On the night of 9 September 1994, Ulukale village in the Çemişgezek district of Tunceli became the scene of a treacherous raid carried out by members of the separatist terrorist organisation PKK. Houses, the village mosque and shops were set ablaze, and defenceless civilians were brutally killed. Thirteen innocent lives were martyred in this attack.
We remember them with mercy, gratitude and endless faithfulness.
Our Martyrs
By their identifiable names:
- Abdulaziz Karaduman
- Abdullah Fidan
- Ahmet Altunoluk (Hacı Ahmet Altınok)
- Dursun Ateş
- Latif Gürtürk (Latif Gültürk)
- İskender Gürbüz
- Mehmet Çiçek (martyred while on watch duty in the orchards, not in the 1994 raid)
- Süleyman Aydın (martyred while on watch duty in the orchards, not in the 1994 raid)
- Şerife Çoban
A total of thirteen of our people were martyred; the identifiable names are listed above. If any information is missing or needs correction, please let us know — we want to keep this page worthy of our martyrs.
The Ulukale Martyrs' Monument — Çemişgezek, Tunceli (2018)
A village that would not bow
The aim of the terrorist organisation was clear: to spread fear, force the villagers to migrate, and empty this ancient land of its people. Yet the people of Ulukale did not bow to this pressure. They did not abandon their homeland; on the contrary, they held on to their soil all the more firmly. In the years that followed, the village did not shrink — it grew, and its households increased. This steadfastness of the people of Ulukale became a symbol of their devotion to their homeland and their faithfulness to their martyrs.
The monument and commemorations
To keep the cherished memory of our martyrs alive, a Martyrs' Monument was built in Ulukale village in 2018. Every year on 9 September, the anniversary of the event, official commemoration ceremonies are held at the village's memorial; the Qur'an is recited and prayers are offered. The ceremonies are attended by the Governor of Tunceli, the District Governor of Çemişgezek, regional members of parliament, university and municipal representatives, village association officials, the martyrs' families and many citizens.
May the souls of our martyrs rest in peace. Their cherished memory will live on as long as this village lives.
Sources: Elazığ Son Haber, Habertürk, Milliyet (news on the Ulukale Martyrs commemorations) and accounts from village sources. This page is compiled with respect for the memory of our martyrs.