Meeting calling for ‘peace’ to be held in Diyarbakır on the eve of International Day of Peace

SEBAHAT KARAKOYUN / @ssenyaprak
sebahatkarakoyun@birgun.net

As the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council has stated that ‘the Kurdish question can be solved within a month if the (Turkish) government steps up and that they would make the necessary sacrifices’, all attention is now focused on August 31st, when a widely-attended meeting will be held in Diyarbakır on the day before the International Day of Peace. Executive bodies of HDP, DTK, and DBP, MPs, and municipality heads will take part in the meeting and the main agenda topics will be ‘isolation of Öcalan and the declaration of KCK.’

‘Peace should be embraced’

Giving statements to BirGün, HDP parliamentary group chair İdris Baluken has explained that how the process will take shape after KCK’s statements will depend on the approach of the government. Noting that the meeting is to be held with a call for ‘peace’, Baluken added: “The determinant factor will be whether the Palace (Presidential) will demonstrate a will for peace both internally and externally. Lifting of isolation of Öcalan will also be crucially significant. The fact that Öcalan’s health and living conditions are still uncertain, and, that the government has taken a stance of ‘snubbing’ against HDP and democratic forces both through its policies of war over Syria and through the dominance over CHP and MHP within would serve for nothing but deepening the current situation.”

‘HDP has already taken initiative for peace’

“The forces of democracy and peace have a great responsibility. Those wanting peace must raise their voices. We believe that the masses will demonstrate a strong will for peace on September 1. HDP and democracy forces have already taken initiative on peace. We can have the chance for peace despite all impositions of AKP, CHP, and MHP. The declaration of KCK is very significant. The party that needs to step up and respond to this call is the ruling party itself. There is no explanation for the Parliament to be shut-down at a point like this.”

‘Their aim is to resurrect ISIL’

“Turkey has taken an active role in Syria war so far. And, with the latest steps of the government, it is aimed for Turkey to become an ‘actual’ side of the war. They are still leading the same wrong policy. By opening the borders to gangs, they are trying to signal a broader war in Syria; they are trying to propose these new policies of theirs with the cover of ‘fighting against ISIL.’ But their aim is not to eliminate ISIL. They are in a bid to open a fresh new page with Assad, whom they have called a ‘dictator’, through a policy of Kurdish enmity. AKP’s outrageous policies of war can cause Turkey even greater atrocities both within and outside.”

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/baris-icin-gozler-31-agustos-ta-125379.html