A public meeting was held at the Democratic Kurdish Community Center in Edinburgh, Scotland, focusing on developments in the Peace and Democratic Society process. The event began with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs of Kurdistan.
Participants who showed keen interest in the meeting joined with a question-and-answer session following the general evaluations.
‘The process is the result of the Kurdish people’s organized struggle and achievements’
One of the participants was Berdan Öztürk, DEM Party MP for Amed (Diyarbakır), who assessed the developments that followed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’.
Öztürk said that the resolution process was not a gift, but rather the result of the Kurdish people’s organized struggle and achievements. He stated that Turkey was forced to sit down at the table in the face of the Kurds’ resistance and achievements, adding, “The resolution of the Kurdish issue has now become undeniable.”
Drawing attention to regional developments, Öztürk emphasized that Turkey was compelled to engage in the resolution process both due to regional restructuring and in line with its own interests.
Stating that the U.S. is not in favor of the lack of a solution in the Middle East, Öztürk said, “The U.S. now wants to direct its energy towards powers such as Russia, China, and India. Therefore, we see that this process is also supported in the international equation.”
‘Our trust lies in our people and our struggle’
When asked if he trusted the state, Öztürk responded, “We are carrying out this process relying on our own strength. Our trust lies in our people and our struggle,” highlighting the importance of organized popular power for the success of the process.
Öztürk stated that Abdullah Öcalan is the state’s counterpart in this process, saying, “The people must unite and provide support to strengthen Öcalan’s hand. The struggle must be expanded with the active participation of young people, women, and workers.”
The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session, with participants expressing their continued support for the process.