Women Gathering for Peace: No Endurance for Silence

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Women for Peace Initiative gathered yesterday (December 16) at Galatasaray Square to keep peace watch at Galatasaray Square at 6:30 p.m. against curfews and killings in provinces of Diyarbakır, Şırnak, and Mardin, and that issued a press statement. 

We give out voice to Nusaybin, Dargeçit

The press statement by Women for Peace Initiative included the following remarks:

“We are here because we are giving out our voice to Sur, Silopi, Nusaybin, Dargeçit. We are the women who wonder what will happen to the students when teachers are withdrawn from Cizre, Silopi. Thus, we are on watch in Ankara and everywhere from now on. We will continue as we want peace”.

“We have no more endurance left to watch killings around us without doing anything. We have no more endurance left to wait for where, when, and how it will find us. We have no other solution than advocating life, and keeping each other alive whilst teachers are being withdrawn by National Education Ministry to be able to fire on students”.

Melda Onur: Words fail, time for action

Former Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP, Melda Onur, speaking to bianet at the square said now it is where words fail. Onur proceeded as follows:

“From now on, it is time for action. I as a citizen want the clashes and killings to end, and life continue. We can establish peace only after those are achieved and initiate a healthier process”. 

Amberin Zaman: We were very happy till two years earlier

Journalist Amberin Zaman saying “We want peace” stated that she recently returned from the conflict area.

“I was in Sur. People’s lives have turned to a mess, children cannot go to school, people cannot reach hospitals. Life is paralyzed, people are extremely hopeless. In fact, we were very happy till two years earlier and the government which created this hope now acts in totally an opposite way. I can’t find answer to how to advance further from here but we will”, said Zaman.

Mehveş Evin: These people needed to be lent an ear

Journalist Mehveş Evin spoke as follows:

“We need to call out by uniting even more because speaking in the language of politicians means ‘state’, means ‘but’. Where has this war brought us over 30 years? At the end of the 30 years, a truce had occurred and hopes had grown. War starts in cities this time, where civilians reside.

“It is easy to speak from here; people endure police operations in poverty. It needs to be put an end immediately. Those people needed to be lent an ear as to what they want, what they think. Otherwise, state or organization, they both use arms after all. Thus, I call everyone and women to unite even more”. (BZ/HK/TK)