DİYARBAKIR - Hasina Güler who lost one of her children in the conflict has a son and husband in prison. Güler is one of the pioneers of the Justice Watch. Only purpose of Güler whose life has passed with struggle is a free world.

 

Hasina Güler (74) is one of the activists of the Justice Watch, which has been going on for 2 months at the Diyarbakır Bar Association. Hasina, who was born in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır, accepts the Kerxa Jêr (Göksu) village of Bismil district, where she had to move from when she was a child, as her home. Hasina, who married Sıddık Güler here, gave birth to 13 children. They live in the same house with the families of his wife's two siblings. Even though one of the siblings moved to another house with their children, 2 families and 25 people are living in one house. They make a living from the cotton they plant in their fields in the village. Women deal with the chores of the house and they cook for the workers working in the fields.

 

TWO BROTHERS GOT ARRESTED 

 

Hasina who bakes bread two times a day because the house is too crowded, is happy to be at her village despite all hardship. Following an armed conflict between PKK and the soldiers, their house was raided. Mehmet and Sıddık Güler was detained. The two brothers who were severely tortured under custody got arrested because of a registered gun found at their house. Even though Mehmet Güler was released after a few years, being the owner of the gun, Sıddık Güler was sentenced to 36 years in prison.

 

THEY WERE FORCED INTO MIGRATION

 

The pressure on the family did not end with the arrest of the two brothers. Raiding the village again after a while, the soldiers told the family that they have to move out of the village in 24 hours and set their house on fire. Even though they had to move out of the village, the family did not want to be ripped apart from their lands and move to a house close to their village. Yakup and Habip, two other sons of Hasina joins the guerilla. Yakup lost his life in a clash in 1998 at Dorşin Mountain. The family only learns this in 2015. Habip Güler was arrested in 2000 after a clash in Hasankeyf. 

 

A LIFE THAT HAS PASSED BETWEEN TWO PRISONS

 

Having to go to prison to visit her husband for years, Hasibe now has to go to another prison frequently to see her son. Spending 26 years of her life between prisons, Hasina moves from city to city when her husband and son are transferred to other prisons. Sıddık Güler got sick due to the prison conditions and now is living on a wheelchair.

 

All applications made to the Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) and the Ministry of Justice for his release, were rejected. Emergency Polyclinic of Iskenderun State Hospital states that he is healthy and gave him a prescription written, 'He should drink plenty of water'. Due to this prescription given by the doctor, the application for release made by the Diyarbakır Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) was rejected. In this process, his son Habip Güler's application to to be transferred in the same ward with his father to look after him was also rejected.

 

HASİNA GETS ARRESTED HERSELF

 

Hasina Güler joins the Peace Mothers Council. In 2006, she gets arrested with 26 Peace Mothers, protesting the prison conditions of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Being held in Diyarbakır Type E Prison for 40 days, Hasina was released. Hasina is now one of the pioneers of the Justice Watch at the Diyarbakır Bar Association. We visited at her house to witness one day of her struggle. She opens the door while she was watching TV hoping to recieve the news that their struggle gave a result. She participates in the demonstrations every day. She has a hard time climbing down the stairs, but she does it every day to get to the Diyarbakır Bar Association. She says nothing can get her back down until a free life is established. She meets with other activists at the bar association. She says this place is her second home now. They start the Justice Watch right under the photograph of Tahir Elçi who was killed in the Sur district of Diyarbakır. They say they demand justice for everyone.

 

SHE HASN'T SEEN HER SON FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS

 

Güler who was not able to visit her son in Kandıra Type F Prison due her health issues for the last three years, was only able to visit her husband last month after the pandemic. Güler is angry that prisoners can only be visited for half an hour after their families travels long hours to see them. Pointing out that she is trying to support her husband and son financially despite all impossibilities, Güler said: "Yesterday my children went to see their father. We sent 500TL to each every month. We will never leave them alone in there. 

 

THEIR AIM IS TO BE HEARD

 

Stating that they started the Justice Watch for their demands to be heard, Güler said: "We started the sit in in the bar association because there are lawyers there. We decided that they could help us be heard. However we found out that even the lawyers don't know about us. We want justice. We want humanity and equality. We want the ill prisoners to be released. We want the prisoners who served their time to be released. 

 

ILL PRISONERS HELD IN ONE WARD

 

Stating that her husband is in critical condition and very old, Güler said: "The prisoner who is held in the same ward with my husband is also ill. How can they help each other? How can they meet their needs? My children told me that he was leaning to the walls to be able to walk. 

 

Pointing out to the importance of their struggle, Güker said: "I can't see very well and my knees are weak. We want all the relatives of ill prisoners to join us. We want justice not only for ourselves but for everyone. "

 

 

MA / Dicle Müftüoğlu - Özgür Paksoy