İZMİR - Medine Kaymaz, one of the Peace Mothers, who has not given up saying "peace" against all oppression and attacks of the state for years, said: "We will want peace as long as we are alive. We are mothers, we do not want cruelty, we are against this war."

 

In the 90s, when the oppression against the Kurds was most intense, thousands of families faced with the imposition of village guards in the villages of the cities of the region and whose houses and gardens were burned, were forced to migrate to other cities. One son of Medine Kaymaz, who migrated from Mardin to İzmir with her family, has been in prison for 26 years, and her daughter joined the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) 21 years ago.

 

Medine, which does not give up demanding "peace" despite all its experiences, has been continuing her struggle as the Peace Mother since PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey by an international conspiracy.

 

‘The state is responsible for this war’

 

Wishing the war to end and nobody to die, Medina said: "Soldiers are also our children. We are mothers, we do not want anyone to be hurt. We are fighting to end the persecution, but the state does not listen to the Peace Mothers. They either put our children in jail, or our children went to the mountain. We want everyone to live in their language. Arab, Turkish and Kurdish are all the same for us. The state is responsible for this war and problems."

 

‘We are mothers, we do not want persecution’

 

Noting that the state does not care about those who lost their lives, Medina said: "State has no right to send soldiers to our children and kill them. It is a shame for the soldiers, they also have a mother and father. The heart of the state does not burn to the soldiers. They call enemies for our children anyway. Our children went to mountain for their language, nationality. They did not climb the mountain for war. If the soldiers do not operate, this will not be a war. This is cruelty, injustice, and unjustness. As long as we are alive, we will want peace. We are mothers, we do not want persecution. We are against this war."

 

‘We want peace for all’

 

Reminding that even graves were burned in their villages in Mardin, Medine stated that they migrated to İzmir due to the persecution they were subjected to, but that they continue to face the same pressures. Medina said: "They said they were protecting terrorists and they burned our villages. Who is a terrorist? Those who do persecution, massacre and operations are terrorists. We are not one of the Kurds to whom they will give money and change. We do not change. Everyone should know, as long as we are alive, we will fight. We are fighting not only for the Kurds, but also for everybody to end this cruelty and tyranny. We want peace for everyone."

 

‘They do not respect the Peace Mothers’

 

Stating that the state is trying to keep the Peace Mothers away from struggling with repression and detentions, Medina said that one of these pressures was that they were constantly called to the police station to ask questions about the whereabouts of their children. Medina said: "I do not understand anything about this state. They detained me four times. I was detained for three-four days. At this age, my wrists hurt due to the handcuffs they wear while in custody. They never treat the Peace Mothers with respect. Paper comes to my door every day they call me to the police station to ask about my children. My children went of their free will, I did not send them. My son is staying alone in prison. They temporarily bring someone with you. Then they take him back. They do not see us through human eyes."