DERSİM- Emoş Bakıray, one of the last living witnesses of Dersim Massacre, stating that though her advancing age, what happened never fades from her mind, said: " I feel the massacre to my bones. My last wish and request is that the state faces the massacre, and be brought to account. 

 

One of the biggest massacres in the history of Turkey occured in Dersim, in 1937-38. Altough 81 years passed the suffering never eased.

 

The state haven't conducted any investigations regarding Dersim Massacre. The burial sites of the leaders of the riot, Seyit Rıza and his firends still remain unknown.

 

The witnesses of the massacre have lost their lives due to old age in the passing years. A few witnesses that have stayed alive, find it hard to remember and tell what happened.

 

Katliamın tanıkları da yıllar içinde yaşları itibariyle bir bir yaşamını yitirdi. Hayatta kalan sayılı tanıklar da yaşananları hatırlayıp, anlatmakta zorluk çekiyor.  

 

One of the last witnesses alive is Emoş Bakıray, who was 14 in the time of the massacre. Bakıray who lived in Dersim, Robaik, survived the massacre hiding in a cave with her mother, father and sister. Bakıray now lives in Meytan village with her daughter.

 

HER MEMORY IS STILL ALIVE

 

Emoş Bakıray whom we went to interview to her village, asked immediately if we came for the anniversary of Seyid Rıza. Although her daughter did not want her to tell the massacre because it effects her psychology adversely, Emoş Bakıray objected her daughter saying:" One day, the things I tell will be the oral history. Let me tell what I know before I die."

 

'FIRST THEY COLLECTED THE GUNS'

 

Bakıray, who despite her old age follows closely what happens in Dersim told : "There were almost 80 households in our village. The soldiars came demanding our guns before the massacre. 12 tribes called on to the people to collect the guns and deliver them to the government back then. The poeple handed over their guns. As soon as the guns were given, they gathered hundreds of people from many areas, took them to the white mountain in Robaik, and slaughtered even children. Women was first being raped then was  tied  to the trees naked. The women died from thirst and hunger. After that massacre, no one surrendered. Everyone took shelter in the caves. We lived in a cave for months. That's how we survived."

 

'THEY BOMBED THE CAVES WİTH NOXİOUS GASES'

 

Bakıray who indicated that another massacre happened in Laç  Stream at the time continued: " Approximately 400 people was hiding in the caves. Because the soldiars did not go there, the meetings happened in there. The people hiding in the caves send one person to negotiate. That one person never came back. Then they bombed the caves with noxious gases and everyone hiding in that cave was murdered. They used the same tactic in Kutudere district. Deman and Haydaran tribes was there. They were murdered as well."

 

'IT SPROUTS BACK EVEN IT IS CUT FROM THE ROOTS'

 

Bakıray said: " Dersim never forgot what happened in 1937-38 and neither should they. Dersim will never forget that massacre. The people of Dersim is like an oak tree. It will grow back from itself. If they cut one root, it will grow 10 more sprouts.

 

'OUR MOUNTAINS ARE STILL BEING BOMBED'

 

Bakıray who reminds what happen that they is still happening today, said: "Dersim Massacre still continues. Our mountains are still being bombed and burned down. People can not live in peace in their villages."

 

LAST WISH

 

Bakıray said that her last wish is to see that the state faces the truth, held accountable and to see the time of peace.