Cemil Kozay, father of 5-year-old Umut Kozay who was killed by explosion of an object on his playing ground on September 30 in Yüksekova district of Hakkari province, said that even an investigation has not been launched into the incident. Speaking to local news outlet Yüksekova News on the explosion that killed his 5-year-old son Umut and heavily injured 7-year-old son Erhan Kozay, Father Kozay said that no state officials called the family after the incident.
Addressing the Hakkari Governor Office’s statement that “the cause of the explosion was an unexploded ammunition left from an operation,” Cemil Kozay stated that “However, the place where explosion occurred was 15 meters away from a police station. Even the rubbles were taken away. A great number of people pass by that area every day. The children play in that area. They said they cleared everywhere during the curfew that lasted 79 days but they didn’t even clean in front of their houses, or they intentionally threw it there.”
Stating that “There are as many as 20 city surveillance cameras around the police station,” Cemil Kozay has added that “The truth is in those cameras. If they claim that it was an ammunition left from the time of curfew, then they shall reveal the camera footage. The thing is, even an investigation hasn’t been launched. Even the testimony of eyewitnesses hasn’t been received. We also haven’t received the autopsy report.”
Meanwhile, Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu has submitted a parliamentary inquiry about the killing of Umut Kozay, according to a report by Bianet on Thursday.
Addressing the statement issued by Hakkari Governor Office concerning the incident, Tanrıkulu said that in the statement it was stated that the object was “an unexploded ammunition left from an operation.”
Stating that at least 95 people lost their lives, 6,770 houses were destroyed during the curfew that was declared by Hakkari Governor Office on March 13, 2016 and lasted 78 days, Tanrıkulu added that at least 22 children lost their lives and 45 others were injured due to the explosions around within the last two years, according to the studies made by the NGOs.
Tanrıkulu has posed number of questions to Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım to reply. Tanrıkulu asked that “What is the type of explosion that killed Umut Kozay and injured Erhan Kozay? Is there any work towards clearing the mines and explosive devices in the settlements in the Eastern and Southeastern Region? If there is any investigation going on, when did it start and at what stage is it? If not, what is the justification?”
“What are the names of those who died or were injured in the explosions resulted by landmines in Turkey over the last 10 years? What sort of compensations are being applied in casualties caused by landmines? If there is any, what is the cast of these compensations? What verdicts have the European Court of Human Rights rendered in the suits brought by those who died, suffered material loss or got injured?” added Tanrıkulu.
