The Iraqi Initiative for Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan released a statement on the occasion of September 1, International Day of Peace, saying the following:
“A peaceful solution is the only way to build a better future for new generations. For us, Mr. Öcalan’s ‘Call for Peace and a Democratic Society’ represents a positive change for the resolution of regional conflicts, particularly the Kurdish question.
This call for peace essentially represents a fundamental change and the shifting of armed struggle to the political and diplomatic arena. The aim of this philosophically-based approach is to build lasting peace for the entire region.
The essence of the Call for Peace and a Democratic Society involves a transition from armed struggle to political struggle. The process today is of great importance in terms of securing rights through political and legal means. This change represents a historic achievement that will bring an end to four decades of armed conflict. Furthermore, a democratic society is also considered to be an alternative to nation-state power.
What makes this call unique is the model based on strengthening integration within a democratic society. This model creates the conditions for the coexistence of all ethnic and religious communities.
This approach is not based on the elimination of nation-states, but rather on strengthening participation and pluralism within the perspective of a democratic nation. This would create a social structure more suitable for multi-ethnic societies such as Iraq or other countries in the Middle East.”