Roboski was an oppressive and shocking attack that was undertaken against Kurdish civilians in Turkey. A total of 34 civilians were killed, including 19 children in an air strike in the Kurdish majority village of Roboski, close to the border with Iraq. The air strike was condemned by many as a ‘massacre’ and all the victims were civilians who were aged between 16 and 20.

Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) chairperson Ali Babacan spoke about the ‘Roboski massacre’ at the first Congress of his party on 6 April in Şırnak (Şirnex). “Our citizens who lost their lives in Roboski are awaiting justice. Nobody even apologised for Roboski”, he stated.

The families of the victims of Roboski reacted to Babacan’s statement as he was the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey at the time. They expressed the view that Babacan should actually explain ‘who’ ordered this massacre. “Will you make people forget the massacre with an apology?”, they reportedly asked.

Ten years have passed since the Roboski massacre in the village of Uludere in Şırnak (Şirnex) province, southeast of Turkey.  The relatives continue to this day to demand justice for people who were killed. Twenty eight people who were killed came from one extended family with the surname Encü.

Cry of the mothers for ‘justice, justice, justice’

Halime Encü, whose young son Serhat Encü was killed in the attack, continues with her demand for justice and to prosecute those responsible for the mass murder.

“They should have apologised to the families. The injustice should be accepted.,” said Halime Encü, mother of Serhat Encü who list his life int he massacre. “Ten years have passed, our pain still continues, we are still angry. We appeal to Allah. When someone says omething that they don’t like, they put them in prison for ten years. But those who killed our children were not held to account. Why aren’t they held to account?”

“Our demand for justice will continue as long as we live: justice, justice, justice!” mother in pain said and added, “Don’t make politics by calculating votes on the blood of our children. If they are sincere, clarify what happened.
Why did they conduct this massacre? All of those who were murdered were young people.”

Kadriye Encü, mother of Hamza Encü, one of those killed in the Roboski massacre, said, “Ten years have passed.
No one has knocked on our door. They slaughtered 34 students. Moreover, they arrest us, kill and punish us.”