Rozerin Gültekin

 

AMED - Peace Mother Afife Kartal, who took part in the meeting with political parties in Ankara, stated: “We went to Ankara for peace and brotherhood. We said, ‘Please extend a hand of peace to us too.’ They replied, ‘We will not send you away empty-handed’,” emphasising that they are open to any hand extended in the name of peace.

 

The Peace Mothers held meetings with political parties in Ankara on 7–8 May. A delegation comprising Behiye Yalçın, Afife Kartal and Müzeyyen Bütün from the Peace Mothers conveyed their expectations and demands regarding the Peace and Democratic Society Process to the political parties, calling for everyone to take responsibility for the process. The Mothers for Peace also submitted an application to the Ministry of Justice to meet with Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan on Imrali.

 

Afife Kartal, a member of the delegation, spoke about the meeting.

 

‘We went to Ankara for peace and brotherhood’

 

Afife Kartal, who stated that they had gone to Ankara for peace and brotherhood, reported that they had told the political parties, “Extend the hand of peace to us.” Afife Kartal said, “Mr Abdullah Öcalan took a step and said, ‘Let there be peace.’ Devlet Bahçeli also said, ‘Let there be peace.’ The state is not taking a step. Just as we want peace, the Turks must also want peace. We spoke in Kurdish in Ankara and were well received. We three mothers shared our feelings, and they listened to us. We gave them white headscarves as gifts and hoped this would serve as a means to peace and brotherhood. We no longer want blood to be shed. This year, may no coffins come to either Kurds or Turks. God willing, with Allah’s permission, we will no longer see coffins. I gathered my own daughter’s remains with my own hands, laid her to rest in the earth, and carried her coffin on my shoulders. They did not allow me to bury my daughter in peace. As I threw earth onto her grave, I said, ‘May this be a means to peace.’ Let no more mothers shed tears; the colour of tears is one; there is no black or white. We said we stand behind peace to the very end. They replied, ‘Insha’Allah,’ and said, ‘We will not send you away empty-handed.’ We have applied to the Ministry of Justice to see Mr Abdullah Öcalan. We are now awaiting the message from the parties we have met with. Insha’Allah, a message of peace and tranquillity will come."

 

The call for the mothers of guerrillas and soldiers to be brought together for peace

 

Afife Kartal, emphasising that they would pursue peace to the very end, stated that they were calling for the prison gates to be opened, saying, “They are burning the death sentences; this is not peace. When soldiers are martyred, the Turkish state says, ‘Long live the homeland’. ‘What am I to do with that homeland when my heart is burning? My heart is wounded, my soul is wounded.’ We wanted a place to be prepared for the mothers of soldiers, police officers and guerrillas, so that we could meet and talk to one another. It doesn’t matter where; if a meeting takes place, we are ready to come together for peace and extend a hand. Eren Bülbül’s mother said at his grave, ‘My heart is broken; let no other mother’s heart be broken,’ but then they silenced her too, and she said nothing. I appeal to the whole world: lend a hand to peace. Peace is a beautiful thing. Blood cannot be washed away with blood; only peace can wash away blood. I appeal to the Turkish state: Take a step forward yourselves. Do not wait another three or four months; let this bloodshed stop now. Let this beautiful process continue and let peace come."

 

They want peace, not surrender

 

Afife Kartal concluded by saying: “Mr Abdullah Öcalan must be released, he must sit down at the negotiating table and pursue his political agenda for the sake of his people. Sixty to seventy million Kurds stand behind him. Just as the Kurds rallied for the Amed match, they must rally for peace and join hands. Our call to them is: let them take a step forward; let them not say, ‘Let the guerrillas who lay down their arms come and surrender.’ We do not want them to surrender either. A peace group came from Maxmur, and then they put them all in prison. They came from Muş, saying, ‘We want peace,’ and they put them all in prison. They came from Europe, and they were all thrown in prison. We want them to come and participate in politics. They must not say ‘a Turkey free of terrorism’. We are not terrorists; we are also part of this people. God created us as Kurds, and we will die as Kurds.”