Thousands of people marched in Wan, Mersin and Amed (Diyarbakır) yesterday under the slogan "We march to freedom for Leader Apo's right to hope", demanding the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights' decision on the violation of the "right to hope" of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

Women participating in the march said that everyone should do their part to support Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's peace efforts, for his physical freedom and for the socialisation of peace. 

 

Saying that the worst peace is more valuable than the best war, Müzeyyen Bütün asked for the implementation of the decision on the right to hope for a lasting peace and said: "Peace is something that everyone wants now, the worst peace is better than the best war. Abdullah Öcalan's call is a great opportunity for Turkey. All politicians in the country, especially the government officials, should embrace this process. A call and a process like this may never come again and no one should miss this opportunity. If the government acts courageously like Öcalan, accelerates the process and takes concrete steps, the expected peace will come to this country, which is the hope of everyone." 

 

'NO MORE BLOODSHED'

 

Muhlise Doğruer said that a lasting peace should come to the country in a real sense: "We do not want any more bloodshed in these lands, we mothers have been shouting for peace for years and now a real peace should come." 

 

'EDUCATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN MOTHER TONGUE'

 

Kamile Yalçın said that Kurdish children now want to receive education in their mother tongue: "The only thing we want now is the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, the establishment of peace and for our children to receive education in their mother tongue. We want to live in our own land with our own culture and mother tongue. 40 years of bloodshed in these lands is not enough? They should listen to the Kurdish people, we want a lasting peace." 

 

'WE MOTHERS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH'

 

Stating that mothers have suffered enough, Azize Çakır said: "Kurdish, Turkish, Circassian, Laz and everyone living in the land should now live together in peace and tranquility. We mothers have suffered a lot for years, our hearts have burned a lot, but now we want peace to come." 

 

Emphasising that the government should take concrete steps, Abdullah Özer said: "The only thing to be done to ensure peace is the release of Abdullah Öcalan, there is no concrete step taken by the government, the steps to be taken must be taken as soon as possible. We Kurds have been asking for peace for years and we will continue to do so." 

 

'ÖCALAN'S FREEDOM IS THE FREEDOM OF THE KURDS'

 

Osman Sevinç said that Turkish politics should respond to this call and added: "The commission established should act impartially and listen to all parties, Öcalan's right to hope should be recognised and his physical freedom should be ensured, Öcalan's freedom is the freedom of the Kurdish people." 

 

MA / Özlem Yacan - Bilal Babat