JINHA

ISTANBUL – Yesterday evening, the anti-war group the Peace Mothers ended a sit-in outside of the AKP’s Istanbul headquarters. THe women called for an end to the escalating war in Turkey.

For more than a month, the AKP has pushed for an escalation in the conflict in Northern Kurdistan (in Turkey) after losing its ruling majority in Parliament in Turkey’s June elections. Yesterday, the Peace Mothers Assembly in the city of Istanbul headed to the AKP’s headquarters in the city, hoping to meet with officials. Police refused the mothers entry to the building.

“For 19 years, we have always cried out for peace,” said Güler Buğday, one of the Peace Mothers. “Now we have come to meet with the officials of the AKP, one of the belligerents in this war.” The AKP said that they would only allow three to five of the women into the building. However, the Peace Mothers demanded to go in as a group “so that every mother can issue her own demands.”

“If even mothers are being turned away in this country, there’s nothing left to say,” said Güler. The women, after making a statement calling for an end to the war, left the building yesterday evening after maintaining the sit-in for several hours.

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