ŞIRNAK - Hatice Çatak whose house was burned to the ground during the curfews in İdil, is trying to protect her house with tarpaulins to keep her memories alive. Çatak, who has only 1 child out of 12 left with her, said, "These lands worth everything we lost."

 

More than 60 people, including children, lost their lives in the curfews declared on February 16, 2016 in the İdil district of Şırnak. During the 44-day curfew, Turgut Özal and Yeni neighborhoods of the district were burned and destroyed by soldiers. While thousands of people migrated to the surrounding provinces and districts as they were left homeless, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization decided to demolish 600 houses in the district.

 

Hundreds of houses in the town center were burned and destroyed after the clashes in the city ended. One of these houses belonged to 68-year-old Hacice Çatak, who lives in Turgut Özal Neighborhood. Çatak, mother of 12 children, had to leave the village of Rêzok, where she lived in the 1990s, due to the state oppression she faced. After the curfews declared in 2016, her children left their home one by one because of the pressure they faced. One of her children, Musa Anter Çatak, died in the bombardment of Bagok Mountain in 2021.

 

SHE VISITS HER BURNED-OUT HOUSE TWICE A DAY

 

Only 1 of Hacice Çatak's 12 children remained with her. Mother Çatak started to live in the house she rented next to her ruined house in order to protect the memories of her children and to fulfill her longing for them. Çatak goes back to her house that was left in ruins, twice a day, where her anger and pain become more intense all over again.

 

The names of family members are written on the walls of this house where Hacice Çatak lived with her 12 children. It is seen that the names on the walls are bullet ridden by the shots fired by the soldiers. Mother Çatak dotes upon this ruined house in order to keep the memories of her children alive. The mother Çatak, who covered the house with a tarpaulin so that it would not be damaged in the pouring rain, is determined to protect the house on the verge of collapse.

 

'MY HOME WAS MY EVERYTHING'

 

Stating that her house was targeted and burned by the soldiers during the curfews, mother Çatak said, "My children were here before the attacks started. My children loved each other very much. We always had guests coming and going. We were happy. We built this garden for my children. We had cows back then. We made a living with them. Everything I had was inside this house. But the state destroyed it, burned it to the ground. We couldn't get anything out of the house during the curfew. They deliberately burned down my house because they knew whose house it was. There were clashes in the district for days, but nothing happened to my house in the process. After the clashes ended, they burned my house down on purpose. I live in a rental now." 

 

'THEY BURNED DOWN MY MEMORIES AS WELL'

 

 

Çatak expressed her anger and pain as follows: "We lived in the village. Later we had to move to İdil. My husband was arrested after working here for 5 years. After he was arrested, it became very difficult to make a living. I used to go to the prison with my children in my arms. My grandson wrote the names of my children on this wall. All the photos I took with them and turned into albums burned with the house. They burned not only my house, but also my memories. The only thing left from my children a bullet-ridden wall, embroidered with their names in colour.

 

'I AM PROUD OF THEM'

 

Stating that she is proud of her children, mother Çatak said, "I was proud of my children. Now they are gone. I come to this ruined house twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. I sit on this chair every time I come. I feel good when I come here. After sitting for a while, I take a walk in the garden. Every time I come here, I remember my children and their memories. My children were with me. When they were with me, I felt as if the whole world was with me. Even though I had gone through a lot before that, I forgot all my suffering when they were with me. But they all went away." 

 

'THESE LANDS WORTH EVERYTHING WE LOST'

 

Noting that now she only has her husband and one son, mother Çatak continued: "I come here every day so that this pain does not kill me. This house is a work of art built of my memories. That's why I protect it. When I come here, I feel relieved. My son Musa Anter also grew up in this house. I had a special fondness for him. But he is gone. I am proud of him. My children have never bowed their heads. I have never regretted anything either. This land is worth a thousand times over."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut