Women prisoners held in Ankara Sincan Women’s Closed Prison shared a message titled “A wound of language or a stain on conscience?” in response to the prevention of Peace Mother Nezahat Teke from speaking Kurdish during a session of the parliamentary commission established to address the Kurdish question on 19 August .
The message, released through their lawyers by the prisoners, including Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Leyla Güven, stated: “The word trauma originates from the Greek language and means ‘wound.’ When the force that causes such wounds comes from nature, it is called ‘apet’; when it comes from humans, it is explained as the destructiveness within people. We have patiently waited for those we are meant to live together with in this land to reach this point. Even though our wounds hurt us, we have never lost hope that, with the right interlocutors, this time it would be possible. For in this process, gathering around a ‘principle of hope’ is essential. After all, we say that ‘hope is more valuable than victory.’ However, the stance taken against the Peace Mothers during the parliamentary commission meeting of August 19, 2025, established for the democratic and peaceful resolution of the Kurdish question, has taken us back a century. In a commission founded for a solution, it is possible to declare that ‘the request is against the rules’ regarding a language spoken by nearly 50 million people. And beyond that, to say, ‘while doing one thing, let us not disrupt another.’
The mothers came to the commission with hearts as warm and bright as the sun, carrying immense courage and infinite, unconditional love. They wanted to express themselves as representatives of millions of wounded hearts. But once again, it was not allowed. ‘I am truly very hurt,’ said Mother Nezahat. And it was not only her; millions of Kurdish people were deeply hurt. The fact that the records state, ‘at this point, a word other than Turkish was expressed by the speaker,’ clearly shows that the old codes are still in effect. Confucius was once asked what his first act would be if he came to power. His answer was: ‘I would first address language. For if language is flawed, words cannot be understood. If words cannot be understood, sentences become flawed. If sentences are flawed, it is impossible to understand and to comprehend. If there is no comprehension, justice falters, and disorder and chaos arise in society.
That is why I attach great importance to language.’ Yes, language is important to us as well. After all, denial and assimilation began with language, and it caused profound fractures. We would have wished that every member of parliament in that commission had said in unison: ‘Let the mother speak in her own language.’ But that did not happen. As political Kurdish women prisoners in Sincan Prison, we value this process despite all its shortcomings and inadequacies. We trust in the profound and farsighted perspective and political analyses of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. We once again declare that we are ready to be soldiers for the success of his Call for Peace and a Democratic Society. Yet we cannot help but ask: if the ‘internal regulations’ are still not made sensitive to the language of a people, how will this be possible? Remaining committed to the principle of hope, we will continue to do more than our part for a lasting and honorable peace. We are grateful to our Leadership on Imrali Island, who for 26 years has pioneered the beginning of this process with legendary resistance, and to the comrades with brave hearts who remain on the island. With the hope of meeting in the peace dances led by our mothers, we extend greetings to all who make positive contributions to this process. Let us end with words our mothers often speak in life: ‘Xwedê heqqê me ji we re nehêle’ (May God not let our rights be denied to us).
Sincan Prison Political Women Prisoners.”