Hundreds of thousands joined the funeral ceremony for Sakine Cansýz, Fidan Doðan ve Leyla Þaylemez in Diyarbakýr today. It was like if the city was suddenly emptied. The shops were closed, there was nobody on the streets. Indeed it seems that everybody in Diyarbakýr wanted to say goodbye to Sakine, Fidan and Leyla. Batýkent was full like it has never been seen.

A huge crowd chanting slogans like "we are Sakine","we are all Fidan", "we are all Leyla" joined the families of the three Kurdish politicians killed in Paris on 9 January.

The coffins of the three women were wrapped in PKK flags. "The PKK is the people, the people are here", chanted men and women who wanted to pay their respect to the three women.

Today was Fidan Doðan's birthday, as her father pointed out.

Speaking at the ceremony, BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaþ said the "people here are demanding an honorable peace. As mothers bid farewell to their children, - he added - they are not asking for revenge. They are demanding peace. When will the world understand this?"

Demirtaþ reminded that in Kandil bombing are continuing: "It's not possible to make peace while making war at the same time. If you seek peace, you have to be brave".

Ahmet Türk said "Everybody is expecting sensitivity from us. But here, our people have showed that they are ready for peace although we have lost three of our comrades. Peace can only be possible if there is mutual respect. Today though - he added - Turkish military is once again bombing Kandil mountains: how can we achieve peace if you continue bombing ?"

In an emotional speech Sakine Cansýz's father repeated what he had said last night at the airport in Istanbul. "I am the father of Sakine, Sakine who wanted peace, Sakine who fighted for peace and freedom, like Fidan, like Leyla".

After the ceremony in Diyarbakýr the coffins of the three women were sent to their birthplace where they will be buried tomorrow.

Sakine Cansýz will be buried in Dersim, Fidan Doðan in Elbistan and Leyla Þaylemez in Mersin.