Tolga KORKUT- After the closure of pro-Kurdish DTP, clashes occurred in the pre-dominantly Kurdish South-East of Turkey and also in Istanbul, claiming the lives of several people. A shop owner from Muş shot to the crowd right in front of the police, a person in Istanbul was paid to shoot.During protests against the recent closure of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) in the Istanbul district of Dolapdere 3 people made use of their firearms on 13 December. One of them claims that he was given money to be abetted in the shooting. Bystander of the incident Şevket Aslan was injured during the incident.
According to Turkish news channel NTV, the suspect was released after the interrogation by the prosecutor. He stated that he received 500 TL (€ 230) for shooting at the DTP demonstrators and that he used a blank gun. He said that he works as a garbage collector and that he was hungry. Addressing the NTV journalist the suspect said, "If you give me the money, I will do the same for you. I just look at what is in my pocket".
"They came with a black SUV and gave me the money and the gun"
NTV reported what was told by an eyewitness from the neighbourhood. Apparently, 3 people came 1 day prior to the incident in a black SUV, all wearing similar clothes and carrying similar guns, to deliver the money and the gun to the suspect.
Shopkeeper fires to the crowd: 2 people died
In the south-eastern city of Muş 2 people were shot dead in a protest action against the closure of DTP on 15 December. Local shopkeeper Turan Bilen shot aimlessly into the crowd with his automatic rifle. Kemal Aycan and Necmi Ural were killed, another 7 peopled suffered from injuries. According to local sources, Bilen was taken into custody by the police after the shooting.
Clashes occurred in the city's district of Bulanık after the police had intervened against a group of people that planned to make a press release regarding the closure of DTP.
DTP Provincial Chairman Rahmi Çelik told bianet that the police intervened when the group was preparing for the press release. As a result, they could not make the release and the clashes started.
Çelik reported that local shop owner Bilen from a company called Mardin Drygoods opened gunfire to the crowd with his long-barrel automatic rifle, which could also be seen by the police. According to the eyewitness, tensions in the district continued till the afternoon. He also observed that the crowd had set fire to the work place of Mardin Drygoods after the incident.
Çelik presumed, "This person was frequently walking around with his weapon, he was probably working for the state".
"Periodical shooting for 40 minutes in front of the police"
Mehmet Temel, chief editor of the Bulanık Bilican newspaper, told bianet that within a duration of 40 minutes Bilen came out of the shop several times to shoot at the crowd. The police was watching from a distance of approximately 250 metres. They took Bilen into custody after the shooting.
ANF reported that the police shot with live bullets. Windows of official institutions and banks were broken in the course of the clashes. Electricity was cut off and access to the district was blocked by the military. (TK/VK)
