ISTANBUL – Saturday Mothers set up a wish tree at Galatasaray Square by putting the photographs of their loved ones on the tree and lighted candles. 

 

Saturday Mothers, who have gathered at Istanbul’s Galatasaray Square since May 27, 1995 to ask the fate of their disappeared loves ones and demand the perpetrators to be tried, gathered at Galatasaray Square again on the occasion of New Year. They set up a wish tree instead of Christmas tree and they put the photographs of their loved ones on the tree and lighted candles. 

 

‘Galatasaray is the place of honor and conscience’ 

 

Maside Ocak, who spoke first during the protest under heavy rain, said “Our wish for new year is to find our disappeared. Galatasaray is our meeting place with our loved ones who were disappeared in our custody. It is our place to deliver our voice saying “We don’t forget you” to our loved ones; it is our place to call the responsible to account; it is our place to declare that we will not bow to injustice and oppression imposed on us. Galatasaray is our space where we strength our hope and resistance together. Galatasaray is our place where we stand up for the honor of humanity on behalf of everyone. We call it as the place of honor and conscience that 2018 becomes the beginning of life for a democratic constitutional state. We wish 2018 to be the first step in lifting the barriers of justice and truth. We wish 2018 to be the year that brings us closer to our loved ones.” 

 

After speech of Maside, Mikail Kırbayır, brother of Cemil Kırbayır, stated that they have struggled to find their loved ones for 22 years. Hasan Karakoç, brother of Rıdvan Karakoç, said, “We have exclaimed for 22 years. We wish 2018 to be the year in which the killers stand trial.”