This is my story!

Everyone has their own story about that night. Someone slept around 22.00, woke up at 08.00 and lived no diffrence; someone left their family to read Quran then shielded theirselves in front of tanks and the news that s/he was “DEMOCRACY MARTYR” has reached those families…

Even the stories are diffrent, it’s apparent that there are so many experienced stories to tell next generations. Mine starts quite diffrent and ends with sitting up all night like everybody.  I’ll try to explain with words what I’d try to explain verbally dozens of times.

I was with kith and kin July 15 night. We heard Boğaziçi Bridge has closed at evenning. Of course this new didn’t spread quickly. My family was returning from a wedding. (You shall see the wedding owner will have such an important part in this night.) When my parents called me and asked if I’d go with them or not, I said I still need half an hour. Afterwards when news of lately events in our country started to come, a family friend warned me like “Ambit is complicated, go home carefully.” I had to go home after ten minutes my mom called. I got on a bus without losing time. The bus opened final audio of news while everybody was listening it carefully. I thought “If there will be a coup, it only happens in metropolitans as Istanbul or Ankara.” until I heard polices has closed front of the governor and let noone pass. I’m only 15 and didn’t know much about coup. We saw police effectuated a barricade. Apparently they came before the soldier and wouldn’t let them pass. None soldier could entered even though they brought military trucks. It was 22.50 back then, we stayed in the Governorship. When I called my parents they said they’d come and get me. My father and brother were coming for me while our family friends were keep asking if I was fine. On the other hand we objected to soldiers after we talked with police. “Soldier to Quarters! Soldier to Quarters!” They were holding those weapons I’ve feared of in my entire life. By the way some people made baricades with their own luxury cars too. When the situation was like that, I got together with my father after I ran in front of those armed soldiers and polices about six hundred metres. I thought we were going home directly; however we went a market behind the Governorship then talked with polices and decided to go home for only inform our neighbors about treason felony. We went to governor junction with my seventy years old granmother, seventy three years old granfather, my sister, mother, father, brother and some neighbors. Junction in front of the market is connected with back door of the governor. And before we go to back door, near fifteen soldiers has cut the path. That path was getting covered with people. Former Parliamentary Candidate Ali İnci (My family went to Ali İnci’s daughter’s wedding. When issue is homeland, he left his daughter’s wedding and came to the Governorship), reeve and few men were talking at the same time. Here is their conversation:

-I have the mosque’s key. I’m going for make announcement Mr. Chairman.

-Mr. Chairman, can we use some police transveiver to call people here with wandering the streets?

We went outside in spite of we didn’t hear Presiden’t calling, or we didn’t know TRT was captured and the presenter has forced to read false report.

               In the circumstances, we were taking a decision and act together.

 Few people were disputing with soldiers who defends coup. Six women

 linked arms were entering with taking takbir. (Our neihgbor, her daughter,

 my mother, sister and grandmother, and an unknown woman.) Over 

fifty-seventy people passed over barricade behind women too. At that 

time military was running into governor. They were standing in front 

of the door and wouldn’t let us in. Later poeple who came with buses

 from City Esplanade joined us too. They shooted through air several times.

 I assume those who got injured were wounded by ricocheted bullets.

 Our neighbor, her daughter and son got shot there. We convinced some

 soldiers at the stairs, with cheers and hugs. We were all happy like we

 took back our castle, whom we actually did. We have bereaved the 

governorates room from traitors. Therefore we were tired, sweltered 

and we got thirsty. The point I want to draw attention is that we took

very much care to not even use those napkins or drink some water 

on Governor’s Office. We ascended tables without our shoes because

we wanted to wag our flags. Without any harm. HOW CAN WE HURT

 THOSE INNOCENT SOLDIERS EVEN WE DIDNT HARM ANY BELONGINGS!?

               I stayed awake till morning. I went home around 07.00 o’clock

 and fell asleep while I was watching the news. Me and my family are taking

 turns for sleeping, for if something happenes, s/he can wake the others. 

Even eleven days has passed after the coup…

               When I look at the results of this struggle, I see a victory. 

“GLORIOUS VICTORY!”. For the sake of this glorious victory, we couldn’t

 get the chance of be a “DEMOCRACY MARTYR” but this nation gave 240

 martyries, also ready to give more. 

                15 July will remain as an epic to us…

                                                                                  written by: Bilal Enes Özensel

                                                                                  translated by: Beyza Kazan