ERZIROM – Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) Co-spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş stated that the commission should meet with Abdullah Öcalan as soon as possible and said, "If the commission is not going to İmralı, Mr Öcalan should come." 

 

The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission established in the Parliament for the solution of the Kurdish issue held its 12th meeting. The commission continues its meetings with many people, institutions, associations and formations such as the victims of the conflict process, academics, civil society organisations. The eyes and ears of a large part of the society are on when the Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who initiated and led this process, will be interviewed. 

 

HDK Co-spokesperson and Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party MP Meral Danış Beştaş, who is also a member of the commission established in the Parliament, evaluated the work of the commission. 

 

She stated that the commission should move on to the second stage, the legal ground stage. Stating that people have expectation and suggestion she said: “We are working in terms of legal grounds. We are continuing this together with our law commission. There is a need for interim laws. How will people who lay down arms come? How will they participate in politics? The commission should propose the legal grounds of the road map of their freedom." 

 

Meral Danış Beştaş stated that the commission should develop clearer and more defined proposals on some issues and emphasized the kayyum (trustee) system and Anti-Terror Law must change of remove. 

 

She added: “Again, the execution law is one of the issues that need to be evaluated. Now we definitely need to present certain concrete steps to the public. The Commission needs to take these steps. Otherwise, the end of this commission, which was established for the first time in the history of Turkey, will definitely not be acceptable. So far, there is no step that can be called 'negative', but more steps could have been taken." 

 

'WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR TO GO TO IMRALI?'

 

Meral Danış Beştaş pointed out that the eyes and ears of the society were on the commission's meeting with Abdullah Öcalan and said, "The commission has still not travelled to İmralı. This is a serious matter. We have expressed this in our statements as commission members. What is the commission waiting for? We are listening to everyone. We have listened to many people, from those speaking on behalf of village guards to legal organisations, academics and many others, but Mr Öcalan, who brought us to this stage, has still not been listened. Our view is that this commission should go to İmralı as soon as possible, before 1 October. On 1 October, before the Parliament opens, we need to listen to Mr Öcalan's views and suggestions on this issue."

 

"If the commission will not go to İmralı, Mr Öcalan should come," said Meral Danış Beştaş and added: "We are not reading for the first time. 'Ignoring' a political actor who has taken such a radical step in solving a centuries-old problem or spreading these demands over time certainly does not serve the solution of these problems."

 

'WHAT ABOUT THE SENSITIVITY OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE?'

 

Meral Danış Beştaş stated that the "sensitivities" justification for the commission's meeting with Abdullah Öcalan is unacceptable. "We definitely do not find the justification that there are sensitivities on this issue accurate. Because when we say ‘sensitivities’, there is an opinion in Turkey that the sensitivities of the west of Turkey are expressed. The sensitivities of the Turkish people are expressed. But what about the sensitivities of the Kurdish people? What about the views of the millions who demand this issue? The Commission has to evaluate all these," she said. 

 

'NEGOTIATE WITH ÖCALAN'

 

Meral Danış Beştaş called on the commission and the public opinion: "As a member of the commission, there can be no excuse for this. Let's listen to a political actor like Mr Abdullah Öcalan, the main actor in this process, the actor who gives spirit to the process, the actor who makes this process work."

 

MA / Omer Akın