A conference was organized in Milan by Italian trade union CGIL. In the first panel, representatives of political parties discussed how the peace process is unfolding in parliament, the objectives of the parliamentary commission, and how the Italian Parliament and politicians can contribute to the process. The steps that needed to be taken were also debated. Speakers in this panel included Mehmet Emin Ekmen and Mustafa Bilici from the New Path Group, Sezai Temelli, deputy parliamentary group chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Senator Alessandra Maiorino representing Italy’s Five Star Movement, Francesca Ghirra from the Green Left Alliance, and Joseph Provenzano from the Democratic Party.
The second panel featured politician Idris Baluken representing the Kurdish diaspora, Naso Notarianni on behalf of the Italian civil society organization ARCI, Primo Minelli representing the Italian National Partisans Association (AMPI), as well as representatives of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK) and the Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions (KESK) from Turkey.
The discussions focused on how Italian intellectuals, writers, politicians, and the public can contribute to the peace process, as well as the importance of the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan for achieving peace. The speakers also strongly condemned the massacres carried out against Kurds by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) mercenaries with the support of Turkey and called on international authorities to take action to halt the attacks.
The opening speech of the conference was delivered by Luca Stanzione, General Secretary of CGIL Milan. In his remarks, Stanzione said: “The peace process in Turkey concerns all of us directly. The trade union movement in Italy supports this process. The Italian people and the working class stand for the freedom of Öcalan and for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. Our support for the peace process is a concrete expression of the meeting and solidarity between the Kurdish people and the Italian people. At a time when war is on the rise across the world, we say peace.”
Salvatore Marra, Director of International Relations at CGIL, also addressed the conference, emphasizing the need for collective action in support of peace. Marra said: “I would like to draw attention to Abdullah Öcalan’s call for all of us to act together and in unity. International support for the Kurdish people and for peace is of great importance. For us, defending peace based on solidarity is extremely valuable. A possible peace could offer solutions to many problems in the Middle East. The freedom of all political prisoners, first and foremost Öcalan, must be the first step toward peace.”
Mehmet Emin Ekmen, who spoke in the first panel, said: “It is known that thirteen separate initiatives have been undertaken so far with the aim of dissolving the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, this process has a completely different character from previous ones. Most importantly, a call has been made for the laying down of arms without concrete steps being taken toward the democratization of Turkey. Öcalan’s shift toward a change in paradigm and strategy is extremely significant. This call has gained further meaning with the involvement of Devlet Bahçeli, a powerful actor within the state, in the process. The greatest shortcoming of the process, however, remains the absence of the necessary legal arrangements.”
Francesca Maiorino, representing the Green Left, also took part in the conference online and offered the following assessment: “The Kurdish call for peace and brotherhood in Turkey must resonate much more strongly around the world. I believe this call should be taken up by all institutions in Europe and supported more robustly. The Kurdish people’s demand for peace has persisted for years; peace has always been at the core of Öcalan’s political agenda.”