Parvin Boldan: Peace should be accompanied by freedom for future generations

According to Kurdistan Press, the Mersin branch of the Association for Assistance, Solidarity, Culture and Unity with the Families of Those Who Died in the Cradle of Civilizations (MEBYA-DER) held a ceremony in a hotel in Yenişehir to express solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives during the freedom struggle.

Members of the Mersin Democratic Institutions Platform and hundreds of families attended the event and honored the memory of the deceased.Placards with the themes “We will fulfill the ideals and goals of our martyrs by building a democratic society”, “Martyrs do not die”, “Our martyrs are our pride” and “Now is the time for women” were hung at the ceremony venue. Pictures of Abdullah Öcalan were also seen in the hall.

The program began with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs.

After paying their respects, Küçük Engin, an activist of the Free Women’s Movement (TJA), read out Abdullah Öcalan’s September 13 message to the families of the martyrs.

In this message, Öcalan dedicated the activities related to the construction of the “democratic republic and democratic society” to those who lost their lives during the struggle.

Part of the message stated: “Preserving their legacy is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of the path we are walking on. Our theoretical and practical efforts for peace and the great peace movement are the result of deep respect and loyalty to their memory.”

Öcalan also called for the war and conflict to be transformed into an honorable peace as soon as possible and added: “I emphasize once again that our efforts will continue for future generations to enjoy a free, uninterrupted and determined life.”

After reading this message, a film about the martyrs was shown to the participants.Bektash: Whatever we do to honor their memory is still too little

Mersin MEBYA-DER Co-Chair Bahauddin Bektash appreciated the families' presence in the program and said that whatever action is taken to honor the memory of the martyrs will still be insufficient compared to their sacrifices.

Nizam Karaagac, a member of the "Building Peace and a Democratic Society" group, also said that the current achievements of the Kurdish movement are the result of the struggle of those who lost their lives.

He stated: "Everything we have today is because of the martyrs. They taught us a way of life. The martyrs are the conscience, morality and justice of a nation. Your children did not surrender to ISIS. We will never forget them, because forgetting them means forgetting ourselves.»

Boldan: Peace is not just the cessation of weapons

At the beginning of her speech, Parvin Boldan paid tribute to the families and said that this gathering is not just a meal, but an opportunity to honor the dead, share in the suffering of the families and expand solidarity.

Stating that the people of the region have paid a heavy price over the past years, she said that many families have lost their loved ones and the time has come for this pain to end.

Boldan said that the children of these families died in the path of defending their identity, culture and future, and today's political activities have also been made possible by their struggle.

Referring to the peace process and democratic society, the member of the Imrali Dem Party delegation emphasized: "Peace should not be limited to the cessation of weapons alone.It must be an honorable peace in which there is truth, justice and the possibility of a free life for future generations.”

Stating that the Kurds have faced denial and killing policies for many years, Boldan considered it a collective duty to preserve the memory of the victims and continue their struggle.

He said that for the progress of the current process, a historical responsibility lies with all political and social forces, and peace can only be sustainable through joint struggle and solidarity.

Boldan conveyed Abdullah Öcalan’s greetings and love to the families and added: “Your pain is our pain. The responsibility of this struggle lies with all of us. We can make it permanent by jointly organizing peace and maintaining solidarity.”

In conclusion, the member of the Imrali delegation emphasized that the party will continue the struggle to fulfill the demands of the Kurdish people and achieve a lasting peace.