Fatma Sürme have spent her life waiting in front of prison doors. Sürme, whose husband and 5 sons arrested on the same day, have gone through all the pain Kurdish women have to suffer. Sürme stating that the Kurdish women are being tested with their children, said that made the Kurdish mothers stronger and more resilliant when they are faced with pain.

 

FATHER AND SONS ARRESTED ON THE SAME DAY

 

Sürme who had to migrate to İzmir in 1993 says both her sons and her husband was taken into costudy during a raid on their home following the explosion near the police cars. His 5 sons and husband got arrested with the accusation of being a member of an illegal organization.

 

Sürme who had never worked in her life, started to cell the tea she made at home and take care of her remaining children. Sürme visited her husband and her 5 children every week in prison. While she worked hard to care of her children, Sürme also worked with the Peace Mothers Assembly to bring peace to the country. One day in 2009, her husband and 5 children had a hearing which Sürme did not attend because she was with the peace mothers holding a press release. Her 3 sons were released that day.

 

SHE LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE TO VISIT THE PRISON

 

Although she does not speak Turkish, Sürme learns to read and write as a result of a 3 months education. Sürme explains her goal to read and write and says: "I learned to read and write in Turkish and Kurmanci. I did it in order not to get on a wrong bus visiting the prison."

 

EXILE OR PRISON

 

All Sürme wanted was to be able to live under the same roof with her husband and her children. But they were always in prison or exiled. Her 3 sons who were released from prison had to leave Turkey for political reasons. They lived abroad for 6 years. One more of Sürme's sons released 6 years later. But the joy did not last long.

 

MOVES BACK TO DIYARBAKIR

 

Sürme who turns back to Diyarbakır after 22 years, met with the Peace Mothers in Diyarbakır. Sürme who went to the polls with her children on June 7 elections, says she took her father in law who is on his deathbed to vote. 

 

ONE MORE SON ARRESTED

 

One more of Sürme's sons who has been missing for 8 years gets arrested in Muğla. Sürme who hasn't seen her son in 8 years, visits him for the first time in prison. Sürme starts to visit her husband in Şakran, one son in Kırıklar and one son in Tekirdağ Prisons.

 

Sürme's husband gets released after 10 years in 2018. Even though she was happy, she still had 2 sons in prison. Sürme takes her place amongs the mothers who took the streets after Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair Leyla Güven initiates the hunger strike. Sürme said: "We were on hunger strike as well. We had to lift their spirits up. Those who were in prisons. I was so proud of them. We fought for the lives of our children with all the other mothers. Our struggle will yield results one day.

 

 

MA / Arjin Dilek Öncel