Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları spoke to ANF regarding the process that unfolded after Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace and a democratic society, as well as the recent developments.
Hatimoğulları said: “The withdrawal of the Kurdish Freedom Movement from Turkey on 26 October, and the statement they made while withdrawing, is a historic statement and the step taken is a historic step. In fact, since this past October, very significant developments have taken place in Turkey. The Kurdish Freedom Movement has taken very fundamental and important steps. Here, starting from the call Mr. Öcalan made on 27 February, followed by the congress and dissolution decision of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), then the weapons-burning ceremony held on 11 July, and now this last development.
As was already stated there, this withdrawal has a deep historical meaning and importance; all peoples living in the Middle East are right in the middle and at the very centre of war and conflict. Today, global and regional developments unfortunately deepen wars and conflicts. With this withdrawal decision, the Kurdish Freedom Movement is, in fact, creating a protective shield against potential attacks that could arise from this environment, both for the Kurds and for the peoples of Turkey. This is not a decision the Kurds have taken solely for themselves. They have taken a decision of historical importance both for themselves and for the peoples of Turkey, so that within such a complex Middle Eastern equation, instead of war and conflict, common life can be built through peace and dialogue. This withdrawal, in particular, has marked a very significant stage in the existing developments.”
Kurdish Freedom Movement fulfilled its historical responsibility
Tülay Hatimoğulları stated that with the announced withdrawal decision, the peace process has now entered its second stage. Hatimoğulları said, “In the first stage of the process, the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the Kurdish people have truly fulfilled their historical responsibility to a great extent. Now, in concrete terms, the expectation lies with the state and the government. We are in a period in which the Turkish state and the government must take concrete steps. Because, as I mentioned earlier, the Kurdish Freedom Movement did not take this decision, only thinking of itself. They thought of the Kurdish people, and they also considered the future of all the peoples of Turkey. Therefore, on the Kurdish side, this responsibility has been shown to the whole world. Now, a similar responsibility is expected from the Turkish state and the government. Everyone expects this. All different peoples and faiths living on this land currently see the state and the government as those who must carry the stage that the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the Kurdish people have reached to the next level. Even though this process is not a give-and-take process, it is a process in which steps must be taken together politically and socially. I repeat and add this: politically, socially, and most importantly, legally and as part of the judicial framework, steps must absolutely be taken.”
All necessary steps have been taken
Hatimoğulları underlined that the Kurdish Freedom Movement is undergoing a strategic transformation and said: “This withdrawal decision and the process that has been ongoing for one year does not mean abandoning or giving up the struggle. On the contrary, this means that in the freedom struggle given for the Kurdish people, in the struggle for identity, in the struggle for rights, there is now a strategic change, a transformation and an entry into a paradigm shift. This change means the following: within the borders of Turkey, instead of military methods and weapons, politics, democratic politics, democratic integration and the legal process that will make this possible must begin. This is very clear and very explicit.”
Hatimoğulları added: “Now some people say: what if the government does not take steps? We receive this question a lot. They say: the Kurdish Freedom Movement has initiated a process and has fulfilled its responsibility. So, do you believe that there will be a step from the government or the state? This question is a very central question, a very fundamental question. For this process to succeed, it is not possible for it to reach a result solely through the steps taken by the Kurdish side. Positive steps must be taken in response to these steps. We have expressed this in every field.”
Emphasis on legal and judicial process
Hatimoğulları stated that the state must immediately initiate the legal and judicial process and said: “What are the fundamental expectations when the Kurdish Freedom Movement has taken such crucial steps in this process? A legal and judicial process. Today, the Kurdish people want to establish their existence and common life in this geography together. This must be placed under legal guarantee.
If we are to list them in order:
-The creation of conditions in which Mr. Öcalan can live freely and work freely. A commission was formed in Turkey.
-This was the only concrete step taken by the state. We find the formation of this commission very valuable. But it is insufficient, this must continue. In particular, the commission must meet with Mr. Öcalan.
-A special law must be introduced regarding the PKK. Those who lay down arms declare that they want to carry out a democratic struggle. A legal path must be opened for this. How is this possible? Through a special law. This law must be passed urgently.
-Another expectation is the execution law. At this moment, thousands of prisoners are in prison solely because of their political views, unlawfully and unjustly. This is a major injustice and a major illegality. Therefore, the execution law must undergo a serious change. The Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terror Law are also issues that must be discussed again in the coming days.
-At the same time, there are certain issues for which there is no need to make a new law. Very concrete steps could be taken by the state and the government as a sign of goodwill to carry this process into a positive phase. One does not need a new law for this. What are these? For example, seriously ill prisoners. Thisis a bleeding wound of society. There are prisoners who cannot even take care of their daily needs. They must be released immediately. In particular, the ‘execution extensions’ must end. People who have served 30 years are being pushed by Monitoring Boards to ‘express remorse’ in order to release a report. This is unacceptable. Execution extensions must stop immediately.
-There are rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). From the moment the ECtHR issues a decision, Turkey must implement it. But it does not. The fact that Figen Yüksekdağ, Selahattin Demirtaş, and all our comrades prosecuted in the Kobanê Conspiracy Case remain in prison means that Turkey is violating both its own law and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to which it is a party.
Therefore, society expects these positive steps to be taken. The anxieties in society continue to grow because these steps are not being taken. As DEM Party, we are genuinely on the ground twenty-four hours a day to socialise this process.”
Public concerns must not be dismissed
Hatimoğulları said that as DEM Party, they are working intensively to socialise the process and to move it to a more advanced stage. Hatimoğulları also said: “There are serious concerns in society. We are working to eliminate these concerns. On the one hand, the steps taken by the Kurdish Freedom Movement are extremely reassuring and guiding for this process. The main obstacles to the socialisation of this process are the fact that there has not yet been a change in the policies carried out by the current government and the state. This is a loss. These concerns coming from the public must not be dismissed. These concerns are important concerns. This is not something the DEM Party can resolve alone. There must be progress in the concrete steps I mentioned earlier in order to eliminate these concerns. The steps taken by the Kurdish Freedom Movement are historic steps. The Kurdish Movement has fulfilled its historical responsibility both towards the Kurdish people and towards the peoples of Turkey. At this moment, the same historical responsibility is expected from the other side, that is, from the government and the state. If this historical responsibility is advanced mutually, a concrete and healthy result will be achieved. That is how we can establish lasting peace together on these lands.”
Democratic integration laws must be implemented
Tülay Hatimoğulları emphasised that the progress of the process now depends on the steps to be taken by the state and the government. Hatimoğulları said: “The most crucial point is tied to the concrete steps that the state and the government must take. Today, the legal and judicial process must function. Laws must be introduced. The ‘democratic integration’ laws, the freedom laws expressed by Mr. Öcalan must be implemented without delay. Alongside all of this, there are negotiations conducted by the state with the organisation, and there are also contacts with Mr. Öcalan. While these meetings continue, and likewise as DEM Party Co-Chairs during all our visits, we see this: people say that something will happen, that something will be done. Now those ‘something’s must actually happen. What are these? It is very difficult for the process to advance solely on the basis of informal commitments or by simply saying that the steps taken by the Kurdish Freedom Movement are ‘good’. With all our sincerity and good faith, we truly believe that the advancement of this process will have a positive impact for eighty-six million citizens. While the Middle East is being dragged into wars, for Turkey to secure its own internal peace, to secure and strengthen social peace, to fortify our peace, this is extremely valuable. But this cannot happen only with words, it requires essential change and essential steps. What are these essential changes and steps? First of all, regardless of which language we speak in this country, it is crucial that all of these languages be accepted as part of building a common life on this land. After all, the Kurdish people struggled for their mother tongue. The existence of the mother tongue is very important. Necessary legal arrangements must be made immediately. On this matter, duty and responsibility fall upon the state and the government. Courage must be shown. Both the state and the government must take initiative with courage. The Parliament must act with courage. The opposition must put forward stronger programmes and practices for the solution of the Kurdish question and for the process to advance successfully.”
Security-based policies must be abandoned
Hatimoğulları emphasised that the government and the state must end their security-based approach to the Kurdish question and stated: “In order for the legal and judicial steps we are talking about to be taken, minds and mentalities must be cleansed of security-based policies. The state mentality must also be cleansed of this. Today, the whole world knows that the Kurdish question is not a security issue. The Kurdish question is a question of identity, a political question, a social question, an economic question, and it has a deep sociological dimension, not only in Turkey, but in all four parts of Kurdistan. The path to achieving a comprehensive solution to all these requires achieving healthy results together through the steps that are currently being taken.”
Öcalan must be freed
Hatimoğulları underlined that the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan would make a major contribution to the peace process and said: “It is extremely important for Mr. Öcalan to be free in this process. It is extremely important that conditions are created in which he can live freely and work freely. To evaluate this as a ‘result’ of the existing process would be completely wrong. For the current process to advance in a healthy way, the ability of Mr. Öcalan to live freely has great importance. The freedom of Mr. Öcalan, in this sense, serves as a path for the success of the process. And the whole world and public opinion say that Mr. Öcalan’s special initiative has played a very significant role in the advancement of this process, in bringing it to the second stage. He has brought the process to this point, both as a main actor and as the main negotiator. Therefore, one of the most important things that must be done to overcome the difficulties of this process and to ensure that it moves forward in a healthier way is the freedom of Mr. Öcalan. We see this as one of the fundamental steps that must be taken in order to reach a solution. In this sense, we must absolutely not waste time. We must advance the process. Every time we lose, it means allowing the provocations of different forces to intervene.”