ŞIRNEX - Emine Çağırga, the mother of Cemile Çağırga, who was killed during the curfews and whose body was preserved in a freezer, said: “Two of my children died in my arms. Yet despite that, I call for peace. We are hopeful about the process, but the state must take a step.”

Support continues from families, especially those who lost children, for the process led by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, aimed at a democratic solution to the Kurdish question.

 One such family is that of Cemile Çağırga, a 10-year-old girl who was killed by snipers during the curfews declared in the Cizîr (Cizre) district of Şirnex (Şırnak) between September 4–12, 2015. Her body was kept in a deep freezer to prevent it from decomposing.

Her mother, Emine Çağırga, also lost another daughter, Fatma Çağırga (10), in 1992 in an attack on their home. She shared her thoughts on the new process.

‘THE STATE MUST ALSO TAKE A STEP’

Expressing satisfaction with the beginning of a solution-oriented process, Emine Çağırga said: “For a long time, we had no news from Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, and no meetings were taking place. After recent developments, meetings happened. This pleased us, and we accepted this process. But now the state must also take a step. It is making no effort to bring the process to a successful outcome. The state has killed eight people from my family and relatives, but despite that, I say ‘peace.’ Let there be peace and freedom. Let our identity and language be free. Political prisoners must be released. They must stop approaching us as enemies and treat us as siblings. For more than 50 years, mothers have shed tears. The police and the guerrilla are both our children. This country and these lands belong to all of us. If we accept it despite the pain we’ve lived through, then they should too.”

‘ÖCALAN’S CONDITIONS MUST BE IMPROVED’

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan’s physical conditions must be improved for the process to progress healthily, Emine Çağırga said: “The President has a responsibility. Devlet Bahçeli said, ‘Abdullah Öcalan should come to Parliament and speak.’ But we still don’t know the state of his physical conditions. He is being held as a prisoner on an island. He should come to Parliament so we can all see him. Only then will we believe in their sincerity. We are hopeful about the process, but two months have passed since that call, and still no concrete step has been taken. The PKK laid down its arms, but there has still been no concrete move or development from the state.”

‘LET US MAKE OUR OWN PEACE’

Stating that the Kurdish people have always been on the side of peace since the beginning of the struggle, Emine Çağırga continued: “Two of my daughters were killed by the state at different times. They died in my arms. Yet despite that, I say peace. Since Cemile was killed, this state has not called us once, has not apologized, and the perpetrators have not been held accountable. But still, I say ‘peace.’ The Kurdish people have done their part. It is always the state that hasn’t taken a step. Let a dignified step be taken. Let them make their own peace. Whatever path is most auspicious, that is the path they should follow. Mr. Öcalan is the true interlocutor of this process. Therefore, the conditions must be created, and he should come to Parliament and personally lead the process.”

MA / Zeynep Durgut