During the coup attempt carried out by FETÖ on the night of July 15, 51-year-old Erkan Pala, who arrived at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in Saraçhane, was martyred after he was shot by the traitors.
Asking his wife’s and children’s blessings before leaving home upon the news of the attempt, Pala began to defend against the soldiers in Saraçhane. Saying, “The day is today... If we’re not going to defend today, when will we...” via his social media account, inviting his friends to stand against the tanks, Erkan Pala was hit by the bullets of the putschists.
“Won’t you stand against the tanks?”
Ömer Pala, brother of Erkan Pala, talked about the night as follows: “My brother was inviting the members of Fatih Haydar Foundation, of which he was the head, by saying, ‘If needed, we will resist, we have no fear. If you cannot stand against tanks, can you also not throw stones at them?’ Then, he reportedly left to defend. Leaving his children on Vatan Street, he went to Saraçhane. His wife began worrying, after she couldn’t reach him. At 02.30, we could reach him. After that he didn’t answer. We found him at the Haseki Training and Research Hospital, in the morning.
“His life was Quran”
Muazzez Pala, the martyr’s mother, states, “My child’s life was Quran. He was the head of Haydarpaşa Medresesi Haydar Foundation. He gave lectures there. He would restrain the youth from bad deeds, and give them love for the Quran, inviting them to the way of God. He didn’t have any desire for wealth. He wouldn’t buy shoes which he was not going to wear. He would eat anything you prepared for him. He helped many people without our knowing. He was a populist. He liked being with his people. Therefore, I didn’t want him in the martyrs’ cemetery, and buried him in our family cemetery. He awarded his family with martyrdom. I live with the hope of meeting him again.”
Martyr Erkan Pala’s name was given to a primary school in Eyüp, Istanbul, and an Anatolian Imam Hatip high school in Isparta.
