ŞIRNEX – Villagers in Elkê, who have long suffered under “security” policies, say they support the new process, but stress that a lasting peace depends on concrete steps taken by the state.
The expectations for peace and a resolution among residents of Şırnak and its districts have risen following Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” on February 27. Citizens who have witnessed village burnings, bans on mountain pastures, unsolved murders, torture, forced migration, detentions, arrests, and intense clashes since the 1990s are now calling for a lasting solution and peace.
‘LET OUR CHILDREN NOT DIE’
Meryem Yalçın, a resident of Ewrekê village in the Elkê (Beytüşşebap) district, expressed her wish for an end to the suffering. “We are very happy that a new process has begun. We want peace. We have witnessed many wars, endured much pain. Mothers have seen too many deaths. We want the state to take steps toward a solution. Every day our eyes and ears are on the television. For now, there’s some calm. We want to see days where our children are not killed or imprisoned,” she said.
‘WE SUPPORT THE PROCESS’
Salih Temel from Setkar village said: “There was something we had been waiting for years — and now we’re at its doorstep. We are pleased with Mr. Öcalan’s initiative and the responsibility he has given us. We waited for 47 years wondering when this conflict would end. Now we are hopeful. This process concerns not just Kurds, but all peoples. We have been through a lot, but we still support the process. We want peace; we want the bloodshed to stop. There are thousands of sick prisoners — they should be released. We want Mr. Öcalan to come to Amed and be active in the process. We stand with him and believe in his leadership.”
Halime Dursun from Bilbês village emphasized that all mothers must embrace the process. “We want Kurds and Turks to live together. No one’s heart should be broken. If the state supports the Kurds, it will be stronger. Abdullah Öcalan is a guide for the world. If he had been listened to from the beginning, so much blood wouldn’t have been shed. We believe we will succeed. It is mothers who must embrace this process the most,” she said.
‘ÖCALAN MUST BE FREE’
Makbule Aşan from Tivor village said the burden of the process falls most heavily on women. “For this process to succeed, mothers must work hard. No more broken hearts for mothers. Let the mothers of soldiers, police, and guerrillas no longer cry. We believe in Mr. Öcalan because he dedicated his youth and his life to this people. Yet he is still imprisoned. We want him to be released. Today, people say ‘let them lay down their arms,’ but how can they return without rights and recognition for the Kurdish people?” she asked.
Remziye Kılıç, from Muşela village, stressed that their only demand is peace. She said: “We support what Mr. Abdullah Öcalan says. We’ve seen and experienced a lot, but still we say peace. Let the guerrillas return to their mothers. Let there be Kurdish-Turkish brotherhood. We trust and believe in Apo. We want to live freely and in peace. We watch TV day and night, following the process. We hope we succeed.”
‘THE STATE MUST BE SINCERE’
Sait Cin from Guanis village emphasized the need for concrete action from the state: “We want peace. We say ‘enough is enough.’ These deaths must end. We want to live as brothers. But we’re still under isolation. Without concrete steps from the state, we won’t believe in its sincerity. We want to live in our own village, with our culture and in our mother tongue. We support this process,” he said.
MA / Zeynep Durgut