The Peace Mothers Assembly held its third conference in Diyarbakır (Amed) on 18–19 October under the motto “Mothers are the pioneers of a democratic society and lasting peace.” The conference, held at the ÇandAmed Congress Center, brought together Peace Mothers from Kurdistan and Turkey, who outlined their goals and demands for the new phase. The Peace Mothers spoke to ANF about the ongoing process and their expectations.
State must take steps
Fidan Karadağ said the Peace Mothers embrace the path to peace charted by Abdullah Öcalan. Karadağ said: “We have come together as Peace Mothers with hope for peace. We are very excited about this. Thanks to our children’s struggle and the path Abdullah Öcalan has shown us, the whole world now knows us. We are fulfilling every responsibility that falls on us for peace. The state must also fulfill its responsibility.
We now want our children to come back to us. Abdullah Öcalan has fulfilled his responsibilities. Under any circumstances, we take steps, but the state still remains silent. We are awaiting this peace. Let there be brotherhood now; let us live together. We do not want our young people to die anymore.”
Prison doors must be opened
Asiye Söğüt emphasized that the state must take steps to ensure Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom. Söğüt said: “Blood has been shed for forty years; we want this bloodshed to stop now. We do not want the blood of either side to be shed any longer. Our sole demand is that peace come to these lands. If there is a concept of brotherhood, our rights must also be recognized. Let our children receive education in their mother tongue in schools. Our children have fought for their rights for years. All prison doors must be opened, and our children must be free.”
Call to embrace peace
Delal Zengin, urged all mothers to embrace the peace process. Zengin said: “The Kurdish people have fulfilled every responsibility incumbent on them. But Erdoğan added: ‘Turkey without terrorism.’ As mothers, we do not accept this. Our children are not terrorists; our children struggled for their own people. Claiming our rights is our most natural right. Our cause is just. God gave me this identity and language; I must struggle to protect them. My children did this.
Everyone flourishes from their own roots; the Kurdish people flourish through their own language. No one can deny this. They denied us for years; we will no longer tolerate that denial.”
This blood must stop
Ayşe Aybek, said that mothers have been fighting for years to stop the bloodshed, adding: “Abdullah Öcalan initiated this process, but the Turkish state and the authorities did not fulfill their responsibilities. Our hearts as mothers are burning; we no longer want deaths to occur. I call on the mothers of soldiers and police: let us all embrace this peace together so our children do not die. Let us go together, hand in hand, to the Parliament and convey our demands. We only want peace. I defend my language. I am fighting for that.”