A workshop was held in Istanbul on Aug.17 to discuss in academic and scientific terms the ongoing protest by families in southeastern Diyarbakır province against the abduction of their children by the PKK.

The "Child Watch Families Workshop" was organized by the Mismed Social Media Association and Media Platform and hosted by the Istanbul branch of the Writers Union of Türkiye and generated a lot of interest from local, national and international agencies and media.

Within the scope of the program, six sessions were carried out that included speeches and presentations. The families were presented as a new social subject, their sociological profile was outlined and their struggle was evaluated within the context of the sociology of terrorism.

For almost four years now, a number of families have joined the sit-in in front of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) headquarters in Diyarbakır to protest their children being forced or deceived into the ranks of the PKK terrorist organization.

The protest started when Hacire Akar turned up at the doorstep of the HDP’s Diyarbakır office one night, demanding to be reunited with her son. Akar’s son Mehmet returned home on Aug. 24, 2019, giving hope to other families. A week later, on Sept. 3, 2019, families inspired by Akar staged a collective sit-in protest.

Demonstrations have since spread to other provinces, including Van, Muş, Şırnak and Hakkari.

Families have not given up their posts despite difficult conditions, at times being threatened or ridiculed by HDP officials and those with links to the PKK. The protests continued despite the coronavirus pandemic, with the families taking the necessary precautions.

"As a result of the headings discussed by the Child Watch Families workshop, the importance of integrating the Child Watch Families into the academic community and including them as research subjects was understood once again," a statement from the workshop said.

"Today, the scientific draft result text to be constructed in front of Diyarbakır Kurşunlu Mosque is of importance in this context. That is because the Child Watch Families have now become the subject of not only Political Sociology, but also Everyday Life Sociology and the academic discipline," it said, adding that in the future, the present draft will be converted into a printed text that will take on a scientific and academic identity, as well.

The draft result underlined that the movement was not planned or organized, highlighting that the movement has a supra-identity.

"It has been understood that no family expresses itself with an isolating identity while, on the contrary, an integrative identity is emphasized."

It also said that for the first time in the world, a women's movement has taken a stand against terrorism and succeeded.

"The status of women within the society is one of challenging nature, and there is no emotional bond stronger than motherhood. The labor of mothers is emotional labor."

Thanks to the calls of the Diyarbakır mothers, a significant number of terrorists have begun to flee the PKK and surrender while others lack the courage to leave the group out of fear of severe punishment if caught.

It was also stated that the workshop will contribute to the production of documentaries on the families to tell their stories and help others get a better understanding of the process.

Noting that there is significant support for the movement, the statement added that it created a significant sociological breaking point for the termination of terrorism and its components.

"Actions or attempts such as child kidnapping, providing members to terrorist organizations and sustaining terrorism, as stated in many international reports such as the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, were reported to the global public opinion thanks in particular to the determined stance of the Child Watch Families and an effective social struggle has been exhibited against all kinds of treacherous attempts by terrorist organizations," it concluded.

Families call for support

Speaking on behalf of the families, Ayten Elhaman, one of the mothers, stated that as parents, they continue their protests to reunite with their children in front of the HDP.

"We will take our children from the HDP and the PKK. We will not leave our children to them. We will enter our fourth year on Sept. 3. We invite all of Türkiye here. Let the world hear our voices and mothers cry," Elhaman said.

Elhaman explained that their children were deceived by the PKK terrorist organization and abducted to the mountain.

"What are 9 or 10-year-old children doing on the mountain? Give us back our children; we won't leave here without them," she stated.

Father Süleyman Aydın also said that they would never compromise on their determination to get their children back and said, "As parents who are protesting for their children, we are calling out to all of Türkiye. We are here for our children and we want them back."

After the press conference, families chanted slogans against the PKK and the HDP.

For many years, child soldiers have been forcibly recruited by the PKK. The PKK prefers recruiting young children, as they are more easily indoctrinated and have the potential to serve longer. A recent report of the United Nations on children in armed conflict states that the PKK recruited 221 child soldiers in Syria in 2021.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

In addition, the United Nations report "Children and Armed Conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic," released May 18, claims that 417 children were used by the PKK's Syrian branch, the YPG, between July 2018 and June 2020. Furthermore, there are many more undetected child soldiers who are not included in international reports.