Those who saw the sign were shocked! Entering the village wearing shorts is prohibited.

A sign posted at the entrance to a village in the Dicle district of Diyarbakır shocked onlookers. The sign, hung at the very entrance, prohibits entering the village wearing shorts.

The villagers say, "Whoever comes should come on top of us, but they should not enter the village wearing shorts, because our families and the elderly are in a difficult situation."

Located 85 kilometers from Diyarbakır, Değirmenli (Zixur) Village is located in a narrow valley on the banks of the Tigris River and has become one of the most important tourism spots in the region in recent years with its unique nature.

The villagers stated that they were happy with the guests but were disturbed by some visitors walking through the village in shorts, so they hung a warning sign at the village entrance.

"DO NOT WALK IN SHORTKA VILLAGE"

The villagers emphasize that their aim is not to obstruct visitors, but simply to have their privacy respected.

Village headman Abdullah Can said:

"Shorts are prohibited. Because there are elderly people and families in the village. Whoever comes, they can come and sit on our heads. Let them do their walks; there's no problem here. As long as there's no inappropriate behavior and they don't enter the village wearing shorts, that would be much better. This sign was put up by the villagers' unanimous decision."

Village resident Abdullatif Toprak said, "Those who come should come and go in moderation. The only place to wear shorts is by the stream. This is a place where families live."

"THE VILLAGE IS LIKE HEAVEN BUT IT IS OWNERLESS"

Another issue that the villagers complain about is that picnickers leave their garbage haphazardly.

Village resident Hüseyin Fidan said, "They can come for a picnic, they can come to us, but they leave their garbage, and we are in a very difficult situation because of this."

Despite its beauty, villagers complain that Değirmenli (Zixur) Village has never received any official services. There's no parking, fountain, or sink at the picnic area. The road to the village and recreation area is extremely narrow and rough.

A tourist named Orhan Koç, who visited the region, said:

"This place is like a hidden paradise. We want everyone to come and see it. But the authorities need to turn this place into a tourism center. There are road problems, and we want these problems to be solved."

Villagers and visitors are calling on the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and the Dicle Municipality to turn Değirmenli (Zixur) Village into a tourism center.

Source: rudaw