ANKARA - It has been four years since 103 people lost their lives and over 500 others have been wounded in September 10 Ankara Massacre. The deceased have been commemorated in front of Ankara Train Station: "We will keep on siding with peace".
Four years have passed since the October 10 massacre, which claimed the lives of 103 people in Ankara in 2015. A commemoration ceremony was held in front of Ankara Train Station today (October 10).
Gathering in Ulus, several representatives from occupational organizations and MPs marched to the Ankara Train Station.
A minute of silence was kept there for the deceased on 10.04 a.m, when the bombs exploded. A poem was also read for them.
The ones who lost their lives in the massacre were commemorated with their names read out one by one.
In the first two years after the massacre, the police did not allow the commemoration to take place and intervened against the group with pepper gas. The third commemoration ceremony could be held with limited participation. In the fourth year of the massacre, the ones who attended the commemoration marched to Ankara Train Station by chanting slogans.
After the group chanted the slogans "Murderer state will be brought to account" and "Murderer ISIS, collaborator AKP", a brief row ensued between police officers and the group.
Those who wanted to attend the commemoration could enter the square after being searched at two checkpoints.
The commemoration ceremony was also attended by Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Sezai Temelli, HDP Group Deputy Chair Saruhan Oluç, HDP MPs Serpil Kemalbay, Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Murat Çepni, Oya Ersoy and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MPs Mahmut Tanal, Veli Ağbaba, Özgür Özel, Gamze Taşcıer.
Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) Chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu, Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK) Co-Chair Aysun Gezen, Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Chair Sinan Adımana and Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Emin Koramaz led the cortege heading to Ankara Train Station.
Some people from the group protested MPs of the CHP, which voted in favor of the resolution allowing cross-border operation into northern Syria. While some people booed while the names of CHP MPs were read out. "You said yes to war", some people protested.
In response to the protests, October 10 Peace and Solidarity Association Chair Mehtap Sakinci Coşgun reminded the crowd that they had common slogans and said, "Today, we have come here for commemoration. We say that there is a shared sorrow and I am inviting you to common sense".
Speaking on behalf of occupational organizations attending the ceremony, TMMOB Chair Emin Koramaz said,
"Our sorrow, our rage grow with each passing day. We filled this square with love for humans in our hearts and songs of peace on our lips.
But, they drenched our demand for peace in lood. We will keep on siding with peace in the face of those warmongers.
"This square does not suffice to express the sorrows. Ankara Metropolitan Municipality renamed this square as 'Democracy Square' after the massacre, but it has not been put into practice.
"We have come to an agreement by negotiating with occupational organizations and municipality. We will start an international competition. The vicinity of this square will be designated as memorial site".