Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party İmralı delegation member and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Sırrı Süreyya Önder died after 18 days in hospital following a heart attack. On May 3, condolences were held in DEM Party provincial and district organizations for Önder. Peace Mothers also visited the condolence in Wan.

 

Peace Mother Kevser Işık stated that she was deeply saddened by Sırrı Süreyya Önder’s passing and said, “He contributed a lot to the struggle for peace. He was the ‘messenger of peace’ for us. His only wish was to achieve a democratic peace. We will take his responsibility and bring the peace struggle to its goal.”

Peace Mother Besna Aydoğan said that their only wish was for the bloodshed to stop and for a lasting peace. 

“We are deeply grieving the loss of Sırrı Süreyya Önder's life. We have lost our children on this path, we could not even receive the funerals of our children. But we have always defended peace, and now we are defending peace. We must take the responsibility from where Sırrı Süreyya Önder left it and take it to the place he aimed for.” 

 

'WE WILL BRING PEACE'

 

Peace Mother Rabia Algör promised that they would make Sırrı Süreyya Önder's efforts for peace a success and said, “The only thing Sırrı wanted was for all segments of society to see peace. Our promise to him from here is that we will do whatever it takes from where he left off. The state should take steps as soon as possible and the process should reach its goal. Because Sırrı Süreyya Önder fought for this day to come. We will never ignore his sacred labor and we will fight to keep his dreams alive.” 

 

Dengbej (Singer) Mukkades said, “We are grateful for Sırrı's struggle until today. Peace will come to this country and one day we will go to his grave to express our gratitude to him and say that the peace he aimed for has come.”