Buse VURDU
Ankara

Thanks to war, many mothers once more spent this Eid separated from their children. Ayşe Kahveci, whose soldier son has been in the PKK’s hands for three years, and Peace Mother Havva Kıran now long for Eids in which they do not shed tears and can embrace their children. Noting, “I’ve waited a long time for him to come at Eids. I’m still waiting. I sit in front of the window looking and maybe my son will come,” Kahveci said they have been unable to celebrate Eids separated from their son. Peace Mother Havva Kıran says that Eid can come when mothers don’t hug coffins and shed tears for their kids and called on all mothers to unite in opposition to war.

Following the ending of the peace process in 2015, many instances of death, injury and capture have taken place. According to Human Rights Association (HRA) data, 2,722 people lost their lives due to conflict in the 24 July 2015-24 July 2017 period alone. Instances of capture followed death and injury in frequency. Twenty customs officers who had been captured by the PKK in the July-August 2015 period were collected by the HRA on 8 September from the Federal Kurdistan Region of Iraq. However, twelve soldiers and police officers who were captured in the same period have not been released despite the passing of four years. Gendarmerie Specialized Sergeant Mevlüt Kahveci numbers among the captured. Kahveci was captured along with Specialized Sergeant Ümit Gıcır close to Doğanlı village on the Hakkari-Çukurca highway on 21 September 2016. Kahveci has yet to be released despite all his family’s applications.

“IF HE’D BEEN A RICH PEOPLE’S CHILD THEY’D HAVE GOT HIM”

I spoke to two mothers who were spending Eid separated from their children, Mevlüt Kahveci’s mother Ayşe Kahveci and Peace Mother Havva Kıran, about the ongoing conflict, their expectations from the state and the call for peace. Indicating that she had had clips of him twice and a letter from him once since he was captured, Mevlüt Kahveci’s mother Ayşe Kahveci stated that she expected their child to be rescued. Noting that state officials had done nothing apart from telling them to wait, Kahveci said, “If I entrusted that soldier to the state, I want him from the state. My son isn’t a deserter and isn’t a FETOist. He’s a soldier of the people, dear, not a rich people’s soldier. If he’d been a rich people’s child they’d have got him by now. I’ve been separated from my husband for twenty years and raised my child alone. I was unable to raise him with a silver spoon in his mouth like rich people’s kids. I raised him by doing washing up.”

“LET THE STATE HEAR OUR VOICES”

Kahveci described how her son wanted to study at the open university and was on the way to deal with open university business on the day he was captured: “He was 26. He wanted to study at the open university. He was a bachelor and was going to get a house for us. I’m a tenant. He has a disabled brother along with me and he looked after us. His brother is now always asking for his big brother and crying. I don’t want help or money from anyone. I want my child to come. I believe no harm will come to them there. Neither that side will cause harm nor this side. Their issue is with the state not with poor children. Let the state finally hear our voices and bring our children.”

“IF THERE’S WAR THERE’S NO EID FOR US”

For her part, Peace Mother Havva Kıran spoke of how when Eid came they used to buy clothing one week earlier and were in good spirits. Saying, “Now, that atmosphere has gone, those Eids have gone. There’s war everywhere and if there are deaths all over there’s no Eid and making trips for us,” Kıran stated that Eid can come when mothers don’t hug coffins and shed tears for their kids. Stating she hoped this Eid would facilitate peace, Kıran said, “I don’t want anyone’s children to die. Let solitary confinement end and let war come to an end. We call out to everyone. We also call out to those at the top in Turkey. Let everyone question their consciences. It’s enough now. Let all be good and well in this country be let there be fraternity. Everyone is the owner of this country not just one or two people. Let everyone entrench themselves so that this country can win and for peace.”

“LET NOBODY MAKE CALCULATIONS OVER OUR CHILDREN’S BLOOD”

Joining hands with the families of the captured soldiers and policemen, Kıran called out for peace to be championed: “Our call is to every mother. Their children have been in the guerrillas’ hands for three to four years. Does anyone speak out? They don’t. Because they are the kids of poor people. If they were ministers’ children, if they were rich people’s children, there’d be uproar. But everyone stays silent because they’re poor people’s kids. Mothers of policemen, mothers of soldiers and mothers of guerrillas, let us join hands and strive to end this war. Let nobody conduct negotiations over the children of Turks and the children of Kurds. Let nobody make calculations over our children’s blood. All mothers’ hearts are the same and we’re suffering heartache. Suffering the same pain, let us support one another and give one another strength. Let’s halt this dirty war.”

(Translated by Tim Drayton)