The meeting between Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MPs Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder and PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı on 28 December continues to be the most discussed agenda of the public. In the message of Abdullah Öcalan, who laid out the general framework with seven articles in the meeting, 

he said: "Strengthening the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood once again is not only a historic responsibility but also a matter of critical urgency and significance for all peoples. For the process to succeed, it is essential that all political groups in Turkey take initiative without getting caught up in narrow, short-term interests, act constructively, and contribute positively. One of the key platforms for these contributions will undoubtedly be the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM)." 

 

Linguist Necmiye Alpay, one of the signatories of the "Call for Peace" declaration made public on 14 December in Istanbul, and human rights activist Ahmet Faruk Ünsal commented on the meeting.

 

'DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION IS A NECESSITY'

 

Necmiye Alpay stated that Abdullah Öcalan's statement released after the meeting was in line with the requirements of peace, as expected, and added: "We can hope that this attitude will be effective in vital aspects of the process. A democratic solution to the Kurdish issue is a necessity that has lasted 40 years in one respect and a century in another. In the face of this necessity, the state's policy has been to aim for assimilation through oppression and violence instead of embracing reality. The result was the loss of more than 40,000 people, three-quarters of whom were members of the Kurdish freedom movement, and countless others injured in various ways."

 

Necmiye Alpay reminded the meeting process that state officials held in İmralı between 2013 and 2015 and stated the following: "The solution process between 2013 and 2015 seemed to be an acknowledgement of wrongdoing and a clearing of the horizon for a solution. However, mutual mistakes were made and the process was again dragged into a deadlock full of losses. Today, it has become clearer than ever that as peoples living side by side and intertwined, we have no other way out than establishing peace and especially mutual respect."

 

'WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR CALL'

 

Necmiye Alpay said: "The parties are the segments that constitute different dimensions of the problem. The armed dimension, the political dimension and the social (civil) dimension, which is related to the public, constitute different parties. For example, as signatories of the 'Call for Peace', we are advocates of social peace and there are people from different identities among us. I can say that our community is a modest example of peace in the flesh. As peace callers, we call on all influential and authorised groups to fulfil the requirements of peace. We are determined to follow our call."

 

MEETING NOTES

 

"The vital importance of the recent developments in Syria was clearly stated by Mr Öcalan. It was implied that the gains of the Syrian Kurds are in the direct interest of the Kurds of Turkey, and a parliament-centred negotiation approach was underlined instead of a confrontational exterminationist approach," said Ahmet Faruk Ünsal and added: "The meeting notes emphasising that negotiation, not confrontation, should be taken as a basis as a method is a message to both the PYD and the PKK as well as the rulers of Turkey and Syria. Turkey should see that by trying to prevent its own internal peace on the one hand and the Kurds of neighbouring countries from gaining status on the other, it has begun to turn into a form that puts regional peace in difficulty."

 

MA / Ömer İbrahimoğlu