The Co-Chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Sultan Özcan, spoke to ANF about the report prepared within the parliament on the solution to the Kurdish question, saying that while the report contains serious shortcomings, the consensus that has emerged on the parliamentary platform is nonetheless significant.
Sultan Özcan criticized the content of the report, saying it falls far short of addressing the root causes of the Kurdish question. Özcan said: “I must state this openly: this report fails to define the Kurdish question, to name it, and to eliminate its root causes by moving the solution onto a legal and political ground. It is a report that even lags behind the rhetoric of Devlet Bahçeli. However, despite everything, the fact that the call for a democratic solution to the Kurdish question found a response on the parliamentary platform with a broad spectrum of representation of around 95 percent and was turned into a minimum common text constitutes a first at the level of parliament.”
A shift in mindset and language is essential
Özcan said the report is struggling to meet society’s strong expectations for peace, and pointed to the painful transition from a terrain of conflict to a political one. She made the following assessment: “The eyes and ears of society are focused there; people are waiting for a hope of resolution. However, the report contains serious shortcomings in mindset and language when it comes to evolving from a terrain of conflict to a legal and political one. What matters to us is that such a broad and plural spectrum has reached a consensus at the level of parliament. This, in fact, reveals a ground that can be described as negotiation, and in this respect it is positive.”
Abdullah Öcalan’s approach is an opportunity
Özcan underlined the role of Abdullah Öcalan and the process he has initiated in order to make a solution lasting, saying that the country is on the threshold of “a new phase.” She continued: “The greatest advantage for the peoples of Turkey and for the political sphere is Mr. Öcalan’s approach, which brings together both the field of politics and the spectrum of social opposition around this process and recognizes a need that goes beyond the report itself. This move should be regarded as the beginning of a great story of democratic transformation, not only in Turkey, but also encompassing Syria and the Rojava line.”
Democratic steps must build trust in society
Sultan Özcan evaluated the current stage and practical outcomes of the “Democratic Society and Peace” process launched by Abdullah Öcalan on February 27, and also drew attention to the steps taken by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Özcan said: “What we have today is a radical transformation initiated from a terrain of conflict and armed struggle toward the construction of a democratic society. PKK, in line with the call of Mr. Öcalan, convened its congress and has fully implemented all demands, including the decision to dissolve itself, the ceremony of burning weapons, and the withdrawal of its forces from within the borders of Turkey.”
Özcan stressed that steps toward democratization must create trust in society, underlining that the immediate implementation of Articles 6 and 7 in the report, particularly those concerning the legal framework and democratization measures, rather than leaving them on paper, will be crucial for building confidence in the process.
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