Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun drew attention to the social trauma caused by armed attacks on schools and called for strong oversight, shared responsibility and a holistic response across all areas — from families to public institutions, from civil society organisations to education policies — in order to prevent violence.

The fifth session of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Council’s regular April meeting was held at the municipal service building. Council members attended the meeting, which was chaired by Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun.

Co-Mayor Hatun: We are deeply saddened by what has happened

Speaking at the council meeting, Co-Mayor Hatun said that, on behalf of the Metropolitan Municipality and the people of Diyarbakır, they were deeply saddened by the armed attacks on schools in Siverek and Kahramanmaraş, and extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Stressing that these incidents had caused deep trauma in society, Co-Mayor Hatun said: “We also want to make a call to the whole country. Unfortunately, the occurrence of such isolated incidents during the education of young people and children, who are the future of this country, creates serious trauma in society. The only way to prevent such serious trauma is through strict discipline and oversight.”

‘Computer games, TV series and films should be reviewed’

Co-Mayor Hatun said that stricter oversight should be applied nationwide against content that encourages violence, and pointed out that, in this age of technology, everything from computer games to television dramas and films should be reviewed in a holistic way. Stating that they believe all content and practices that may push or encourage people — especially young people and children — towards violence should be subject to serious oversight and discipline across the country, Co-Mayor Hatun said that such isolated incidents gradually turn into practices that encourage violence among young people more broadly. Speaking on behalf of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality, its elected council members, and the co-mayors and council members of the district municipalities, Co-Mayor Hatun stressed that such incidents should not be forgotten by the public, and said they believed society as a whole should remain sensitive to social trauma.

‘Action must be taken against such practices’

Co-Mayor Hatun stressed that families should take a closer interest in their children and called for public institutions and civil society to assume shared responsibility in preventing violence. Hatun concluded his remarks as follows: “We ask families, first and foremost, to engage directly with their children in their own homes, and in cases that go beyond what families can address on their own, we call on public institutions — municipalities above all — as well as civil society organisations working in the social sphere to support our people and our families on these issues. We hope that such incidents will never happen again, whether in our city, our country or any other city or school. Once again, we condemn those who encourage children towards violence. The place of children is in educational settings, and those settings must be free. There must be a disciplined education policy oriented towards education and the future. We also call on the Minister of National Education to take measures, particularly in the field of education policy, to prevent practices that could put children’s lives and futures at risk.”