Turkish activists return home following the flotilla attack

Three Turkish planes flew to Israel early Wednesday morning to repatriate activists who were aboard the Mavi Marmara ship that was attacked Monday while carrying humanitarian aid material to Gaza. Families of the Turkish activists began gathering at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport later in the day to welcome their relatives, carrying Palestinian and Turkish flags, as well as flowers.

The more than 520 activists on the flotilla were from 32 different countries, although most were Turkish. Israeli forces’ attack on the boat caused nine confirmed deaths, including those of as many as seven Turks. More than 50 passengers were injured. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said the identities of three Turkish victims had been determined and officials were still working to definitively identify the fourth victim. The bodies of the victims were expected to be returned to Turkey on the planes as well.

Both foreign and Turkish volunteers, as well as the bodies, would be brought to Istanbul, while injured activists would be taken to Ankara, Davutoğlu said. The Turkish planes include two military planes and one belonging to the Health Ministry.

The chief prosecutor’s office in Ankara plans to take the statements of Turks injured in the attack, the private news channel CNNTürk reported. Deputies Hüseyin Tanrıverdi and Zeyid Aslan, along with the prime minister’s chief adviser, Nabi Avcı and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Halit Çevik, have gone to Israel and will remain there until all Turkish citizens are repatriated, Davutoğlu said.

Two injured Turks were in serious condition, the foreign minister said, adding that a Turkish doctor would stay with them until they were fit to be moved. “We will never leave any of our citizens to mercy of anyone,” Davutoğlu said.

Families excited

Families of the Gaza flotilla activists began to gather at the airport in Istanbul around noon.

“We suffered so much in the name of humanity and society. We are in pain – words are not enough. We are sad, and we are waiting to turn our sorrow into happiness with [the activists’] arrival,” said Faika Doğan, a family member waiting at the airport, the Doğan news agency reported.

Yusuf Çorlu, who was waiting for his brother Levent, said he could not board the flotilla due to his work but added that he would go if a second one departs.

Two more people who were on one of the other boats in the flotilla, the Gazze-1, returned to Turkey on Wednesday. Yalçın Salel and Yaşar Çılgın’s boat was behind the Mavi Marmara in the flotilla. Hayri Bolat, a member of administrative board of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation, or İHH, one of the organizers of the flotilla, said all crewmembers of the Gazze-1 had returned to Turkey.

Activists from other countries, including Kuwait, Germany and Greece, were also reported to have returned to their countries Wednesday after Israel said Tuesday night that it would not keep anyone under arrest and would return everyone to their countries of origin.

Families mourn

Meanwhile the families of four Turkish victims mourned in various provinces of the country. Photographs of İbrahim Bilgen, who was a mayoral candidate from the Saadet, or Felicity, Party in March 2009 local elections, were hung over busy streets in the eastern province of Siirt.

Çetin Topçuoğlu, 54, died on the boat as well. Cumali Topçuoğlu, the victim’s brother, said in Adana that they were happy because their brother had become a “martyr.” Ali Haydar Bengi, father of four children also died aboard the ship. A condolence tent was erected in front of the Ulu Mosque in Diyarbakır for Bengi. Cevdet Kılıçlar, a member of İHH, also reportedly died aboard.


/Hurriyet Daily News/