SILA Ulutaş a 27-year-old psychologist who settled in London just 7 months ago under the Ankara Agreement scheme sadly committed suicide on suicide on Tuesday, February 11.
A graduate of Boğaziçi University, Sıla was known around as a cheerful person and the news of her death has shocked many.
A funeral ceremony was held for Sıla at the British Alevi Cultural Centre and Cemevi (İAKM- Cemevi) where family members gathered including her aunt and uncle, as well as cousin and community members, joined together to say goodbye.
Speaking at the ceremony, Alevi Mother Yadigar Arslan said, “Sıla came to London with beautiful dreams, but we were deeply saddened by her departure. I wish we could have met her when she was alive and touched her heart just a little bit. ”
The body of the young woman was sent to Turkey on Wednesday, February 17th, for burial.
Ulutaş’s aunt and uncle-in-law, Özgür-Nurcan Aktaş couple, told Hürriyet: “She was known as a cheerful and energetic person by her surroundings. She was a promising psychologist. We really can’t believe it, we are in shock. We are trying to understand what happened to such a young girl and she took her life. She committed suicide two days after moving into her new home. She obviously couldn’t handle life’s hardships.” The couple explained that Ulutaş’s suicide occurred after her mother could not reach her daughter, that they informed the police when they could not reach her, and that the police, who entered the house from the balcony, encountered Ulutaş’s lifeless body hanging.
Aktaş said, “Our young people, who are sheltering in London under the Ankara Agreement, should not hide the economic difficulties they are experiencing or will experience, and the psychological distress caused by loneliness. We should never leave them alone,” he said.