Hülya ADIYAMAN - JINHA

MUĞLA - Members of Anti-War women's Initiative  ,created by women from Turkey,say;’’ We  are sending our sons,our darlings and our husbands to war. Anymore we do not want to use the luxury of ignoring and forgetting this war as being the people of a country ,in whose territory there is war.’’Member of Diyarbakir Mothers for Peace  Initiative , Mekiye Kaçan , says;’’ We must do joint works with anti-war women from Turkey. Joining hands against the state, let's stop this dirty war’’.

Muğla Anti-War Women's Initiative, which is created in order to take the war to the people's agendas, living in the western of Turkey, started to the its works in July 2011. Muğla Anti-War Women's Initiative aims  to raise awareness of the people who live in the west of Turkey , against war by organizing press releases and workshops. The Initiative,providing education on topics of ‘civil disobedience, conscientious objection, military,  being a woman in war’ set out with 20 members. Rapidly increasing number of its members, the initiative continues to its works  vigorously with the participation of students and women from the towns and village. Faculty member of  Muğla University Department of Sociology and member of Muğla Anti –war Women's Initiative  , Asst. Assoc. Dr. Dilek Hattatoğlu said that they came together for an end to the war continuing in the geography of Turkey.Voicing that they were setting out with the question of ‘’ People without any discretion on the decision, ie, what can we do for peace?’’ Dilek ,said that they stand on many social issues in their works as an initiative. Indicating that,at  press releases and workshops the first issue they stand on  is the loss of people's lives, Dilek said that the war ongoing in Turkey fed through the people who died in the war. Dilek said that a portion of the taxes are allocated to war budget  by state. And she continued ’’if we  contribute to the peace,  our tax share,which contribute to the continuation of the war, can be shaped in different areas  .

Firstly they are  questioning concepts

Dilek expressed that they are aware of women who directly experienced the war in the East of Turkey. She said’’ we know and feel the troubles of women living in the war in east. Let them know know that we  care about their problems.’’ Expressing that they decided to make press release in order to announce that they support the women in the east, Dilek said that  they started doing workshops as they are insufficient for  writing press release. Emphasizing that the primary goal of the workshops is to reach a consensus on the concepts of 'war' and 'peace',Dilek said that after these works they will stand on these  subjects '''women and conscientious objection, maternity, military and civil disobedience'. And she added that among the members of the initiative there are women living in districts and women students, also their studies has become regular in october because of the circumstances of women members.

 ‘war is causing to escalation of men mentality’

Member of Muğla Anti-war  Women Initiative and a graduate student at Muğla University, Elem ÇİÇEK said that being against war is a humanitarian mission. Making evaluation on ''Feminity and War''Elem underlined that war is causing to escalation of men mentality. Referring to the causes of a man do violence against a woman,Elem said that;  when a man sent to war to fight, with such words 'you  will fight  and you will keep the country' he find himself that he have the authority of violence. Elem emphasizing that but  war show itself as violence against women in the houses and she added ‘war is normalizing the violence’.Elem indicated that another reason for being against the war as a woman is the phenomenon of motherhood and she underlined that war is fed through ‘’motherhood’’.

‘The war in Turkey is not war of publics!’

Muğla Universty Sociology Department Research Assistant and member of Muğla Anti-War Initiative ,Demet BOLAT stated that  the war ,in the the geography of Turkey, is not the war of publics in Turkey. Voicing ,the dominant forces intended to create parties and otherizations parties , Demet said’’  they want us to be enemies of each other but we know that this war is not our fight, and we have no enemy. So I do not want that publics from Turkey to be a party in this war’’. Demet underlined that in wars, women are taken as spoils of war , they are exposed to harassment  and rape.Also she stated that ‘’we  are sending to war our sons,our darlings and our husbands. The war is a phenomenon that feeds male dominance and male violence.’’

Voicing that  in order to deliver message to people living in western Turkey they came together as initiative , Demet continued her words:

‘’ Anymore we do not want to use the luxury of ignoring and forgetting this war as being the people of a country ,in whose territory there is war’. We said  ‘while people are dying, while continuing with all the violence of war we anymore will not use this luxury’. One of the messages that we want to give people living in western Turkey is; questioning this luxury, taking the war to their agendas and without restricting raising their voices against war.’’

‘we are opposed to the concepts of sexism , male dominance,speciesism!’

Muğla Universty Sociology Department Research Assistant and member of Muğla Anti-War Women Initiative, Ezgi BURAN, stated that  creating public opinion against  war is a symbolic force to stop the war. Pointing ou,t war is connected  to 'sexism, male dominance, speciesism'  she stated that ;as the initiative they are against these concepts. Referring that the war creates to a spatial separation, Ezgi said’’ with the vacating of village in 90s this war is not only  stay in the east but also move to the west.It creates a spatial seperation and in the same way ,this war is ongoing with Disaster law draft and the urban transformation projects.’’ As anti-war women, stating they will  organize anti-war exhibition news Ezgi, also said they will make a working by compiling anti-war publications, books and magazines. Ezgi added her words that they were informed through film screenings.

‘Joining hands, let's stop this dirty war!’

Member of Diyarbakır  Mothers for Peace Initiative ,Mekiye KAÇAN,stated that they are very happy due to the formation of Muğla Anti-War Initiative.and also she said every mother, every woman should be against the war. As Mother For Peace Initiative, Mother Mekiye expressed that they want to perform joint studies with the initiative in Muğla.she urged , by joining hand they could overcome this dirty  war .Mother Mekiye underlined taht they do not want  dying of the youngs living in Turkey as a soldier or guerrilla.She said’’ we want that this war will end and mothers do not cry no longer . Our youngs  are not wasted. not fall a martyr. We want to make joint working with the women in Muğla. Joining hands against the state, let’s stop this dirty war’’.

‘War is a heavy burden on women’s  shoulder’

Member of Diyarbakır Mother For Peace Initiative Emriye EKTİREN , from Tokat, stated that she wish success to women in Muğla. Mother Emriye point out, as women joining hand should stop this dirty  war in Turkey and this war is a heavy burden on women shoulder. Mother Emriye said’’ as long as we supported our children they will not die. Even our children in the cradle are going to get up to go when the time comes. It has no end.’’And she said followings:

‘’My son was going to Dicle University. He fell in love and after six-year togetherness he was married. After ten months of his marriage he went on the mountain.Because he could not stand to Tayyip Erdoğan’s pressure. My son had graduated from university.Went. No longer. this compulsion is  enough! Mothers are grieving. Until when we will continue to cry. I am announcing  from here,that’s enough we lost our children. Enough to these pressures. Today, the death of one, causes thousands of people going on mountain. The problem is not resolved by deaths. We have a will and mind, when thousands die, thousands are born. We have to support each other. We want only peace. As the mother of a Turkish guerrilla I greet to everyone’’

Photograph – Camera: Hülya ADIYAMAN

Translator: Rojda GULCİCEK

(ha/hp/rg)