As you could read here, I have been to Gülyazi village for eight days last week. This sparked some interest from the Turkish media. It started with a column by my friend and colleague Amberin Zaman, who writes for The Economist and for daily paper Habertürk. She wrote a column about me on Tuesday, under the title ‘The journalist that makes me feel ashamed’, (in Turkish), about my journalism work here in the southeast.
Soon after that was published, a journalist from Habertürk called me for an interview for Wednesday’s paper. We talked some time on the phone, I didn’t see the article yet since I am now in a village where no newspapers are available. I hope to put a link to it later.
To my suprise, then also the huge Turkish TV channel CNN Türk called, if I was interested in appearing in the famous show of talk show host Cüneyt Özdemir. Also, to talk about my experiences in Gülyazi. Of course I was, and soon a regional camera team was on the way to Balveren village, some ten kilometers from Şirnak city, where I am staying now. Lights and camera were set up in the house of the family where I was staying, some neighbors came to curiously watch what was going on, very exciting indeed. See a pic here.
The interview on prime time was in Turkish, and apparently, I spoke a bit too open about the Uludere massacre and the Kurdish question. Several people told me Cüneyt Özdemir got rather uncomfortable with my open answers. Well, what else can I do than speak what’s on my mind? I didn’t dare to watch it back yet, but here it is.