MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Êlih (Batman)-  Tens of thousands attended the “Democracy and Freedom Rally” held in Êlih (Batman) on November 17, 2024, demanding a political solution to the Kurdish question, the physical freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and an end to removal of elected mayors from office.

‘The isolation must be lifted’

“Today, we are here to raise our voice against the isolation and the removal of the elected mayors from office,” said Hayat Aktaş, one of the women attending the rally. “We will keep struggling against the appointed trustees to our municipalities. They (the AKP-MHP government) should not ignore our will anymore. We do not accept the isolation imposed in the prison island of Imrali. The isolation imposed on leader Apo must be lifted now. We do not want war and anyone to die anymore. All we want is peace and the end of the isolation. Everyone demanding peace in this country must fight.”

 ‘They appointed trustees while talking about peace’

“Despite our advanced age, we carried out an election campaign for months,” Müzeyyen Karakoç said, adding: “Now, we are told that we have to accept the appointment of the trustees to our municipalities. There is a link between the appointment of trustees and the isolation; they appoint trustees in place of the elected mayors because they impose an isolation on our leader. They appointed trustees to our municipalities while talking about peace, a new peace process. We saw what happened during the peace process several years ago; they killed and arrested people. We do not want such a peace process. All Kurdish people demand is peace, a sincere stance. They have weapons and tanks while we have our strong will. We demand the end of this oppression. We do not want anyone to die anymore. Peace must be achieved as quickly as possible.”

‘We will never give up the struggle’

Halime Demirel also told us that they insisted on peace. “All they want is to oppress us, not make peace with us. Whenever we talk about humanity, they respond to us by attacking us. I am here for peace. I am the mother and my child is behind bars. All political prisoners must be released from prison. We will now bow to oppression, whatever the consequences. We will never give up the struggle.”

‘Release all political prisoners’

“These people do not want trustees, war or chaos. All they want is peace,” said Meryem Aktaş. “The isolation must be lifted and all political prisoners must be released. We will never bow to them even if they appoint trustees to our municipalities and keep imposing isolation.”

‘Everyone should defend the will of people’

İsmet Öztürk called everyone to defend the will of people against the appointment of trustees to three Kurdish municipalities. “Today, we are here to say ‘No’ to trustees and many other things. The people of Batman have taken to the streets for days to defend their will. If the state wants to start a new peace process, it must first lift the isolation imposed in the prison island of Imrali. Then, it must meet the demands of these people.”