VAN - Noting that many kolbers were killed, tortured and maimed, Kolber Horami said that there was no authority they could appeal to against the rights violations they were subjected to.

 

Kolber News has announced its 2022 report on the situation of kolbers(Those who trade on borders) in Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan) and Iran. In the report, "Iranian security forces killed 29 kolbers, 1 of them fell, 4 of them frostbite, 1 of them drowned, 5 of them heart attacks, 2 of them accidents, 1 of them lost his life and 215 kolbars were injured with fire opened by Turkish soldiers at the border. Şexo Horami (33), who has been a kolber for a long time due to the lack of job opportunities despite having a bachelor's degree, said: "The only condition for making a living in the region is to be a kolbar. Due to poverty, young people are either forced to migrate or stay and work as kolbers for a low wage. In Iran, prices are very high due to inflation, food consumption and medical expenses are high. It is so difficult to live and keep alive in Kurdistan that people see being a kolber as a blessing and rejoice that it is a means of livelihood in these difficult financial conditions and in these difficult mountains.”

 

'THE REGIME IS KILLING US'

 

Noting that the regime forces caused the kolbers the biggest problem, Horami continued: “They know that we need this job to sustain our lives. They cause us trouble when they see that we are crossing the border with empty mules, even though they know that we are not harming anyone. Despite this, they are constantly shooting at us and killing us. We are constantly tortured by the soldiers. They even shoot at empty kolbers. Sometimes there are people who fall off the cliff on the way and lose their lives, but our biggest problem is the regime.”

 

'WE CAN'T SEEK OUR RIGHTS'

 

Emphasizing that there is no place for them to appeal against the violations they got through, Horami said: "We can't do anything about the violations of rights. The violations of rights we got through are committed by the regime. The law, the power, everything is in their hands. They shot my cousin, who was a Kolber, and his friends in the city. He injured his knee and underwent surgery and his treatment was very costly. As soon as he got better, he returned to the kolber. Even when he wants to claim his rights, there is a very difficult process. When the families of the killed kolbers seek their rights, after a long and difficult process, what is given is a very small amount of blood money, which is very rarely given. Citizens who are not from border cities face many problems while they are being kolbers because they do not know the way, they use the wrong ways. For this reason, there are people who lose their lives by falling from a cliff or stepping on a mine.

 

"THE REGIME TORTURES OUR ANIMALS"

 

Stating that the regime troops tortured not only to the kolbers, but also to animals, Horami said: “We were using the mules before, they knew the way, passing through the border and taking the things. But the soldiers began to kill our mules so much that we have to go with them now. A few years ago, there was a coat, and he was killed even though he did not carry that coat. They are detaining our donkeys and mules. And during the detention process, animals are hungry and dehydrated for days. At one point they detained our mules on the border and then bought our own mules again from the state."

 

KURDS ORGANIZED SOLIDARITY

 

Stating that while many people are disabled and the regime and civil institutions do not claim citizens collecting, Horami said: “The injured Kolbers are abandoned by the regime. Since Nasud is a small city, everyone knows each other. Kolbers shared their income with injured, poor people, and cancer patients. The people become their own wounds. They organized a show of solidarity."

 

Ma / Berivan Kutlu