İSTANBUL - Stating that the policies of AKP and KDP regarding the bodies of Kurdish fighters is the same, Peace Mothers said: "We want a headstone for our children."

 

In the ambush set up by the special forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Turkey's cross-border operation on August 29 in the Xelîfan region of the Federal Kurdistan Region, 5 HPG members lost their lives and two HPG members, one of whom was injured, survived. Families who wanted to cross from North East Syria's Cizîre Canton to the Federated Kurdistan Region via the Semalka Border Gate to claim the bodies of their children, held by the KDP were blocked by KDP forces. The sit in families started at the Semalka Border Gate, demanding that the bodies to be delivered to them, continues on its 49th day. Members of the Istanbul Peace Mothers Council expressed their solidarity with the families who continue their protests in Semalka and critisized the policies adobted by the KDP regarding the bodies of the HPG members.

 

THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE BODIES OF THEIR CHILDREN

 

Cemile Çiftçi, one of the Peace Mothers, called out to KDP Chair Mesut Barzani for the bodies to be released said, "Mothers are waiting there for the bones of their children. Barzani should not continue this hostility, this war."

 

THE SIMILARITIES OF TURKEY AND THE KDP

 

Drawing attention to the similarity of the policies of the KDP and AKP towards the bodies of Kurdish fighters, Çiftçi said, “The state does not give the bodies of our children back to us, they bury them in the cemetery of the nameless. Mothers should demand peace. We will not leave the mothers in Semalka alone. We say we stand with them. Also, the government should understand this clearly that this problem can not be solved by fighting. Stop the war. This problem will not be solved by war. If there is peace, no one will die."

 

MESUT BARZANİ IS RESPONSIBLE

 

Underlining that Mesut Barzani is resonsible for the bodies held hostage, Peace Mother Ayşe Sarıhan said: "You have already killed them, what more can you do? Why don't you give their bodies to their families? We won't leave their bodies behind. I would have gone to the border to stand with the mothers there if I could. Their children are my children. They are all our children."

 

'WE WANT A HEADSTONE FOR OUR CHILDREN'

 

Peace Mother Birgül Muhikancı who lost her daughter at the chemical attacks of Turkey, reacted to the involvement of the KDP in Turkey's attacks. Referring to the AKP- KDP cooperation, Muhikancı said: "They are doing the bidding of Erdoğan. Turkey acts in hostility towards the Kurds. Now KDP is acting hostile as well. Brothers and sisters should not kill each other. They were afraid of our children when they were alive, now they are taking revenge from their dead bodies. We want a headstone for our children."

 

Kızını kimyasal silah saldırısında kaybeden Barış Annelerinden Birgül Muhikancı, Türkiye’nin operasyonuna dahil olan KDP’ye tepki gösterdi. AKP ve KDP işbirliğine değinen Muhikancı, “Erdoğan ile birlikte hareket ediyorlar. Türkiye zaten Kürtlere düşman, onlar da düşman oldular. Kardeş kardeşi öldürmesin” diye konuştu. Cenazelerin ailelerine verilmesini isteyen Muhikancı, “Dirilerinden korkuyorlar, ölülerinden ne istiyorsunuz. Çocuklarımızın mezar taşları olsun” diye belirtti. 

 

IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL UNITY

 

Underlining that the Kurds have been paying great prices for years, one of the mothers, Güler Buğday emphasized the importance of national unity and said: "What Barzani has been doing is killing his own brothers. This is unacceptable.  The Turkish state can do this. We have been demanding our rights like all peoples for a hundred years. Everyone lives with their own language, culture and rights. We are in 21st century, Kurds also have the right excercise their own rights. If we do not become one, we will perish together. How will Barzani be remembered in history? Our history is full of betrayals. Will he go down in history with betrayal? We do not liken betrayal to any Kurd. 

 

RELEASE THE BODIES

 

Calling for the bodies to be released to their families, Buğday said, "How many days have mothers been waiting for their children to be released to them? Release their children's bodies. Their pain is our pain. We stand with the mothers."