
Mothers participating in public meetings: Let's unite around peace
- 11:23 29 July 2025
- News
Memihan Zeydan
WAN - While 50 of the 100 public meetings planned to be held in Wan were held, the Peace Mothers who spoke at the public meeting in Elbak called for “Let no mother cry anymore, let us unite around peace."
The process that started with Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's call for “Peace and Democratic Society” on February 27 continues with new developments. Following the historic call, one historic step after another is being taken and its repercussions are affecting the whole society. Following Abdullah Öcalan's historic call, the PKK took the first step on March 1 and announced a ceasefire. Then, it dissolved itself with the 12th Congress held on May 5-7 and shared its decision to dissolve itself with the public on May 12.
The most important development that gave momentum to the process was the release of a video of Abdullah Öcalan for the first time on July 9 from İmralı Island Prison, where he has been held for 26 years. Two days after the video was shared, 30 guerrillas of the Peace and Democratic Society Group, led by KCK Executive Council Co-Chair Besê Hozat, burned their weapons in the Şikefta Casenê region of Silêmanî (Süleymaniye). In the period of time that has passed since the weapons burning ceremony, work on building peace and democratic society continues.
50 out of 100 meetings took place
Following the developments, the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) is organizing public meetings within the scope of “Democratic Society Meetings”. The public meetings continue from city to city and neighborhood to neighborhood in Turkey and Kurdistan.
Under the leadership of DEM Party, 50 of the 100 public meetings planned to be held in Wan were realized. One of the 50 meetings was held in Elbak (Başkale) district of Wan. While the people participated intensely in the public meeting, women were at the forefront. The fact that women listened to what was said with great care and attention indicates that they are the most important actors in the process. While the people attending the meetings frequently emphasized the developments and the process, the Mothers of Peace in the front rows repeatedly reiterated their demands for the physical freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
Peace Mothers who attended the public meeting made evaluations on the process.
'Let there be unity'
Peace Mother Hanife Bilmez emphasized the need for an end to deaths and said, "I want peace to be realized as soon as possible. The state should also take steps. We want the prisoners in prisons to be released and those in exile to return. Let there be unity, not deaths and arrests anymore."
'Let us unite around peace'
Pointing out the importance of democracy and peace, Peace Mother Sinem Yıldız stated that she was emotionally affected by the gun burning ceremony and said, "Let the guerrillas return, let there be no more bloodshed. Let brotherhood relations be established between both nations. Let the doors of prisons be opened. No more crying mothers, everyone should put their hands on their conscience and unite around peace."
'We want the freedom of our leadership'
Peace Mother Feleknaz Yıldız pointed out that Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan wants physical freedom and unity. Feleknaz Yıldız said, "Let the prison doors be opened. Neither Kurdish mothers should cry nor the mothers of soldiers. Let us join hands as Kurdish and Turkish people. We don't want any more bloodshed. When I saw the guns being burned, I was happy that there would be no more bloodshed. We want peace. We want freedom for our leader."