The Status of Internally Displaced Kurds in Turkey: - Kurdish Human ...

The Status of Internally Displaced Kurds in TurkeyAnnex 3Testimonies of IDP Families Living in the Bostanici District of Van 102The mission visited the homes of several IDP families in the Bostaniçi district ofVan, where it learnt of the conditions suffered by the forcibly displaced. One familythat the mission spoke to told how they had moved to Van in 1990 from the villageof Çadlıca, in Çatak district, as a result of pressure to become village guards. All oftheir animals were killed and they lost all of their belongings. They are unable toreturn to their village because the village guards continue to inhabit their village. Forseveral years after they were forced to leave their village, they lived in a tent. Duringthis time they built a basic three room house, despite not having the title deeds tothe land on which the house is built. Several of the sons have been killed duringthe conflict between armed opposition groups and the military. The family appliedfor assistance under the Return to Village and Rehabilitation Project but were notsuccessful. This deterred them from applying to the Compensation Commissionsand as a result they did not make a claim.Another family, who moved from a hamlet in the same district in 1991, wereevacuated from their village by security forces who threatened to kill them if theydid not leave. Their village was bombed and burned after they left. They lost alltheir belongings and some of their animals. They brought their remaining animalswith them to Van where they were forced to sell them for half their value. Like thefirst family that the mission spoke to, they also survived in a makeshift tent whilstthey built the house where they now live. This house is composed of four roomsand accommodates 17 people. Despite leaving their village, they continue to beintimidated. They told the mission that their house was raided by security forceson a regular basis. They also informed the mission that the men of the family weredetained and tortured many times, being accused of aiding and abetting the PKK.One family member had been imprisoned for ten years. They are not permittedto return to their village. To illustrate this they told the mission that, in 2005, onemember of the family attempted to return to their village but as a result of this hewas detained by the security forces and threatened with death should he attempt102 FFM interviews with families, names withheld, 4 July 200663