Following the meeting of Peoples' Democratic Party (DEM) MPs Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and Öcalan's 7-point message that was made public, the discussions on the Kurdish issue entered a new phase. While the government and the media and intellectual circles close to it discuss the discussions on the grounds of “laying down arms” rather than the 7-point message, Seydi Fırat, who was a member of the Peace Group that came to Turkey in 1999 upon Abdullah Öcalan's call, evaluated the discussions and Öcalan's messages. 

 

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan's approach in favor of a solution is not new, Fırat said: “Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan is a leader who has systematically expressed and advocated a democratic, peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue since 1993, and has spent a great deal of effort on this issue and prepared the ideological-political infrastructure for it from his own front. Mr. Öcalan is a leader who evaluated and analyzed in many ways the great problems and troubles that the lack of a solution to the Kurdish issue has historically left in the region and the destruction it has caused both on the peoples of the region and on the region in general. A democratic, peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue will not only relieve the Kurds, but will lead to a new era for the entire region.” 

 

Noting that Abdullah Öcalan's message expressed that the solution must be built through democratic means, Fırat said, “Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is a leader who established the paradigm for this in the İmralı meeting. Whenever he had the opportunity, he made great efforts and endeavors for a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue and put forward the most realistic approaches in this regard. He addressed all parties, the government, the state, civil society organizations and the Kurdish people. He is a leader who has constantly expressed how vital a solution to the Kurdish question is for the future of the Turkish-Kurdish peoples. Unfortunately, the framework put forward by Mr. Abdullah Öcalan on this issue has not received a positive approach from the state. From time to time, the state has made it seem as if it was in favor of a solution, but it has not maintained this approach.” Stating that the continuation of the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan will block the solution, Fırat said, for the peace process it is necessary the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. Noting that Öcalan needs to meet with different segments of society and get their opinions and that the conditions for this must be provided.

 

'TURKEY CAN ACHIEVE PEACE IN ITS NEW CENTURY'

 

Stating that the parliament, which Abdullah Öcalan pointed to, is important, Fırat said: “The parliament is a representation. It is both a social representation; it is the institution where the government, opposition and political parties are present, and it is also the institution that makes laws and removes obstacles in front of this process. Parliament can achieve peace in Turkey's new century.” 

 

Fırat stated that the obstacle to Turkey's democratization is the lack of a solution to the Kurdish issue, adding that this process affects everyone and that it is important for every sector, institution and person to contribute to the discussions on a solution. Stating that everyone's participation in the process would also develop a mechanism of control, Fırat said, “Turkey is looking for peace today. All social segments in a Turkey that is searching for peace should be involved in this search. And they should be a part of this search.”

 

'THE LACK OF A SOLUTION HAS PRODUCED WEAPONS'

 

Stating that the government and the circles close to it are conducting the discussions on the basis of “laying down arms” is not the right approach, Fırat said that the weapon emerged as a result of the lack of a solution and continued as follows: “The PKK actually laid down its arms between 1990 and 2000. We need to see it like this. But the problem was not solved. To put laying down arms on the agenda in the first place, to make it the first item on the agenda, to gather the whole problem at this point is actually to invest in the unsolvability of the problem again. Of course, laying down arms can also be discussed, but in all the examples of the world, negotiations are held first, a general framework is put forward, there are other fundamental problems; there are legal problems, constitutional problems, identity problems. Somehow the road map needs to be carried out in a healthy way. 

 

Of course, laying down arms is also discussed, but it should be considered as part of this general framework. Weapons exist because of the lack of a solution. The weapon did not produce the lack of a solution, the lack of a solution produced the weapon. If there is no solution, if a road map on this issue emerges, of course the weapon will be deactivated.”

 

'THE STATE DID NOT DEVELOP THE PKK'S SOLUTION APPROACH'

 

Fırat said that the PKK approached the so-called "Solution Process" with a solution-oriented approach while the state approached it with an exploitation-oriented approach, "We came with a group of guerrillas in 1999 with the call of Mr Öcalan. We came with our weapons. We said, 'Here we come with our weapons, if you have a solution-oriented approach, if a road map for a solution is developed, our other guerrilla friends will also be included in the process', but the state did not show this approach. It both penalised the group that came and did not develop a radical policy towards the solution of the problem, towards the deactivation of the weapon. This is one of the main reasons why the conflict process started in 2004. Otherwise, Mr Öcalan made a call, we joined as a group and at that time we clearly told the state: 'If there is an approach towards a solution, other guerrillas will also join.' In fact, the PKK gave a letter to the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief of General Staff that the PKK had such an approach, and we delivered this letter to their interlocutors. But unfortunately, the solution approach developed by the PKK was not developed by the state."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut