizre. “I cannot sleep thinking about my daughter at nights. I get up every day in the hope of finding her but in vain,” said Hezne demanding the body of her daughter to be given to her.

 

Bodies of 14 people of 130 people killed in Şırnak’s Cizre district during the curfew imposed in the district between December 14, 2015 and March 2, 2016 haven’t been taken although three years have passed. Hezne Arslan, who gave blood and DNA samples to the Forensic Medicine Institute through her lawyers, is still looking for the body of her daughter.

 

‘My brother’s body remained on the ground for 29 days’

 

Expressing that she gave blood sample two times one in Cizre and other in Mardin, Hezne said they didn’t receive any news from her daughter since then. Stating that her husband was the last person talked to her daughter, Hezne said, “She said she was good and she was with her uncle. My brother was one of people stuck in basements and he was with Hacer. A few days later, we learned my brother had been killed. My brother’s body remained on the ground for 29 days. We lost connection with my daughter and son. We buried my brother but no news from my daughter.”

 

‘I heard my son had been killed while visiting my brother’s grave’

 

Saying that her daughter’s name was reported to be among the names of people stuck in basements, Hezne continued as follows; “One day after I buried my brother, the curfew was lifted in Cizre. I went to our old neighborhood to visit my mother. I was called by the municipality while visiting my brother’s grave. I was told body of one of my children was taken out. I asked which one but they said it wasn’t clear yet. The body was taken to Urfa. Everyone knew the body belonged to my son but I thought it belonged to my daughter. We weren’t allowed to take the body.”

 

‘All I want is to find the body of my daughter’

 

Hezne then understood the body belonged to her son Mehmet Sait Arslan. Stating that they have looked for the body of their daughter for three days, Hezne said, “I cannot sleep thinking about my daughter at nights. My daughter studied to pass the university exam like every young people. She told me she would take me from this difficult life. But now I cannot find her body. All I want is to find her body.”

 

Saying that she will keep the struggle of her brother, son and daughter killed during the curfew to the end, Hezne ended her talk as follows; “I will never give up this path. I am not afraid of death, arrest or difficulties. We've had enough pain. I will never take a step back from the struggle.”