Filiz Zeyrek/JINHA

ADANA- After surviving war, Semiha Gülaydın made a life for herself. Now, she says that only women can stop war.

Semiha (70), mother of nine, was living in Diyarbakır’s Kulp district before she was forced to leave due to pressure from the state in the 1990s. Since then, she has been living in Adana’s Seyhan district. She opened a small shop after her husband died. She sells shoes, slippers and her daughter’s handmade needleworks. Semiha said, “I didn’t ask anything from anyone as a woman. I’ve been strong and I resisted against the difficulties of life. Making my own money is making me happy. I feel more free.

“I would like to be in my own village but the state didn’t allow it. When we moved to Adana, my children were so little and I had difficult times. I lost my husband 12 years ago and I stayed on my own. Yet I didn’t give up. I fought all alone. My business is going all right; I’m not making too much money but it’s enough for me. My children got married. They are all fighting their own fights.”

She drew attention to the concept of war against the Kurdish community. Semiha said, “Erdoğan is dragging the country into war for his own power. We don’t want war as mothers. We want peace. We are not comfortable in our streets anymore. As mothers we won’t let this war happen. The only power to stop this war is women. I’m calling on soldiers’ mothers, police officers’ mothers and guerrillas’ mothers: we can all stop this war togerher. We want peace. Peace should win.”

(mg/al/cm)