Kurdish writer Herdem Merwanî told ANF that she wanted to hear about the process not from politicians or lawyers, but from Abdullah Öcalan himself. She added that he is “the only cure for so much pain is peace.”
Writer Merwanî said: “This process has become a hope for us. In the face of a heavy war, everyone now wants the process to end with peace. War has brought no benefit to the Kurds, to the Turks, or to the peoples of the Middle East.”
The state must take significant steps
Merwanî added that the peace process is a necessity and must take place. She said: “Of course, it should not be conducted unilaterally. When we look at the process, one side laid down its arms, burned its weapons, and dissolved itself. These were very significant steps. Even we could not have predicted such a step would be taken. In response to these steps, the state also needed to take significant steps. All political prisoners must be freed together. If this is done, it would be a great step forward. Small steps taken by the state are not an answer to the process.”
We want to hear about the process from Öcalan
Merwanî said the main actor who initiated the peace process was Abdullah Öcalan. “As a Kurd and as a writer, I want to hear about the process not from politicians or lawyers, but from Mr. Öcalan himself. I want to learn about this process from its architect. Everyone should embrace this process, but, firstly, Mr. Öcalan must be free. In this way, everyone will embrace the process even more strongly.”
The only cure for pain is peace
Merwanî said that for the sake of peace, the Turkish state must fulfill its responsibility, adding: “As long as the state does not take responsibility, peace will not come. It is no longer a time for words, but a time for action. When one side takes a step, the other side must also recognize its responsibility and act accordingly. If we, despite so much pain and loss, insist on peace, then the Turkish state must also insist on peace. The only cure for so much pain is peace.”