First in Diyadin, then in Derik: problem of ‘appointed trustees’ with multi-lingual signs
Earlier this week, 28 municipality heads – 24 of whom were elected representatives of dominantly Kurdish regions - were replaced with trustees appointed with the order of decrees passed under state of emergency.
As their dismissal and replacement caused reactions among public, police attacked demonstrators protesting these appointments in several provinces, including in Hakkari, Batman, Diyarbakır, and Urfa. Representatives of political parties in opposition also expressed their concerns and objections.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed trustee in Ağrı’s Diyadin district had taken down the Kurdish sign hung at the entrance of the municipality building, leaving only the Turkish one at place. As this also led to objections and protests, the Kurdish sign was hung back again. Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu also commented on it from his personal twitter account by saying: ‘The issue is about terror! Kurdish is our language. The sign at Diyadin will immediately be hung!’
More recently, reports from Mardin’s Derik municipality have also spread as the new trustee had removed the Armenian section of the sign placed at the entrance of the municipality building.
Having been taken down with the presence of several security officers around the municipality complex, the sign has now been hung back again with Turkish, Kurdish, and Armenian writings saying ‘Derik Municipality’, according to the latest reports of Hürriyet.
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-