Filiz Zeyrek/JINHA

ADANA - Police wounded three Peace mothers in the Turkish city of Adana by pushing them along the ground for several meters with a water cannon. Many children were also affected by the attack.

On August 19, women in the province of Adana attempted to hold a march for YJA STAR guerrilla Kevser Eltürk (nom de guerre Ekin Wan). Police had killed Ekin, then tortured and took photographs with her naked body. The Adana women planned an anti-war march for Ekin. Police refused permission for the march, planned for the Şakirpaşa neighborhood of the Seyhan district.

Without warning, police attacked the women, many of whom had brought their children. They used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets on the marchers. Among the wounded were three elderly members of the peace advocacy group Peace Mothers. Police pushed the women and children along the ground with a water cannon for several meters.

"They cut us off all of a sudden, and said 'your march is not permitted' once. They didn't even wait for our response before they attacked," said Ayşe Aybek, 60. "They attacked us with water cannons and tear gas. They pushed us along the ground and slammed us into the wall. There was something burning in the water. It was like it was burning and searing wherever it touched.

"I tried to help the children on the ground, but they wouldn't even allow this. We were stuck at the base of the walls and they kept spraying water at us without any mercy. I lost myself, fainted and when I woke up it was like my body was on fire. I stayed in a cold bath for hours," said Ayşe.

Hediye Bilek, 55, called the attack proof of the AKP's intolerance of the results of the June 7 election. The party lost its ruling majority that day.

"We just want to ask for peace and tranquility in this country. We marched to cry out that we don't want violence against women. We don't want mothers to cry. We don't want the blood of youth being spilled," said Hediye. "We thought, 'we're women, they won't attack us,' but we were wrong. And that aside, there were children 5 and 3 years old, still in their mothers' laps. Didn't they see this? The children were screaming from the pain of the acid on their bodies."

75-year-old Güle Güngör was wounded in the attack.

"There are bruises all over my body. I have trouble lifting my arm," said Güle. "What did we do that you're so scared of women? Everywhere is at war. What, who are people dying for?

"The mothers of soldiers and police should come together with us: let's not sacrifice our children," said Güle.

(fk/cm)