Türkiye’s ‘Diyarbakir mothers’ mark 1,000 days protesting PKK abductions

Mothers in Türkiye who marked the 1,000th day of an uninterrupted sit-in protest in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir are making history, the nation’s presidential communications director said on Saturday.

"Diyarbakir mothers are waging one of the largest and most powerful civil resistances to save their children, who have been kidnapped and ensnared by the terror organisation, PKK, from the swamp of terrorism," said Fahrettin Altun.

Altun addressed participants in a video message at the "A Societal Protest of the PKK’s Abduction of Children: Diyarbakir Mothers against the PKK Panel" held by Türkiye's Communications Directorate in The Hague, Netherlands.

"They are writing the story of valor that has withstood 1,000 days despite all the terrorist groups' threats and pressures and a blessed resistance that defies terrorism," Altun added.

Mothers have become the outcry of the conscience of the society, he said. "Theirs is the rightful revolt against terrorism of mothers who have been compelled to conceal their pain thus far; repressed, intimidated, and even silenced for 40 years as a result of the terrorist organisation's brutality and persecution."

He highlighted the importance of the unity of mothers and said, "They have become the collective voice and conscience of our country's 83 million people."

Touching on the courage of the mothers for their children, he underlined "35 families that have participated in the sit-in protests have been reunited with their children after escaping the organization and surrendering to our security forces."

READ MORE: Mothers continue sit-in against PKK, demand return of abducted kids

Sit-in reveals ‘true colors’ of PKK terror group

Meanwhile, stressing one of the significant contributions of the protest that is still going strong, Altun said, "This unprecedented sit-in protest also contributed to revealing the true colors of the PKK terror organisation, even beyond our borders.

"Thus, European politicians and journalists have seen the Diyarbakir mothers and witnessed the terror organisation and its political extensions — those so-called 'freedom fighters' — in action and how they viewed the Kurdish population," he said.

Also, the director called on all NGOs, human rights defenders, activists, artists, intellectuals, journalists, and politicians to stand by Diyarbakir mothers.

"Everyone has a responsibility to support this resistance. It is incumbent upon citizens of all walks of life in our country to demonstrate their support for this non-political civil movement. We believe that international support for our cause must stem from faith in peace and democracy," he added.

In the fight against terror groups, including PKK/YPG and DHKP-C, and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), he said, "Türkiye expects genuine support and cooperation from friendly and allied countries."

Since Sept. 3, 2019, families whose children have been abducted or forcibly recruited by the PKK terror group have been camping outside the Diyarbakir offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), a party the Turkish government said has links to the PKK.

Demonstrations have since spread to other provinces, including Van, Mus, Sirnak and Hakkari.

In its almost 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye and neighbouring countries, the PKK — listed as a terror organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 2016 in Türkiye, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.