SIRNAK, — Human shield protesters blocking the Sirnak-Uludere Highway stopped a convoy of about 50 military vehicles for around one hour yesterday.
The human shield protesters, lead by the Peace Mothers Initiative, held Korans in the air and shouted slogans such as “Peace!” and “No war, peace now,” while blocking the road.
Soldiers tried to disperse the demonstrators by firing guns into the air.
According to Firat News Agency about an hour into the protest, military officials had a meeting with the demonstrators’ representatives: Peace Mother Hava Kiran, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Parliamentarians Nursel Aydogan and Ayla Akat Ata, and city officials.
The military commander told them, “We are not carrying armed soldiers in these vehicles; these vehicles are bringing soldiers to the city centre for furlough.”
Peace Mother Hava Kiran made a brief announcement saying, “We are blocking traffic so soldiers do not die. This action is a natural right of mothers. We closed this road so no more mothers are hurt.”