COLEMÊRG – Sertip Şen, a shepherd killed six years ago by Speacialist Sergeant M.T. in Gever. Abdullah Şen, the son of Sertip Şen, emphasized that the state must take steps towards peace and ensure the fair prosecution of those responsible for killings.
On May 2, 2019, Sertip Şen (46), a shepherd from the village of Wargenima n Gever (Yüksekova), Colemêrg (Hakkari), lost his life after being shot from a military zone while grazing his animals. The autopsy report confirmed that Şen died due to a bullet wound near his heart. The perpetrator, Speacialist Sergeant M.T., who used the weapon of contracted soldier H.A., is currently being tired without arrest. The Şen family demands his arrest and punishment.
Speaking about the incident, Abdullah Şen said his father was deliberately targeted and killed. “The military checkpoint near our village was evacuated immediately after the shooting. The soldier claimed he fired into the air and saw no one, but this is a lie, my father was clearly targeted,” he said.
Şen stated that ambulances were blocked from entering the village, delaying medical help: “If ambulances had been allowed in, my father might have survived. It is painful to revisit this, but the soldier who killed my father is still walking free. This man is not a soldier, he is a murderer. If left unpunished, he may kill again. He must be arrested immediately.”
‘UNTIL THERE IS JUSTICE OUR PAIN WILL NOT END’
Son Şen recalled that his sisted passed away after suffering deeply from their father’s killing. He said his sister could not bear the pain of lost his father and died. “Our entire family has been devastated. The perpetrator must be punished so we can find peace of mind” he said and added: “If we are truly brothers in this country, then all people, Kurds, Turks, Alevis, must be treated equally. But as long as the injustice continue, there can be no talk of brotherhood.”
He condemned the impunity granted to military personnel: “If I had committed this act, I would have received a life sentence. But because the killer is a soldier, he is protected. A short sentence would be nothing more than a reward.”
‘IF THERE IS PEACE, OPPRESSION MUST END’
Addressing the broader political context, son Şen stressed: “If there is truly a peace process, then the state must act with integrity. It must punish killers without discriminating between Turks and Kurds. We do not want a state that dictates as a ‘big brother’, we demand equality and justice. All victims of torture, right violations, and killings must receive justice. As Kurds, we have faced oppression for too long. This oppression must come to an end.”
MA / Mazlum Engindeniz