MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed-Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Riha (Urfa) MP Ömer Öcalan met Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan on Wednesday in the prison island of Imrali, first contact with Abdullah Öcalan on October 23, after 43 months. In his message, Abdullah Öcalan pointed out the ongoing isolation imposed on him and said, “If conditions are right, I have the theoretical and practical power to move this process from a ground of conflict and violence to a legal and political ground.” Many NGOs, groups, initiatives and political parties have released statements supporting the message of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The Peace Mothers Initiative is one of them.

 In an interview with NuJINHA, the members of the Peace Mothers Initiative struggling for permanent social peace pointed to the ongoing Turkish attacks on North and East Syria and said, “Politicians talk about peace here (Türkiye) but they also bomb Rojava. What they have done is not peace. Those who want peace must not be hypocrites.”

‘Peace must be built on strong foundations’ 

  

“Social peace must be ensured immediately,” said Meryem Turan, a member of the Peace Mothers Initiative, stressing that their demands were to stop the bloodshed and build an honorable peace. “For years, all we demand is peace. As the Peace Mothers Initiative, we demand steps to be taken for peace. Peace must be built on strong foundations. They (The Turkish government) should not aim to deceive the people as they did in 2013-2015 (Peace process). They ended the peace process but now they are talking about peace again. First of all, we want no one to die, the end of violations and the release of all political prisoners. Those who talk about peace should first declare a ceasefire. As mothers, we have already suffered a lot, paid the heaviest prices. Several days ago, we were beaten in Silopi for demanding peace. Despite everything, we, as mothers, still demand peace.”

 ‘What the people living in this region need the most is peace’

Calling on people to struggle in order to build peace, Meryem Turan said, “Not only Kurdish people but also Turkish people should take steps and talk about a new peace process. We do not want a process that deceives us and is not sincere. A process that we believe in and find sincere should be started. People are very tired of the ongoing crisis and chaos. What the people living in this region need the most is peace. We want peace not war.”

 ‘Violations in prisons must be ended’    

  

“Those who talk about peace should first end war crimes and human rights violations,” said Türkan Duman, another member of the Peace Mothers Initiative. “We can talk about peace when the isolation (imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan) is lifted, the political prisoners are released and justice is ensured.”

 Türkan Duman demanded more sincere steps be taken to ensure peace. “Bahçeli talks about a new peace process; however, this process cannot be started only by him. He is the biggest enemy of the Kurds. Our people should only trust their own people not him. All we want is the end of this war, this bloodshed. We demand peace but we do not trust Erdoğan and Bahçeli. After declaring a ceasefire, they should take more concrete steps. We demand a secure process that can be trusted.”

‘They bomb Rojava while talking about peace’

 Türkan Duman called for the end of the attacks on North and East Syria. “First of all, society should talk about peace, not Erdoğan or Bahçeli. Politicians talk about peace here (Türkiye) but they also bomb Rojava. What they have done is not peace. Those who want peace must not be hypocrites. Both Kurdish and Turkish people must struggle for an honorable peace. As mothers, all we demand is peace.”