ANKARA - The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission will listen to trade unions, chambers, non governmental organisations and business people at this week's meeting. 

 

The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, which was established in the Parliament for the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue, will hold its 8th and 9th meetings on 11 and 12 September. The Commission has held 7 meetings so far. 

 

In the first meeting, the commission determined the principles of its functioning, while in subsequent meetings it heard representatives from various sectors. At this stage, the commission has not carried out any work other than the hearings, and the suggestions made by the persons heard have not yet been taken into consideration.  

 

In its previous meetings, the commission listened to the Peace Mothers' Assembly, Saturday Mothers, executives of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and people who lost relatives during the conflict. During these meetings, the importance of the process for Turkey was emphasised and various demands were conveyed to the commission. In particular, the Saturday Mothers' demand for the establishment of a truth commission and the Peace Mothers' demands for the physical freedom and working conditions of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and for the commission to meet with Abdullah Öcalan came to the fore.

 

Drawing attention to the legal aspects of the process, the heads of bar associations emphasised that the commission should meet with all parties to the process. It was pointed out that democratisation steps should be taken rapidly for the construction of the legal dimension of the process and the importance of this for the progress of the process.

 

Former Parliamentary Speakers offered suggestions to the commission in terms of its functioning. In particular, former Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım pointed out that "decentralised administration is not contrary to the unitary structure", which is one of the important steps of the process. In addition, Bülent Arınç, a former Speaker of the Parliament, drew attention to the many sufferings in Turkey and emphasised that steps should be taken. 

 

WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN THIS WEEK? 

 

This week, the Comission will meet with chambers, associations, confederations including trade unions and non-governmental organisations, and business people. The commission will hold its 8th meeting on 11 September with representatives of the Public Workers' Unions's Confederation (KESK), Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions(DİSK), Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), Federation of Labour Unions (HAK-İŞ), Confederation of Public Servants Trade Unions (MEMUR-SEN), Turkish Public Workers Unions Confederation (TÜRKİYE KAMU-SEN), United Public Workers' Union (BİRLEŞİK KAMU-İŞ). 

 

At its 9th meeting on 12 September, the Comission will meet with The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), The Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB), Turkish Tradesmen and Artisans Confederation (TESK), Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK), Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD).