Silent March in Protest of Deadly Bombing

More than 5,000 people in Diyarbakir staged a silent march on Saturday to condemn last week’s bomb attack which killed 10 people including seven children.

While the event appeared to mark the end of a three-day mourning by the local businesses that slowly started to reopen their shutters, it sparked off an unusual display by the police Special Operation Teams who in a convoy of 20 vehicles staged an alternative parade through the roads of Ofis district.

Executives and members of political parties, civil society organizations, bar associations and human rights groups gathered in front of the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Mayoralty building where Saturday’s protest started.

Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader Ahmet Turk and deputy chair Aysel Tugluk, exhibiting on their collars black and white ribbons representing mourning and peace respectively, were accompanied by provincial executives from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition CHP, SHP, SP, ANAP and DYP parties.

A wreath on which was written one common message, “We Curse It”, was laid at the city’s Human Right Monument as thousands attending the gathering raised their hands with fingers shaped in V - for victory, shouting mainly for peace but occasionally other pro-Kurdish slogans until warned by DTP executives.

Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair attorney Sezgin Tanrıkulu read a press statement at the scene where he noted they “condemned and cursed” the attack which had caused so much grief. He also added that a mourning in the city had now come to an end, calling on local businesses to re-open shutters.

According to Turkey’s mass circulation daily Hurriyet, an alternative display of force was recorded as the 5,000 marched through the city. Police officers attached to the city’s Special Operations Branch, some wearing black ski masks hiding their face, paraded through the Ofis district in a 20 vehicle convoy. (II/YE)