Pointing to Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" and the PKK's decision to end its activities under the name of PKK at its 12th Congress, the Confederation of East-Southeast Associations (DGD-KON) said that the problem cannot be expected to be solved in a short time. 

 

Stating that it is unthinkable to solve the problem in a few months due to its gravity, Das said, "A 50 years movement, which was born out of the centuries-old Kurdish issue after the 1980s and resorted to armed violence to solve it, has dissolved itself."

 

'STEPS TO BE TAKEN'

 

Stating that the ill, elderly and disabled citizens in prisons should be released as a humane first step, Das said: "It is said that a commission will be established in the Parliament, it should be established as soon as possible and the constitutional obstacles to Turkey's democratisation should be removed. A people's language, which has been banned for centuries, should be recognised as an identity and its existence should be constitutionally guaranteed. Education in the mother tongue must be provided from primary school to university. The European Union's local government autonomy charter must be fulfilled."

 

'THERE ARE FOOT-DRAGGING AGAINST THE PROCESS'

 

Das stressed that the causes of the problem should be eliminated: "There is still foot-dragging. The fact that no steps have been taken in 7-8 months brings to mind the question 'Is it a stalling tactic? In 40 years of conflict, Turkey has suffered a lot. If the problem continues, international powers will also intervene and make efforts to ensure that the problem remains unsolved. From this point of view, political parties and non-governmental organisations in Turkey need to break the existing perception, take rapid steps for democratisation and create the necessary public opinion. Efforts should be made to resolve the Kurdish issue on the basis of equal citizenship."

 

'EVERYONE NEEDS TO STRUGGLE'

 

Noting that the process should be carried out transparently, Das said: "At the moment, the government comes out and says that it has not promised anything and has not done anything. They state that the steps taken are unconditional. However, because the PKK's congress resolution referred to the Treaty of Lausanne, certain groups raised hell. One of the main sources of this problem is the lack of identity imposed on the Kurds in the Treaty of Lausanne. It was recognised in the 1921 Constitution, but removed after Lausanne with the 1924 Constitution. This is the main source of the problem, the Eastern Reform Edict. We need to explain to the society that these are obstacles to the solution of the problem. If international powers are intervening in the solution of the problem, civil society organisations in Turkey should also make an effort to find a solution. One of the reasons for the existence of the DGD Confederation is to endeavour for the resolution of the Kurdish issue through democratic and peaceful means. To create a civil pressure for this. We will continue to work on the process by exchanging views with civil organisations and parties. Kurds and everyone living in the Kurdistan geography should make this struggle for unity at a minimum level."

 

MA / Melik Çelik