The Peace Mothers Assembly has intensified its activities within the scope of the "Peace and Democratic Society Process" initiated by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Mothers have recently organised preliminary conferences in cities, they aim to expand their protests for the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

Mother Saliha Yazıcı stated that they demanded a bloodless solution to the Kurdish issue and emphasised that all political prisoners should be freed. 

 

Mother Nezahat Gür underlined that the most essential step is the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. Reminding that the most fundamental demand of the peoples in the "right to hope" marches organised in Mersin, Amed (Diyarbakır) and Wan (Van) was the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, she said: "Just as we did not want the mothers of guerrillas to cry, we do not want the mothers of soldiers and police officers to cry either. One of my children and my brother lost their lives for this cause. I have experienced this pain, but no one else should experience it. We want to speak our language freely."

 

REACTION TO THREATS AGAINST AANES

 

Mother Leyla Duman said: "Since the beginning of the process, we have demanded the release of our Leader. While the government is negotiating peace on the one hand, it continues to threaten attacks on the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria on the other. Kurds will not accept the attacks against Rojava". 

 

Mother Hatice Akdoğan emphasised that they are struggling to ensure that no mother should cry for her children and suffer from the pain of a child. 

 

Mother Besna Akdoğan reacted to the lack of action by the state and the government: "We have been watching the process since February. However, neither the government nor the state is taking any steps. We have suffered a lot, longed for the hair of our children's hair. But despite all this pain, we do not want the mothers of soldiers and police officers to suffer as well. I call to the mothers of soldiers and police officers; let's join hands and carry out this process ourselves."

 

'LET OUR LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY BE RECOGNISED' 

 

Mother Kadriye Gezici said: "For 26 years we have been waiting for news from Leader Öcalan. We wanted to hear his voice. In this war, we have all had fire in our homes. But we have always fought for peace. We want an honourable peace. We want to continue the step taken by Leader Öcalan. Our demands are very simple; they should recognise our language, our existence and our identity. We want to live in a free country. Where there is no peace, there will be war and blood."