STRUGGLES

A military base overlooking
villages in Bakur. Photo by
Corporate Watch, July 2015.
voices from the struggles for freedom in bakur
78,000 people ofmostly Kurdish ethnicity when it is completed, and flood the ancient town of
Hasankeyf]. Rojava is another example ofthe state's hatred. IfKurdish people outside of
Turkey want something for themselves, ifthey want their freedom, the Turkish state is not
happy about it.
CW: You have suffered throughout your life due to the weapons used by the Turkish military. What do
you think ofthe companies making the weapons?
I don’t want weapons produced ifthey are to be used in Kurdistan. I would prefer them to
produce pens. I'd prefer that the blue ofthe pen flows rather than the red ofthe blood. If
someone helps to make these weapons, they are responsible for what happens.
CW: Do you think people should take action against the sale and export ofweapons to Turkey?
It would be great ifpeople tried to take action to stop this.
CW: What else do you think people outside ofKurdistan can do in solidarity?
IfI were a tourist I wouldn’t come to this country. People can protest against Turkish Airlines,
for example. This is a state airline. People can boycott and protest against state products and
companies, not the civilian ones. I think this can have an effect. Journalists and activists can
also write about the situation here.
*We have used a pseudonym at the interviewee's request.
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