Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" continues to receive support from different segments of society. Peace Mothers who lost their children during the conflict evaluated Öcalan's call. 

 

Stressing that the government must take concrete steps in response to the call, Peace Mother Behiye Yalçın stated that they are behind Öcalan's call. Stating that they have been struggling for a lasting peace for years, Behiye Yalçın said, "We have been struggling for years to stop this bloodshed. The ceasefire must not be one-sided, the state should also lay down arms. If there is to be a lasting peace, it cannot be one-sided. Isolation has not been lifted yet. The isolation must be lifted to ensure a lasting and honourable peace." 

 

'ÖCALAN MUST BE FREE'

 

Behiye Yalçın criticised the language of the government and the media and emphasised that the language of peace should be taken as a basis. "How will peace be achieved without meeting Mr Öcalan and sitting at the same table with him?" asked Behiye Yalçın and added, "Mr Öcalan must be free with the people and the way should be paved for peace. He should meet not only with the state but with all groups. This is how peace is built."

 

Behiye Yalçın stressed: "Mr Öcalan did not set any conditions and said 'democracy'. This is what we want. Everyone should support this call. We want all weapons to be silenced. We want a lasting and honourable peace in this country. Neither Kurdish mothers nor Turkish mothers should cry. We want the mothers of soldiers and police officers to lend a hand to Kurdish mothers. Together we want to stop this war."

 

'OUR EYES ARE ON THE STATE'

 

Peace Mother Hanife Gümüş emphasised that the prisoners in prisons must be released. Hanife Gümüş said, "We want peace not only for Kurds, but for Turks, Arabs, Armenians... We want peace for everyone. Mr Öcalan said very nice words. Our eyes are now on the state, and the state needs to take a step. No more people should die, no more bloodshed. Kurdish mothers should no longer be on their way to prison. I went to prison yesterday as if the world was on my back. Turks should not say 'what do we care', their children are dying too. We want Abdullah Öcalan to be released as soon as possible."