Following the PKK’s decision to lay down arms and dissolve itself, calls for steps toward building a “Peaceful and Democratic Society” continue. One such call came from Emine Şenyaşar, known for her years-long struggle for justice.
Şenyaşar reiterated her call: “We are ready to bury all our pain and reconcile.” Expressing her desire to believe in the peace process, she shared her expectations with bianet.
“Let’s stand arm in arm”
Emine Şenyaşar expressed concern over the lack of visible, concrete steps from the government so far and recalled the promises made. Highlighting the reconciliation reached with the Yıldız family in support of peace in the region, she also addressed a call to soldiers’ families:
“We Kurdish mothers have suffered immensely, we lost our beloved children whom we couldn’t even bear to look at without pain. Despite everything, we now stand at the forefront for peace, so that no mother has to cry for her children again. We make the same call to soldiers’ mothers. Let’s stand arm in arm and stop this war.”
“War only looks good to those who don’t fight”
Ferit Şenyaşar, the son of Emine Şenyaşar and a DEM Party MP for Urfa, emphasized that although three members of their family were killed, they seeked revenge. He also stated they are ready for an honorable peace.
“We want peace most of all for the mothers,” Ferit Şenyaşar continued.
“The Peace Mothers always say, ‘Let neither Kurdish mothers grieve nor soldiers’ mothers cry.’ Soldiers’ mothers should show the same sensitivity. War only looks good to those who don’t fight. Sitting in their luxury homes and gaining political leverage from the blood of soldiers is, to say the least, immoral.”
“We will not be the side that breaks the peace”
Referring to previous peace processes, Şenyaşar said:
“Even though the state has not taken a concrete step to persuade society about social peace, we still hold on to hope. We will not be the side that breaks the peace. We promised the mothers that we will bring peace to this land. Previous processes were also initiated by the government at the time. What’s different this time is that the interlocutor is directly the state.”
Ferit Şenyaşar described the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call for the organization to dissolve itself as a significant step and added:
“In similar situations in world history, disarmament typically comes at the final stage. However, in our country, laying down arms and dissolving the organization were demanded as preconditions for peace. The Kurdish people’s leader Öcalan demonstrated his insistence and sincerity regarding peace by calling on his organization. He declared to the whole world his genuine intention to end this war and conflict. With this move, Öcalan has also removed the Turkish state's justification for conducting military operations.”
“Good deeds should be done swiftly”
Ferit Şenyaşar stated that they want peace not only for Kurds but for all peoples, and made a call to Parliament:
“Although we have no preconditions for peace, we demand democratic governance and the fulfillment of responsibilities related to justice. Good deeds should be done swiftly. The greatest responsibility in this process lies with Parliament. The management of this process should not be left to a single individual or party, regardless of their position. No party represented in Parliament is against this process. The proposal by our party and most recently echoed by Mr. Bahçeli to establish a commission should be the first task of the newly elected Speaker of the Parliament.”
What happened?
On June 14, 2018, in Suruç, Urfa, a fight turned into an armed conflict between the bodyguards of former AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız and the Şenyaşar family during a visit to local shopkeepers as part of an election campaign. In the incident, Hacı Esvet (66), Adil (25), and Celal Şenyaşar (45), along with the MP’s brother Mehmet Şah Yıldız, lost their lives.
Adil and Celal Şenyaşar were killed in the attack at their workplace. Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar, attacked again at the hospital where the violence continued, died there. During the incident, then-Governor of Urfa Abdullah Erin, Suruç District Governor Tarık Açıkgöz, then-Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba, and the police chief were all present at the hospital. It also came to light that the hospital’s security footage had been seized.
Fadıl Şenyaşar was arrested three days after the attack while severely injured. On March 9, 2021, Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit Şenyaşar began a Justice Watch in front of the Urfa Courthouse.
In the lawsuit filed regarding the attack, on April 2, 2021, Fadıl Şenyaşar was sentenced to 37 years and nine months in prison, while Enver Yıldız received 18 years, with the court finding mitigating circumstances. Despite a five-year arrest warrant for killing Celal Şenyaşar and injuring Adil Şenyaşar, İbrahim Yıldız could not be found and was revealed to have died during surgery in March 2023.
On October 18, 2024, the Malatya 3rd High Criminal Court ordered house arrest for the detained defendants at the eighth hearing, releasing four people, including Fadıl Şenyaşar.
Immediately following the releases, AKP and DEM Party intervened to end the feud between the Şenyaşar and Yıldız families. The Governorship of Şanlıurfa organized a “peace ceremony” between the two families.
(AB/DT)
