Following Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's call for a solution to the Kurdish issue, the PKK took a concrete step and announced a ceasefire. Following Abdullah Öcalan's call and the PKK's concrete steps, there is an expectation in society and politics that "the state must also take concrete steps". While it is evaluated that the ceasefire to be declared by the state will positively affect the PKK's restructuring process for an unarmed struggle, the Peace Mothers also stated that the state must take steps for a ceasefire.

 

Saadet Çaçan, a member of the Peace Mothers Assembly, stated that Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's call is important and added, "Leader Apo has been in prison for 26 years. Some of our mothers could not even find a single piece of their son or daughter. While we have not even found the dismembered body of our children, we have never stopped saying peace, brotherhood and equality. But they have always stood in the opposite direction to us. As much as we wanted peace, they were in favour of war. Now we are calling out once again from here: Are police officers, soldiers and village guards martyrs, but ours are not? Ours are martyrs too. How long will our children be killed? One of my sons was martyred, I don't want another son to die. For 50 years I have been involved in this struggle, and for 26 years I have been involved in the struggle of the mothers of peace. Just as we were in favour of peace on the first day, now, with the call of Leader Apo, we are once again clinging to peace."

 

Saadet Çaçan stated that with Abdullah Öcalan's call, bilateral peace should be achieved and said, "Even if peace is not achieved, our struggle will continue and we will stand upright and resist again. With the PKK's declaration of a ceasefire, a more solid step towards peace has been taken. On this basis, our Leader must be released, all prisoners in prison must be released, the way for democratic politics must be opened, the PKK must be able to come and do politics, they must give us our identity. Unless these conditions are fulfilled, we will continue to resist and struggle. Wherever Leader Apo is, we will be there. He is our leader, if he says peace, we will say peace, if he says brotherhood, we will say brotherhood again."

 

'THE STATE MUST DECLARE A CEASEFIRE'

 

Peace Mother Saliha Akbaş stated that they have always stood on the path of peace, not war, said that now the only focus of their calls is the state, and that they are voicing the steps and conditions of the Kurdish movement. Saliha Akbaş said, "The ceasefire declaration announced by the guerrilla is very valuable for us. Now the state needs to listen to us and take the statements into consideration. They need to take a step and declare a ceasefire. Conditions must now be met. Our conditions are; the release of our prisoners in prisons, the cessation of wars. Even now Rojava is being bombed every day. We want to see Leader Apo now, we want to go to him. These are our only demands for years."

 

'WE WANT TO SEE OUR LEADER AT NEWROZ'

 

Peace Mother Gülistan Kaya emphasised that they have been excited since the historic announcement and said, "The message from Mr Öcalan gave hope to everyone. Now we want Leader Apo to be free. We now demand that our Leader be free and be together with his people. Our demands have been in this direction for years and we have been struggling for these demands. Our Leader has not been in favour of war since the day he went to prison, he has always fought for peace. We have declared a ceasefire and still not even a step has been taken by the state. They also need to declare a ceasefire. We want to see our Leader at Newroz."

 

Nazlı Acar said she is hopeful for peace and stated that a bilateral ceasefire would increase hopes. "Roses and flowers should be on the barrels of guns now. Both those in the mountains and those in the city should be brothers and live together. We were very excited when we heard the words 'PKK should lay down arms' in the call, because this was a decision that would bring peace. Let the bloody war of these years come to an end and let roses and flowers bloom in these lands. The ceasefire decision announced by the PKK should be approached with a ceasefire by the state. Let neither Kurds nor Turks die anymore. Let there be peace and brotherhood. We want to see our Leader and hear his voice on Newroz. His voice and image will give strength and morale to all peoples," she said. 

 

CALL TO THE STATE: TAKE A STEP TOO

 

Peace Mother Hediye Koçak stated that Abdullah Öcalan's message will bring peace and freedom. Hediye Koçak said "This statement must first bring freedom for our Leader, then for the prisoners and then for the four parts of Kurdistan. We have been struggling for peace for years. Our children lose their lives and we say peace, our children are arrested and we say peace. Today thousands of mothers still do not know where their children are. Our call to the state is that you must now take the step taken by our Leader. It is high time for President Erdoğan of Turkey to take a concrete step. There will be Newroz in the coming days, this Newroz is the Newroz of peace. For this reason, more people than every year should participate in the Newroz. We demand that the video message of our leadership be broadcast and that they broadcast it on Newroz. The Kurdish people will grow stronger with his voice."

 

'WE WANT TO SEE AND HEAR OUR LEADER'

 

Peace Mother Songül Abi said they had been longing for Abdullah Öcalan for years, noted that with this message they once again realised the importance of the Kurdish movement and said, "It is possible for peace to come with this message. We no longer want our children to die, we want our prisoners to be released. Thanks to the Leader, this peace will be achieved and now the whole world is looking at a word that will come out of the mouth of the leadership. We are very happy, nobody should misunderstand this message, this message is a message that will win us. We want to see and hear our Leader. We want to see him alive as soon as possible. Four parts of Kurdistan are waiting for the video message of the Leader."

 

MA / Ruken Polat