Ayşegül Doğan, spokesperson for the People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), held a press conference at the party’s headquarters on current developments. Doğan described the forest fires across the country as “ecocide” and stated that no living being’s right to life is safe. “When we look at Turkey in its current state, it stands before us as a crime scene,” she added.
Ayşegül Doğan stated that the commission to be established in Parliament within the scope of the “Peace and Democratic Society Process” should be based on the principle of pluralism. She noted that the commission will convene in the coming days and information about the commission’s road map will be provided after the meeting.
Referring to the claims that the commission was established for different reasons, Ayşegül Doğan said, “While political parties are still in the process of determining the members of the commission and discussions on this issue are ongoing, and while this commission is preparing to set out on its path to make this historic opportunity permanent within a legal framework, no one can tell us that the perceptions and claims that the commission is established for entirely different reasons, are not deliberate.The ongoing debates over the commission show us once again what Turkey’s decades of polarization and politics of anger have exposed the country to. We have been talking about the metaphor of the table for some time now. We are talking about a search for a solution for Turkey’s democratization. Yet, the disarmament project, which has been presented as the biggest obstacle to Turkey’s democratization and discussed as such so far, is being evaluated separately from democracy.”
Doğan continued: “Being at the table means being the driving force for a solution, giving momentum to the process, and having a place in the second century of the republic. We want all the diversities in this country to be represented in their own unique ways in the second century of the republic. We are fighting for this. This is exactly what we mean by peace and a democratic solution. For us, it is about striving for a lasting and just peace to end decades of conflict, expressing concerns over its success, and uniting rather than dividing. We are working to eliminate its divisive effects.”
Ayşegül Doğan also drew attention to the debate surrounding the release of those who have been imprisoned for over 30 years, saying, “If people in this country are serving 30-year prison sentences for thinking differently, then their release should not be a cause for celebration and concern, but rather a reason to look back and examine the underlying causes. But people are asking why those who have been imprisoned for 30 years are being released now. Some are saying, ‘Perhaps a deal was made behind closed doors, and that is why they are being released.’ That is not our expectation. Our expectation is the expectation of society, which is the establishment of justice, the defense of the right to democracy and the right to life for everyone.”
The DEM Party spokesperson conlcuded: “We want democracy throughout the country. We believe that a law of brotherhood based on equality must come to life throughout the country. We are fighting for this. Our struggle is for Izmir, for Istanbul, for Şırnak, for Diyarbakir, for Edirne, and for Yozgat – without a distinction of any language, any religion, any ethnicity, any identity… We are talking about a vision of life where everyone is equal and feels equal. And we are fighting to make this a reality. This is why so many sacrifices and risks are being taken. Reducing what is happening to mere elections, or evaluating it based on how certain actors gain or lose, is the simplistic approach this mindset creates. We are well aware of the comfort this approach provides.”