News Center-  September 1 marks the World Peace Day celebrated by many countries of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact member countries and Turkey. Yesterday, thousands of people took to the streets across Turkey to shout their demand for peace.

Istanbul

Hundreds of people gathered at the Kadıköy Pier Square with the motto, “War causes to lose, Peace leads to win” to mark the 1st September World Peace Day. Women, young people, members of the Peace Mother Initiative, the mothers of prisoners, who have held a Justice Watch for their children, members of the Saturday Mothers and human rights defenders participated in the demonstration.

Women were prevented from marching

The square was surrounded by the police with barriers, many detention vehicles and armored vehicles. The police set up many checkpoints to search people entering the square. The activists of the Free Women’s Movement (TJA) wanted to march from Eminönü Pier to the square by carrying banners reading, “War causes to lose, Peace leads to win” and “Jin Iiyan Azadi (Women, Life, Freedom)”. However, the police did not allow them to march and blockaded the activists. The journalists covering the demonstration were prevented and battered by the police. Then, four people, including Peace Mothers Initiative member Zeynep Calıhan and a female journalist named Zilan, were taken into custody by the police.

“Mothers are our honor”

“We do not accept the detention of mothers,” shouted the people participating in the demonstration to react to the detention. Then, hundreds of people marched to Eminönü Pier to protest the detention. At the Eminönü Pier, a woman carrying the flag of the Peoples’ Democratic People (HDP) was battered and taken into custody by the police. After being kept in blockade for a long time, about 75 people were attacked and taken into custody by the police. Yesterday, about 80 people were taken into custody in Istanbul for demanding peace.

Ankara

A demonstration was held at the Anıtpark by the Labor and Democracy Forces to demand peace.

A statement written in both Kurdish and Turkish was released by the Labor and Democracy Forces during the demonstration. “The economic crisis, which has affected people since 2008, pushes the working people, the oppressed and the poor people into a deep poverty and misery. Due to wars and economic reasons, hundreds of millions of people have to leave their countries. The capitalist system causes people to die and leave their hometowns because it cares about its ‘interest’ instead of keeping people alive and providing a peaceful life to them. Capitalism is the source of wars and militarism.

“The persistent and continuous policies of the Turkish governments have caused conflicts that have been going on for decades, the death and injury of tens of thousands of people, the displacement of millions of Kurds, the waste of resources that can be used for the welfare of the people of Turkey, the worsening of the working and living conditions of the workers, poverty and unemployment, the spread of chauvinism and violations of rights and freedoms,” the statement said. 

Izmir

An activity was held at the Cumhuriyet Square by the Labor and Democracy Forces with the motto, “We defend peace against war, poverty, corruption, femicide and destruction of nature” to demand peace on the World Peace Day. Making a speech during the activity, Izmir Peace Mothers Initiative member Behiye Yalçın said they demand peace and equality. “We do not want mothers to cry anymore. We want peace all around the world. War means deaths and massacres. We, as mothers, want peace. The peace process must start again and the isolation must be lifted.”

Marches in Mardin and Hakkari

Mardin Peace and Democracy Platform held a march to mark the 1st World Peace Day with the participation of dozens of people. They called for the end of wars and conflicts and demanded peace to be restored. In Hakkari, the Peace Mothers members threw their white head scarves into the Zab River and demanded peace to be restored.

Şırnak

A demonstration was held at the Newroz area in the Silopi district of Şırnak province with the motto, “War causes to lose, Peace leads to win” to mark the 1st September World Peace Day. Making a speech during the demonstration, HDP Şırnak Provincial Co-chair Sabuha Akdağ drew attention to the killing of women by village guards or soldiers in the city.

“We will prevent these policies of impunity and strengthen our struggle against femicide,” she said. After her speech, HDP Co-chair Mithat Sancar made a speech and said, “The roots of peace are also strong in this region that has suffered the destruction of war and all kinds of oppression.”