MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed (Diyarbakır)- The Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) held a rally called “Freedom for Peace” in Amed on February 8, 2025. Thousands attended the rally demanding physical freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and a new peace process be started.

The politicians, who made speeches at the rally, called for the end of the isolation imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in the prison island of Imrali. Five people, including the members of the Peace Mothers’ Initiative, were injured and many young people were beaten and detained by police after the rally.

‘All people must take steps’

 

“I call on all countries to stop the bloodshed, massacres and wars,” said Asiye Tay, a member of the Peace Mothers’ Initiative who attended the rally. “As mothers, we demand peace. No one should support war anymore. All parties must take steps to prevent mothers from shedding tears. We demand a sincere and pure peace be built. They (government) should not deceive us by saying peace and wage a war again. We reject such a war. Those who defend fraternity and humanity must take steps for peace now. Do not allow more people to be killed. In Rojava, mothers bury their children while resisting the attacks. We all must build a peaceful life to prevent mothers from shedding tears.”

‘A peaceful life must be built to live together’

 

Esra Taş told us that she attended the rally to demand peace for all people, especially for women and children.

“We want to live freely, speak our language freely and live in a country without economic crisis,” she told NuJINHA. “The way to build peace is sincerity. The government should be sincere to sit down at the (peace) table and resolve the Kurdish question diplomatically. We demand peace not just for the Kurdish people but all people. We struggle to have a space for all people so that they can express their demands. We are here to build free conditions so that we can all live together. We are here to say no to the killing of women and children. We are here to say no to the appointment of trustees to municipalities. We will keep demanding peace, defend our will and protect our mother tongue.”

‘The interlocutor is Imrali’

 

“The interlocutor is Imrali, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan,” said Hevrin Türk, who attended the rally from Mardin.

“As women, we believe that concrete steps must be taken for peace and that everyone loses in war. People are here now to demand peace. We have been struggling for peace for years because women are most affected by wars. Women play an important role in building peace. Peace cannot be built by a hand holding a stick. The struggle for peace must start by putting down the sticks.”

‘Wars have no benefits’

 

“Wars have no benefits for people,” said Ayşe Aydın, calling on everyone to demand peace. “We must first unite to say no to the war. This issue (The Kurdish question) is a century-old issue. If we fall into despair and take a step back, this issue will not be solved. All NGOs and political parties support this process (peace process). The Kurdish question must be resolved now. As a mother and a woman, I am here to demand peace and freedom for the next generations. Everyone should support this demand. Wars cause poverty, deaths and crises. Many women and children have been killed in the recent wars in the Middle East. All wars must be stopped now.”