Nearly 6 years have passed since the bomb attack of ISIS on October 10, 2015, against the Peace Rally held in front of Ankara Train Station. People who lost their loved ones have been expecting the monument to be completed by now. The results of the competition for a monument has been declared on MArch 3, 2020 and talks were held with Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB). However, even though the Ankara Mayor promised the monument would be completed at the sixth year anniversary, nothing was done so far. 

 

Speaking to Mesopotamia Agency (MA), October 10 Peace Association Chair attorney Mehtap Sakinci Coşgun told that the monument has been dragged on. Sakinci said: "They can drag this monument for a few more years but it will turn out to be a scream rather than a silent demand. Those who lost their loved ones in the bomb attack will hold them to account."

 

THE PROMISES..

 

Reminding that Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mansur Yavaş promised the monument would be completed on the sixth year anniversary of the massacre, Sakinci said: "The area where the project will be built belongs to ABB and its implementation is in the hands of the municipality. During our meeting with the municipality, we told the mayor what the projects were and he told us that feasibility studies would be started in the field as soon as possible."

 

THE WINNING PROJECT

 

Underlining that they have started working for a monument on the 4th year anniversary of the massacre, Sakinci told about the winning project as follows: "There are 103 Ginkgo trees in the project. Ginkgo trees are the only living things that can survive even after the atomic bomb, and they have the ability to regrow. It is known that the sap of the leaves of these trees is used in the treatment of memory loss and amnesia. Another feature is that it leaves only once a year, and in October." Adding that there are two more projects waiting as plan B if the first one can not be made for some reason, Sakinci said: "The fact that the monument is not completed on the sixth year anniversary will stain the sixth year commemoration."

 

THIS IS THE DEBT OF ANKARA

 

Stating that they don't want justice that comes late nor a monument that comes late, Sakinci said: "We want to see a will that says 'I understand and share your pain'. We want the massacre to be remembered, we want our pain to be acknowladged. Those who came for the rally that day came from all around Turkey. 49 bodies were sent to different cities after that massacre. Ankara has a debt to those who came here and died in Ankara. "

 

'IT WILL EVENTUALLY BE DONE'

 

Underlining that they persue their right to vote as a citizen living in Ankara, Sakinci said: "A monument will be erected there one day. We just want that to be done before we ran out of strength. We are commemorating the one's we lost on 10th of every month. We want those who pass there to think, 'This is where 104 people were murdered. This monument is here to remind us of that'. Until that happens, we will be there every month on 10th. We will find some peace of mind when it is completed. I don't want the only thing that comes to my mind thinking about that day to be the people laying on the ground in pieces. That monument will ease our minds."