Sare Davutoğlu mobilizes women against terrorism

Sare Davutoğlu, wife of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, called upon "mothers" to act against terrorism, saying women should be at the forefront of efforts to stop terrorism threatening their children.

"We, as mothers, are well aware that terrorism is a dirty plot targeting our children," Davutoğlu said at an event yesterday in Istanbul which brought together mothers of security officers killed in terror attacks and activists from several NGOs.

The event, "We Joined Hands for Peace," was organized by a businesswomen's organization as terrorism escalates once again in Turkey with the PKK launching a new offensive targeting civilians, police and soldiers in southeastern Turkey.

Sare Davutoğlu joined participants including Wise People, an informal delegation of intellectuals who advocate a government-sponsored reconciliation process to end terrorism.

She told the audience that women represented the "conscience of humanity" and should stand up against terrorism. Davutoğlu urged women not to act like Syrian First Lady Asma Assad "who was insensitive to thousands of Syrians killed in her country or were forced to flee her country and drown (in refugee boats)."

The prime minister's wife recalled a meeting with the mother of a soldier killed by the PKK. "She told me she felt sorry for the mothers of those who killed her son," Davutoğlu said, calling for empathy and action to stop terrorism. "Women are at the heart of unity against terrorism in the nation. We should raise our voice so that our children will not fall victim to violence and terrorism," she said. Davutoğlu said ‘"lest mothers cry" was a slogan for the reconciliation process, and mothers stood behind peace despite their sorrow for the children they lost. She noted that terror had hurt mothers of police officers, soldiers and civilians who lost their children to terrorism and the mothers of PKK recruits brainwashed by the terrorist organization.

"If we join our hands, these calls for terrorism and war will fall on deaf ears. Terrorism will not daunt our will for reconciliation," she said. "We came a long way from times when (Kurdish) was banned. Now, we, as women, should stand against those attacking peace. We are mothers, sisters and wives. Women rise first against those trying to destroy the future of our youth," she said.