AMED - 71-year-old Mehmet Kaya, who attended the Justice sit-in in Amed, called for solidarity around the prisoners, said: "We have no choice but to resist."

 

The rotating hunger strikes in prisons for the freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the solution to the Kurdish issue continue on their 17th day. The Justice sit-in, which was launched in Amed(Diyarbakır) to ensure that the voices of prisoners on hunger strike in prisons reach the public and their demands are met, continues on its 10th day.

 

One of the participants of the Justice Watch, which was also visited by democratic institutions and non-governmental organizations in the city, is 71-year-old Mehmet Kaya. Mehmet Kaya, who continued the struggle of his wife Ayşe Kaya, who was one of the first mothers of peace and who lost her life, said: "We have no choice but to resist and demand that the demands of the prisoners in prisons be fulfilled."

 

'ALL STATES ARE DEEP'

 

Stating that there have always been very brutal processes for the Kurds, Kaya said: "I do not agree with the discourse that the pressures on the Kurds are carried out by the 'deep state'. All states are deep and they dominate the people when they have the opportunity, so when they cannot fully control the people, they soften up a little, but if they can, they act ruthlessly, commit massacres, and take people under their sovereignty. They leave it silent. The history of the Kurds is full of massacres. My wife, Ayşe Kaya, fought against oppression as a mother of peace for years. My wife chained herself on the bridge with the peace mothers for the freedom of Mr. Öcalan. People who chain themselves, their national consciousness, their class consciousness know everything. The police detained them and they went to prison for two months. Then there was the court process. He went to court, they called Öcalan a 'baby killer'. My wife did not accept this either. She said that Öcalan did not kill anyone. Then he was acquitted, but he lost his life while fighting." 

 

'THERE HAVE BEEN ALWAYS THE CRUELTY'

 

Drawing attention that the massacres against Kurds are still continuing, Kaya said: “Nothing has changed for us during the process because the world capitalist system does not accept Kurds as human beings, society and people. This still continues like this. Nothing has changed because the capitalist system does not accept us and does not treat us as human beings. The massacres continue, they fight against our youth, and when their strength is not enough, they throw chemicals, 'Jahr'. Our young people are becoming martyrs for this reason. What changed? They can't fight, but they throw chemicals and kill. Our young people are accused and put in prison for defending the rights of the Kurds. According to their law, you cannot do anything illegal to a prisoner, but they leave him hungry and miserable. Guards beat him at night. They insult me, there is a strip search. They do not give them any rights. People are suffering and being oppressed. I am 71 years old, I have not seen the oppression decrease." 

 

'WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO RESIST'

 

Stating that he embraces the resistance of the mothers at the Justice sit-in, Kaya said: “I congratulate the mothers for their glorious resistance. A people cannot have any rights if they do not resist. Organized people who resist have rights. When you are strong, the system takes you into consideration, otherwise it does not. Those who decide struggle, those who do not decide surrender. I offer my greetings and respect to the resisters. We have no choice but to resist. We will resist. We have been raising children for 20-30 years, but they are killing our children. They have no fear of God, they are lying. They don't know God, if they did they wouldn't do this." 

 

'THOSE WHO RESIST LIVE'

 

Calling for the actions of the activists on hunger strike to be supported, Kaya addressed the public and said: “Conscious, honest and faithful people should stand behind these young people. These young people are not resisting in prison for their personal benefit. They resist for the freedom of the Kurdish people, the Turkish people and all peoples. People must become self-aware and resist. If you don't resist, no one will give you anything. Those who resist survive. If you do not resist, they will massacre you and destroy you.”

 

MA / Eylem Akdağ