We are on the 4th day of continuous curfew declared by the Turkish state in the town of Nusaybin, in Mardin, Turkey. By isolating and forcing the residents indoors for more than 24 hours on end, Turkish army, police, gendarmerie, special forces with armed vehicles and tanks can surround and attack the residents and kill whoever they want to, including children and older women.

To break the siege, a new tactic has been developed by the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), a progressive, left, pro-Kurdish party which enjoyed more than 90% of the votes in the regions being attacked by the Turks. Elected representatives in the National Assembly gather and try to enter the isolated towns with hundreds if not thousands of Kurds from the surrounding towns and villages. Mostly the Turkish forces would block the roads leading to the town under siege and the marchers would take it to the fields to enter the town. Not knowing how to stop dispersed thousands of people marching through fields, mountains, hills and valleys, all the Turkish army and police can do is scream racist and sexist insults through their loudspeakers and try to tear gas men, women and children on open fields.

However, the action of trying to prevent the Turkish state forces from isolating and murdering the Kurdish civilians is becoming harder and harder as the army and the police escalate their attacks on more and more Kurdish towns. The more towns under attack mean more towns for the Assembly representatives to organize a de-isolation march. However, progressive Kurds are not relenting.

The latest Kurdish town in the cross hairs of the Turkish State is Nusaybin. After being isolated and under 4 days of curfew the Kurdish representatives from the HDP are again trying to enter the town to show solidarity with the residents and to prevent mass murder by the Turks by establishing a live shield.

Yesterday, Mithat Sancar from the HDP reported, “The situation is very critical in Nusaybin. There is a need for baby food for the infants and necessities for the people. Curfew is still in effect in Nusaybin. Representatives, mayors, NGO leaders and ex-representatives from the National Assembly are trying to breach the blockade and enter the town. Turkish forces are preventing them from seeing what is being done inside the town. Representatives have started a sit-in at the entrance of Nusaybin.

In the meanwhile, all internet connections and phone lines are severed as well as cell phone communication to the town by the Turkish forces. Some wounded were smuggled out of town to be taken to hospitals. Clashes continue in the town as Turkish forces attack residents with tanks and heavy artillery. Sharp shooters are placed on the roofs of buildings killing anybody they may see. Reports of jihadist terrorists from Syria are working hand in hand with the Turkish forces as they roam the streets with the police and spray residents with automatic rifles.

Representative Sancar said if the siege is not lifted the group trying to enter the town may start a hunger strike.

Sendika.Org News (Mehmet Bayram)