Voters in Turkey, Kurdistan and abroad are going to the polls for the second round of the presidential elections on May 28. The Van Peace Mothers Initiative urged voters to vote in this election which will shape the future of peoples of Turkey.

'Vote for justice and peace'

Zekeriya Kaya, a member of the Van Peace Mothers Initiative, called on voters to vote on 28 May.

She said: “Go to the polls for justice and peace. Wherever you are in the world, cast your vote for peace, brotherhood, and mothers. This election is very important for these lands to be free and for people not to die again. As Peace Mothers, we do not want war, we want justice, peace, freedom, brotherhood and jin jiyan azadi. I am especially calling on people in Europe: they must go to the polls for peace. Everyone must join hands to advocate peace. All mothers have similar sufferings. That's why we don't separate mothers.”

'We will succeed this time'

Another Peace Mother Asya Özlü said: “Everyone should go to the polls. Hopefully, we will succeed this time. We want peace both in the country and in the whole world. This election is very important, so everyone should vote relying on their conscience.”

'Do not accept this oppression'

Peace Mother Besna Aydoğa said: “I would like to say this on behalf of the Peace Mothers in Van: All women, all mothers, stand up and vote so that no one should die any more, by convincing other women and mothers to go to the polls in this election. There is persecution against the Kurdish people.

All Kurds and Kurdish mothers should know this well. They should not accept this oppression and cast their vote. Nobody should refrain from the polls. Hopefully, we will succeed this time. In particular, our people in Europe are more comfortable than us. They are not persecuted like us. That's why they should go to the polls.”