Sit-in mothers protesting PKK terror group long to reunite with their children on Mother’s Day

DIYARBAKIR, Türkiye

Mothers who joined an ongoing sit-in against the PKK terror group in southeastern Türkiye wish to reunite with their kidnapped children on Mother’s Day, traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

Since Sept. 3, 2019, the protesting families have been camping outside regional offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), a party the Turkish government says has links to the PKK.

The number of protesting families, all yearning to be reunited with their beloved children, currently stands at 358.

On the 1,348th day of the protest, a total of 40 families have so far reunited with their children who were kidnapped by the PKK.

Demonstrations have also spread to other provinces, including Van, Mus, Sirnak, and Hakkari.

Speaking to Anadolu, Aydan Arslan said her daughter Aysun was only 16 when she was abducted by the PKK.

“They even took 9-year-old children. We want our children from HDP. They took our children away from us. Whenever I reunite with my child, that day is Mother’s Day for me,” Arslan said.

She said they will continue the sit-in with determination until their children return.

Another mother, Gevez Erdinc, who came from northern Van province to protest for her son Mikail said her child was deceived and taken by the PKK eight years ago while he was a university student.

Protesting for her son Ramazan, Mevlude Ucdag said the day she reunites with her son will be her Mother’s Day.

Sariye Tokay, who is waiting to be reunited with her son Mehmet, said that she has been longing to embrace her child for 12 years.

She said: “Whenever my son comes back, that’s when I have Mother’s Day.”

In a separate development, a premiere of the documentary titled The Cries of Diyarbakır Mothers, produced by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate in collaboration with Turkish public broadcaster TRT, was held on Thursday in the capital Ankara.

The documentary “filmed in the mountains surrounding the terror-free Fis Plain, in the countryside of Lice and the city of Diyarbakir features the terrorist organization PKK and its cooperation with its political supporters, along with the experiences of the mothers waiting to reunite with their children who were deceived and abducted by the PKK,” the Communications Directorate said in a statement.

Hosting an exhibition of Anadolu, the Moment Time Stopped, the premiere was attended by Anadolu Deputy Director-General Oguz Enis Peru, Deputy Director of Communications Evren Basar and the sit-in mothers.

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.