While the effects of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" continue, the families of prisoners in Gever (Yüksekova) district of Colemêrg (Hakkair) stated that they support the process and demanded the state to take steps in order to make progress.

 

Gülbeyaz Mıhçı, the mother of Mehdi Mıhçı, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, stated that her son was transferred to another prison against his will a week ago and asked, "If there is a search for peace and a process, why don't these pressures in prisons end?"

 

Gülbeyaz Mıhçı stated that the pressures should end in this period and said, "A process has been initiated in the person of the leadership and the state should take steps in line with our demands at this point. Our basic demands are the complete elimination of isolation, the immediate release of ill prisoners. We now want our leader Abdullah Öcalan to be free, which is our most basic demand. With his freedom, these other demands will be fulfilled."

 

Gülbeyaz Mıhçı stated that only after Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom can there be a real peace and said, "We support this process despite all we have been through. There will be a meeting with the Ministry of Justice this week. We expect good explanations from this meeting in terms of prisons. We want a country where justice will be provided and everyone will live in peace. This process will be good for all of us, so everyone should support."

 

'OUR HOPE IS MR ÖCALAN'

 

Co-Mayor of Gever Municipality Remziye Yaşar has been imprisoned for 6 years, and Dilgeş Yaşar has been imprisoned for 9 years. Mahsima Yaşar, mother of Remziye Yaşar and Dilgeş Yaşar said that the process they support should end positively. Mahsima Yaşar said that the dream of the families of the prisoners, those exiled and those who lost their lives was to make peace. 

 

"Our most fundamental demand in this process is the physical freedom of Mr Abdullah Öcalan With the freedom of Mr Öcalan, people will be free. The İmralı Delegation will hold a meeting with the Ministry of Justice. Our eyes and ears will be on that meeting. Now the state needs to take the hand extended by our Leader. We can end the fire of war that is engulfing this country together. Peace must be achieved, and everyone with a conscience must support this process."

 

Mahsima Yaşar stated that there can be no winners in war and stressed: "We now want a practice rather than a concrete step. The state needs to act at this point. In an environment where there is talk of peace, the mountains in Kurdistan are still being bombarded. How can we trust the peace that develops in such an environment? We need concrete and official steps now. Our hope is Mr Öcalan. He is a leader who wants the brotherhood of peoples worldwide. The Turks also need to listen now. No one who listens to Mr Ocalan will be harmed."

 

'WE ARE WAITING FOR CORRECT STEPS'

 

Emine Atak, the mother of Necla Atak, who has been imprisoned in Kocaeli Kandıra F-Type Prison No 1 for more than 8 years, said that Kurds have been waiting for the state to take a step for months and that if this step is delayed, the trust in the process will be shaken. 

 

Emine Atak said: "We are now waiting for correct and fundamental steps from the state. For months, we have been waiting for our demands to be fulfilled. We are waiting for the freedom of our leader and all other prisoners. We want the rights of the Kurdish people to be granted and Kurdish to be the official mother tongue. Both sides are tired of war and these social problems. Let us no longer strive for war, but for peace."

 

Stating that the Kurdish demands should be realised as soon as possible, Emine Atak said, "Our leader did his best and his part. Now it is the state's turn. We want them to take a step towards peace. Every time they speak, they leave something vague. We do not stop saying peace despite all the persecution, torture and massacres. They still have not taken a step. We hereby state that we are in favour of peace despite all the damage the state has caused to us, despite all the children it has massacred. Peace will be the balm for all the pain."

 

MA / Ruken Polat – Mazlum Engin Deniz