Arjin Dilek Angel
Amed - Carrying the pain of loss and suffering, Mothers of Peace from various cities across Northern Kurdistan gathered to demand a just peace and the freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. They emphasized that achieving peace requires serious steps from the Turkish state, affirming their determination to continue their struggle until justice and dignity prevail.

After a 12-year hiatus, the city of Amed (Diyarbakir) hosted the Third Congress of the Mothers of Peace Council on October 18–19, under the slogan “Mothers: Pioneers of Democratic Society and Lasting Peace.” The event brought together dozens of mothers from across Northern Kurdistan and Turkey, wearing white headscarves as symbolic representations of peace — a powerful image reflecting their aspirations for a fair and dignified future.

The participating Mothers of Peace share similar experiences of pain: some lost their children in the struggle for freedom, others lost their husbands or brothers, while many saw their villages burned or their relatives imprisoned. This collective suffering united them in Amed, where they once again raised their voices for peace and freedom.

“Peace Cannot Be Built by One Side Alone… Where Are the Steps from the State?”
Speaking about their hopes for the peace process and the establishment of a democratic society, Ayten Yasli, a member of the Mothers of Peace Council in Istanbul, said peace could only be achieved through mutual commitment.
“It is said there is peace — then let it be honored,” she said. “Mr. Öcalan has done his part and made his call. The PKK responded positively and laid down arms. The Kurds welcomed the process in good faith. But what about the Turkish state? What has it done in return?”

She affirmed that Kurds had taken concrete steps toward peace and would not back down, warning against stalling tactics.
“We want to speak our mother tongue freely. We demand the release of our imprisoned sons. We hope both the mothers of soldiers and the mothers of fighters will stop mourning. Let the media convey this stage with honesty and objectivity. Do not underestimate us — we have always been in the streets, and they know what we have achieved. We will continue our struggle until a genuine and just peace that honors our dignity is achieved.”

“I want my voice to reach everyone. Mr. Öcalan is our leader, and we demand his freedom. The committee must go and meet him directly. We reject the continuation of his imprisonment and will pursue this process until real and just peace is achieved.”

“Peace Is Not Only a Kurdish Demand — It Is the Responsibility of All Peoples”
Emine Erbak, a member of the Mothers of Peace Council in Istanbul, called for a comprehensive and just peace, stressing that this demand transcends the Kurdish people alone.
“The Turkish state must take a serious step,” she said. “Mr. Öcalan should be released, along with all political prisoners.”

Meanwhile, Zekiye Kaya, a member of the Mothers of Peace Council in Van, expressed hope that this would be the last conference held for peace — that the next stage would witness the realization of true peace.

Having lost several relatives in the struggle for freedom, she reflected:
“Blood cannot wash away blood. We learned this from the long years of war in which we paid a heavy price by losing our sons. For true coexistence to be achieved, justice must prevail. Will we remain the victims simply because we are Kurds? For years, we have been sacrificed because of our Kurdish identity.”

She warned that this might be the final opportunity: “This is the last chance for peace — they must seize it wisely. We have done our part in this stage and will continue working until a fair and honorable peace is achieved.”

“Every Home Has an Addicted Youth — There Can Be No Peace Without Solving the Kurdish Issue”
Meyser Korkmaz, a member of the Mothers of Peace Council in Riha (Urfa), shed light on the growing social crises resulting from the unresolved Kurdish issue.
“The Middle East is going through a deep crisis. In Turkey, many people suffer from psychological disorders; there is clear social imbalance. Almost every home has a young person addicted to drugs. As a citizen of Riha, I have personally witnessed painful cases. Youth are drowning in addiction — and this cannot be separated from the roots of the Kurdish question. Under such circumstances, how can families live in peace?”

She reminded that Kurdish mothers have lost more than one family member in the struggle for freedom, and the pain carried by each mother in the conference mirrors that of the others — a shared sorrow and collective grief.

She emphasized that the call for “peace and a democratic society” marked a turning point:
“Mothers are no longer confined to their homes; they take to the streets daily demanding peace. We will continue our struggle in the public squares until hope becomes reality.”

“We Have Endured the Pain and Will Continue - We Want Solutions, Not Promises”
Emine Ergüner, one of the Mothers of Peace from the village of Cever in Gever (Yüksekova), expressed her hope that the conference would contribute to achieving Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom.
“Mothers have endured the horrors of war. They saw the torn bodies of their sons, suffered imprisonment and torture. Yet, they held firmly to peace with dignity and pride.”

“Mr. Öcalan took responsibility and fulfilled his role, as did the PKK. But what about the Turkish state? How can we trust it? Why should we believe it? Months have passed without a single tangible step. We cannot place the entire burden of this process on him alone — the responsibility also lies with the state and all peoples.”

“We are on the ground for Öcalan’s freedom and for the freedom of our people — it is our duty. But walking alone is not enough; we must reach a solution, a tangible result that ends this pain and opens a real door to peace.”

“I Lost Five Loved Ones - I Don’t Want Another Mother to Cry”
Among the participants was Asmer Tunç, the mother of Mehmet Tunç, head of the People’s Council of Cizre, and Orhan Tunç, both killed during the curfew in Cizre, Şırnak province, when they were trapped in a basement.

Despite her difficulty walking and reliance on a cane, she explained why she came to Amed:
“We gathered here for peace. We call for brotherhood, but they still treat us with hostility. I lost two sons for the sake of freedom, and my brother was also martyred on this path. I lost five family members — yet I say, I don’t want any other mother to live what I lived. My heart burned; I don’t want another mother’s heart to burn.”

Asmer Tunç expressed hope in the success of the call for “peace and democratic society,” recalling a moving memory:“We lived in our village when soldiers burned down our home. Inside were two pictures — one of my brother who joined the struggle for freedom, and one of leader Öcalan. When we decided to move to Cizre, I was afraid to take the photo, so I hid it under one of the walls.”

“Six years later, I returned with my son Orhan, who was six years old, to search for that photo. Back then, even a picture was considered a crime. But today, Öcalan’s photos are raised openly, and chants of ‘President Apo’ echo in the streets. These are real achievements - the days of peace and freedom are drawing near.”

“Seven Days Would Not Suffice to Tell Our Suffering — Yet We Still Say: We Want Peace”
Among the attendees was Rabia Kurtay, sister of Ferhat Kurtay, who set himself on fire in 1982 in Diyarbakir Prison under the rule of Esat Oktay in protest against torture. She recalled decades of pain and the suffering endured by families outside prison gates.

“What we lived through in the 1980s outside the prisons cannot be summarized,” she said. “Even if I spoke for seven days and seven nights, it would not end. Despite everything we went through, we still raise our voices for peace and freedom.”