AMED - Representatives of non-governmental organizations, who came together in Amed to discuss the solution of the Kurdish issue, stated that all segments must take responsibility and emphasized that the issue can be solved through dialogue.

 

Amed City Protection and Solidarity Platform met with non-governmental organizations in a hotel yesterday regarding the solution of the Kurdish issue. Representatives of the institutions who attended the meeting where the reflections of the deadlock on the country were discussed spoke to our agency.

 

FIRST TITLE THE KURDISH ISSUE

 

Human Rights Association (IHD) Amed Branch President Ercan Yılmaz said that human rights defenders, non-governmental organizations and professional organizations have stated for years that anti-democratic practices stem from the Kurdish issue. Reminding that, as an association, they have been holding a "Peace Watch" for about two years to attract the attention of the society in this direction, Yılmaz said: "We are trying to emphasize that there is an urgent need for peace. Different segments of society also attended the meeting. The Kurdish issue is an issue that needs to be resolved urgently, independent of other issues. Our demand from the government so far is to solve the issue by talking. The political power must also take into account the will of the region on this issue. We think that steps need to be taken urgently.”

 

ANSWERER OF THE SOLUTION

 

Stating that the answerers of the solution are the conflicting parties, Yılmaz said: “There is a basic principle regarding the solution all over the world; That is to build peace between warring parties. There was a negotiation process between 2013 and 2015 and a step was taken towards the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue. Negotiations were being held between PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan on behalf of the PKK and state officials. Of course, third eyes are also needed for the process to proceed transparently. The third eye that will contribute to the process comes from the involvement of civil initiative and opinion leaders."

 

NGOs MUST PUSH FOR A SOLUTION

 

Rosa Women's Association President Suzan Işbilen emphasized that the Kurdish issue is an issue that affects the whole country and said: “Our young people are losing their lives. One of the main reasons for the economic crisis is the deadlock on the Kurdish issue and security policies. When there is a reaction in society, they say, ‘Do you know how much a bullet costs?’ Leaving people between two alternatives is insistence on no solution. The consequences of this insistence make us feel the pain more and more every day. It has been made in such a way that; The government sees it as a solution to prevent the release of ill prisoners who are facing death in prison. In fact, this is not a solution but the insistence of a deadlock; society as a whole is aware of this. NGOs can bring a solution by pushing political formations."

 

Underlining that the insistence on a deadlock affects women the most, Işbilen said: “Today, it is impossible for the violence talked about in the press, social media and in every field not to affect women. Of course, we do not intend to bring the matter to a close conclusion here, but rather follow it until we reach a certain conclusion. It is a difficult road, perhaps it will have its costs, but the biggest success is that we claim to create a society in which there will no longer be funerals in this country, people will not commit suicide due to poverty, or poverty will not increase violence against women. Our goal is a society where women, youth and children will feel safe and live in peace.”

 

'THE ANSWERER IS MR OCALAN'

 

Rıza Polat, Co-Chair of the Amed Branch of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (OHD), also drew attention to the importance of the meeting and said: “The issue we are discussing is the policies that have been carried out on the Kurds for years. The language, culture and existence of the Kurds have been isolated for a century. Kurds were alienated from their language and culture through assimilation and war policies. At this point, they want to take away their existence. We gathered to find out what we can do to solve the Kurdish issue and how we can raise our voices."

 

Underlining that non-governmental organizations must carry out this process by giving self-criticism, Polat said: “What have we done against these policies of war and destruction since 2015? We must discuss the issue and present the addressee to the society. The answerer here is very clear. The answerer is Mr. Ocalan. Institutions must also include this in their agenda. The solution to the Kurdish issue and the Kurds' right to exist must be discussed. Issues must be discussed and resolved.”

 

'AN ISSUE BEYOND POLITICS'

 

Yıldız Ok Orak, Co-chair of the Amed Branch of the Health and Social Service Workers' Union (SES), stated the following about the meeting: “This meeting is an indication that the issue must now be resolved and that every segment of society is ready to take responsibility. It is necessary to see that the Kurdish issue lies at the root of all issues in Turkey. In fact, everyone sees it, but no steps are taken for a solution. This meeting is a meeting organized to be the call for this. We did it non-politically, especially with NGOs. Because the solution to such issues is civil society. The addressees of the issue are many parties. It is an issue that can be solved through dialogue with all parties and these steps need to be taken as soon as possible." 

 

MA / Eylem Akdağ