Nurten Aslan
October 02, 2019•Update: October 02, 2019
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey
On Wednesday, another mother joined a sit-in protest in southeastern Turkey outside the provincial office of a Turkish opposition party long accused by the government of having links to the PKK terror group.
The protest started on Sept. 3 in Diyarbakir after a mother, Fevziye Cetinkaya, said her 17-year-old son was forcibly recruited by the PKK through members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
Melike Akdogan travelled from southeastern Batman province to join the sit-in protest, which grows every day. She claimed her son was kidnapped by the PKK a year ago while he was at first grade in high school.
After leaving school, his son did not return home, Akdogan said, adding: "We asked his friends, they didn’t know where he was. They tricked and took him."
"It'll be a full year in three days. If Abdulkadir hears or sees me, I'm waiting for you, son. Come back to your mother. Your mother will take care of everything. We're not afraid, don’t be afraid. We missed you so much," Akdogan said.
In late September, five Iranian families also joined the sit-in for their children -- who were kidnapped by the PJAK, the offshoot of the PKK terrorist group based in Iran.
In August, another mother, Hacire Akar, staged a similar protest near the party's office. Her son returned home a few days later giving hope to a number of mothers who suffer the same circumstances.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak
