Killing of Tyurkyan Feyzula

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Türkan Feyzullah
Türkan with her mother
BornApril 24, 1983
Mogilyane, People's Republic of Bulgaria
DiedDecember 26, 1984
Mogilyane, People's Republic of Bulgaria
Cause of deathShooting
Resting placeMogilyane village, Kirkovo, Kardzhali Province

The killing of Türkan Feyzullah occurred on December 26, 1984, in Mogilyane, People's Republic of Bulgaria. Türkan Feyzullah (Bulgarian: Тюркян Фейзула) was a Turkish baby, who died after a bullet hit her when Bulgarian militsia shot at a group of people, peaceful protesting against the forceful Bulgarisation policy held then.[1][2][3]

Event[edit]

On December 24, 1984, protests started in Mlechino against Bulgarisation policy of Bulgarian government and human right violations of Turks from Bulgaria. Türkan's mother attended the protests.[4] The protests continued until December 26 when they were violently suppressed by the Bulgarian militsia.[5] Bulgarian militsioners started shooting at protesters, bullets wounded tens of people and killed 3.[5] The deaths included Türkan Feyzullah, who was 18 months old then.[6] Türkan died instantly in her mother's arms when the bullet hit upon her. Her killer was never arrested.[3]

Legacy[edit]

Türkan became symbol of Turkish resistance against Bulgarisation after her death. She is remembered at her grave every year with prayers at 26 December.[2] Several monuments of Türkan exist in both Turkey and Bulgaria.[7][8] A memorial fountain and a monument have been built on the site of the event, where commemorative celebrations are held every year on the day of the killing.

A monument was put up in Bursa in Türkan's memory.[9] Her brother Turhan Öztürk said in an interview about the persecution of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria: "They wanted to destroy our Turkish identity. The villagers didn't stay silent and marched in protest. Soldiers shot at defenseless people. My 18-month-old sibling was killed in my mother's arms. This left deep scars on my mom. All this showed you cannot make a people forget their roots. People must know what this monument stands for, the new generations must remember."[10]

Türkan is commemorated every year with a poem written for her and carved on her memorial stone:[11][12]

They called me Türkan

I had reached one and a half years old.

The cruel took my name

I got on my mother's back for the dirty road

you can't force this we said

Without checking left or right

they shot a bullet into my head[13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Türkân Bebek kaç aylıktı?" (in Turkish). Kırcaali Haber. 16 January 2018. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b "'Türkan bebek' ölümünün 35. yılında Edirne'de anıldı". www.aa.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  3. ^ a b "Persecuted Bulgarian Muslims honored in ceremony". www.worldbulletin.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  4. ^ "İşte Türkan bebeğin hikayesi". www.hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  5. ^ a b "Bulgaristan Türklerinin direnişinin sembolü 'Türkan bebek' ölümünün 35. yılında anıldı". www.aa.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  6. ^ Şafak, Yeni (2019-11-04). "4 soruda Bulgaristan'daki zorunlu göç: Türkan bebek direnişin sembolü olmuştu". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  7. ^ "Türkan Bebek anıtında anma töreni düzenlenecek". Radikal. 22 December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Türkan Çeşme Özel Sayısı" (PDF). Kırcaali Haber. December 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Turkan bebegin anisi Bursada da yasatilacak". Bursa Municipality. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Turkan Bebegin Anisi Bursada Yasatiliyor". Milliyet. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  11. ^ Admin. "Türkan bebeği Şehit edilişinin 36. yılında rahmetle anıyoruz." BAL-TÜRK (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  12. ^ Nursoy, Abdurrahim (2018). "Türkan Bebek ve Asimilasyon Şehitlerimizi 34. Yılında Rahmet ve Şükranla Andık". www.balgocizmir.org.tr. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  13. ^ Kadınların, Adı Zeynep Katledilen Tüm (2020-08-15). Adı Zeynep Katledilen Tüm Kadınların (in Turkish). Muhammed YAVAŞ. ISBN 978-625-400-687-6.
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