At its fifth meeting in the Turkish Parliament on August 20, the National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission heard representatives from the Saturday Mothers, Peace Mothers, Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH), Human Rights Association (İHD), Human Rights and Solidarity Association for the Oppressed (MAZLUM-DER), and Tahir Elçi Human Rights Foundation.
The Peace Mothers drew attention to the role of Abdullah Öcalan on the path to a solution and peace, and suggested that the Commission meet with Abdullah Öcalan and work with him.
In a press statement at the Human Rights Association (İHD) Amed (tr: Diyarbakır) Branch on Friday, the Peace Mothers shared their observations from the meeting.
Peace Mother Nezahat Teke denounced the rejection of her request to speak in Kurdish at the commission meeting, saying, “If my identity and language are not recognized, then my existence is still not acknowledged.”
Nezahat Teke invited Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş to be sincere and said, “If the Kurdish issue is to be resolved, our mother tongue must first be recognized as an official language and language of education.”
Another Peace Mother, Sultan Bozkurt, stated that she could not express herself adequately because she did not know Turkish well enough, and drew attention to the importance of granting Abdullah Öcalan the “right to hope.” Bozkurt stated, “All kinds of insult and oppression have been directed at our language so far. We want a state that recognizes democracy and human rights, unlike the Turkish state.”
Remarking that the state does not tolerate the Kurdish language, Havva Kıran emphasized that the constitution must be changed in a way to recognize the existence of Kurds so that peace can be achieved. She stated, “We want justice and democracy. We will do our part in the struggle to stop the bloodshed. Blood is not washed away with blood, but with peace. We will continue to demand peace as long as we live.”
Source: ANF News
