NORTH KURDISTAN : DTK held general meeting

ANF – Diyarbakır/Amed 20.04.2013 – he two-days general meeting of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) has begun in Amed with the participation of 650 delegates coming from various cities in North Kurdistan and Turkey. The meeting which is also attended by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Gültan Kışanak and members of the party assembly will handle the current political process in the country.

Speaking here, DTK co-chair Ahmet Türk said that the Kurdish struggle has reached a significant and delicate phase, adding, “The freedom struggle of the Kurdish people, led by Mr. Öcalan, is leading us to peace and freedom now. We are going through historic times which Mr. Öcalan evaluates as a strategic era for the Kurdish question. Kurdish politicians and opinion leaders will be shouldering a historic responsibility in this process in search for a solution to the Kurdish issue.”

Türk underlined that the current process cannot make a progress with one-sided efforts and continued as follows, “Now that it is a matter of working for a solution to the Kurdish issue, everyone should see that the process should be grounded on the demands of Kurds who have been denied and repressed up to the present. This is why the sensitivities of both sides should be taken into consideration”. He noted that all those siding with a free future and brotherhood of peoples should also take responsibility and contribute to the peace process. DTK co-chair remarked that it is the government’s turn now to take a step to respond to the determination shown by the Kurdish side in this process, including the peace message Öcalan gave in Newroz in Amed and the release of the security officials by the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party). He noted that the process could advance if an environment of mutual trust is achieved.

Stating that  Kurdish politicians would never make a concession in defending the rights of their people,Türk said “The Turkish state has provoked the Kurdish people, which have reacted to this oppression and violence”.

Türk pointed out that the process of a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue would introduce democratization not only in Turkey but could also set an example in the whole Middle East region. “This process will not involve just Turks and Kurds because of the fact that the Kurdish question is not a problem between these two sides, “it is a matter that concerns the whole Middle East. There will be no stability in the Middle East unless this issue is solved”, said the DTK co-chair. This is why Kurds ground this process on democratic confederalism. “This is why – he added – we need to increase the fight for democracy and involve all other politicians in this struggle. We are trying to open a new era to enable the solution of problems through talks. We are shouldering the responsibility of the process”.