1 September World Peace Day arrived once again in Turkey in the shadow environment of conflict and war. Members of the Peace Mothers Assembly in Izmir, welcoming the World Peace Day, said they wished for an end to the war.

Behiye Yalçın, who spent the last 15 years fighting for peace, said that peace is essential not only for the Kurdish people, but for everyone. Stating that there is a heavy war against the Kurdish people, Yalçın added: “World Peace Day is coming. But how we celebrate that day is important. Will we celebrate again in war, blood and slaughter? Or will steps really be taken to pave the way for peace? Blood is still shed on these lands. We do not want blood to be shed, we do not want war. We no longer want our children to be born in conditions of war and death. We want peace for the peoples of Turkey.”

Emigrating from Şırnak to Izmir years ago, Peace Mother Hediye Korkut said that an unnamed war has been going on in the region for years and added that the war caused the deaths of thousands of people.

 “As we say peace, the state imposes war,” said Korkut adding: “Don't let mothers cry anymore. We still haven't forgotten Mother Taybet. We have not forgotten Cemile's mother, whose lifeless body was put in the freezer. We will continue to say peace so that these pains are not suffered again. All mothers in this country, especially Kurdish mothers, suffered greatly from the war. No mother deserves this pain. Kurdish mothers are valuable like all mothers in the world and deserve to see peace.”

Korkut added: “We can build peace together, the Kurdish and Turkish people. The Kurdish problem cannot be solved with denial and death. Negotiations need to start again to allow a solution to be found. The key to solution and peace is Imrali, dialogue and listening to each other.”