The Association for Cooperation, Solidarity, Unity, and Culture with Families Who Lost Their Loved Ones in the Cradle of Civilizations (MEBYA-DER) held its 4th Ordinary Congress yesterday in Amed (tr: Diyarbakır). One of the main topics on the congress agenda was the current process seeking a solution to the Kurdish question.

Fatma Yalçın, one of the mothers who attended the congress, drew attention to Turkey's continued attacks, saying, "The Leader (referring to Abdullah Öcalan) made a call, and the PKK complied. But we see that no steps are being taken. This feels like betrayal to us. It is very difficult to talk about peace. People have paid such a heavy price, our children have died, and we are still calling for peace, but they are not taking any steps. If they had given the Leader two months to travel across Turkey and Kurdistan, he would have resolved the issue, but they did not allow that. We want our Leader to be free, for the war to end, and for peace to come."

Remarking that the Kurdish people are in a stronger position, Fatma Yalçın said, “The government must therefore take steps and keep its word. The Kurdish people must also strengthen their alliance and work together to ensure unity.”

Another mother, Rabia Ataş, said, “If the state had fulfilled its responsibility, peace would have been achieved by now.”

Denouncing the isolation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and the prisoners, Rabia Ataş said, “My daughter Şivekar Ataş is a sick prisoner, and they still haven't found a solution for them. We demand peace and we want to embrace our children. We don't want anyone else's child to die anymore. But if the process breaks down again, there will be even greater chaos.”

Calling for the government to keep its promises, Rabia Ataş said, "Why isn't the government taking action? Why aren't they releasing the sick prisoners? Release the sick prisoners, lift the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan and those in prisons, and free Abdullah Öcalan so that we too can live freely like everyone else. Enough is enough. This time, either it will be fully resolved or it will completely collapse. The Kurdish people are ready for both the resolution and the collapse of this issue."

Lahiye Arşimed, another mother, called for the achievement of peace and brotherhood and an end to deaths: “Let the Kurdish leader go free. Open the doors of all prisons. Ensure brotherhood between Turks and Kurds. We always want peace and brotherhood. The state must take steps toward peace immediately.”

Lahiye Arşimed highlighted the importance of Kurdish national unity, saying, “Let's all say ‘Enough is enough.’”

Meryem Aslan said, “The Kurdish people should achieve unity, and those who don't want this should leave us. Peace is difficult for us, but we want it finally achieved."