AMED, Kurdish Capital, — According to a report released by Amed Branch of Human Rights Association (IHD), 181 Kurdish children have been killed by the Turkish ruling party, Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The report that released figures on child deaths in Turkey for the last 24 years outlined that 561 children have been killed by state powers or military explosive substances since 1998.181 of these children have been killed within the period of the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party).
Child deaths in Turkey have recently been brought to the agenda once again with the death of three children in the first week of the month of August. Eleven year-old Mazlum Akay whom a police gas bomb wounded on head in Yuregir, in the province of Adana on 29 July, lost his life on 4 August.
Eight year-old Seray Yavuz died as a result of the explosion of a substance she found in Kizilagaç town in the province of Muş on 6 August. One day later, thirteen year-old Vesim Zengin was shot dead by Turkish soldiers who later buried the boy near Iran border on Tuesday.
The IHD report on child deaths revealed a remarkable increase especially in the AKP period and the fact that state powers haven’t been tried for the deaths they are responsible for.
IHD Amed Branch Executive Board Member lawyer Muhterem Suren pointed out that the non-fulfilment of the necessary legal process against perpetrators was opening the way to further deaths of children.
Suren underlined that two out of three children murdered in August were killed by security forces and asked “Why can the security forces kill our children so easily?” Suren added that those responsible for the death of killed children have been protected by the political power.
Below a list of the statistical figures of child deaths in the last 24 years;
* One child in 1988
* Two children in 1989
* 21 children in 1990
* 15 children in 1991
* 117 children in 1992
* 79 children in 1993
* 99 children in 1994
* 11 children in 1995
* 7 children in 1996
* 7 children in 1997
* 5 children in 1998
* 12 children in 1999
* 3 children in 2000
* One child in 2001
* 18 children in 2002
* 12 children in 2003
* 12 children in 2004
* 12 children in 2005
* 23 children in 2006
* 9 children in 2007
* 17 children in 2008
* 21 children in 2009
* 16 children in 2010
* 33 children in 2011
* 8 children in 2012
Total number of child deaths: 561