Members of the Peace Mothers' Assembly who wanted to set up a “Peace Tent” with the slogan “No war, peace now” in Tilqebîn (Başverimli) town in Silopi district of Şırnak were attacked by Turkish soldiers and police officers on 15-18 October. The beaten mothers applied to the Human Rights Association (IHD) Amed (Diyarbakır) Branch and requested legal assistance. After submitting their application, the mothers made a statement to the press.

IHD Branch President Ercan Yılmaz stated that the Peace Mothers' Assembly has been struggling for many years for a solution to the Kurdish question and said: “Each mother has experienced the most severe pain during this process. Still, they have serious insistence on a solution to the Kurdish question. The government is insensitive to the demands of many segments of society. With the opening of the parliament, the government and its partners have developed some discourses on the solution of the Kurdish question. It is valuable that this issue is discussed in the parliament, but when approaching the issue, an honourable and just peace must be achieved, independent of the daily conjuncture. There are steps that need to be taken for this. MHP Leader Bahçeli talked about ‘isolation’. He accepted it. The Peace Mothers who raised the issue of isolation were repeatedly subjected to investigations and harsh interventions by the police. Today, the government partner mentioned the lifting of isolation, expressing who the interlocutor is and what the main solution is. We think that the issue that has been voiced for years should be recalled again; the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan must be lifted.”

Meryeme Tura, a member of the Peace Mothers’ Assembly, said, “We wanted to open a peace tent in Silopi on 15-18 October to stop the bloodshed, to end the dirty war, to end the isolation. Soldiers blocked our way and asked why we had gathered. We told them that we were there for peace and brotherhood. They talked about the bans. Then they attacked us. We were detained for a night. During the detention we said that we came for peace, for an end to these atrocities, for an end to deaths. We came with our white headscarves for an honourable peace. We extend our hand everywhere for peace. We wanted the mothers of soldiers and police officers to join us. We want this dirty war to end.”

Peace Mother Havva Kıran stated: “They took away our banner because it contained the word ‘isolation’. Today Bahçeli made a statement and said ‘Let Öcalan come here and we will find a solution’. The solution was on that banner and you took it away from the mothers. You attacked the mothers for that very word. While you are so intolerant of that word, your statement today is contradictory. Be clear.”

Noting that mothers aged 70-80 were attacked one by one with tear gas in Silopi, Kıran said, “Some mothers were hospitalised and some were detained. If you cannot tolerate mothers, you cannot tolerate anything. As Peace Mothers, we appeal to everyone.  If you want Mr Öcalan to come to parliament, but you cannot tolerate the mothers saying, ‘Let the isolation be lifted’, this is a contradiction. If you want to negotiate and set up a table for a solution, first end your war.”

Havva Kıran called on the public and said that peace has no meaning ‘if it has no foundation’ and added: "If you do not give way to mothers, it is not peace."