Avindar Ararat: Turkey should recognize leader as main negotiator to achieve peace

Avindar Ararat, a member of the Kurdistan Women's Freedom Party Coordination, spoke on a special program on Stêrk TV about the peace process and democratic society. 

At the outset, Avindar Ararat recalled the members of the Free Women Units' (YJA-Star) Central Command, Amina Erjes, Akin Amara Toldar, and Zein Zagros who were martyred on April 20, 2020.

She drew attention to the Peace and Democratic Society Process launched by the leader Abdullah Ocalan, saying, "Throughout history, many meetings, agreements, and ceasefires have taken place between Guerrilla Forces and countries, but none have matched the current process launched by the leader Apo. Laying down arms is usually the final step, but the leader first decided to dissolve the party and stop the armed struggle. This indicates the leader's seriousness. However, the Turkish state and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government do not demonstrate the same seriousness and the strategic approach of the leader. They have imposed an unprecedented isolation on the leader for four or five years. Now, at the invitation of Devlet Bahçeli, the state delegation is holding a meeting with him, and a delegation of the Equality and Peoples' Democracy Party has also met with him, but the government, especially over the past month and a half, has been seeking to implement this isolation in various ways.

For example, the delegation of the Equality and People's Democracy Party consists of three people who heads towards Imrali once a month or every month and a half. The leader's cell door is closed daily. Lawyers, journalists, academics, political parties, and the parliamentary committee must visit the leader and listen to his views. No one hears anything about the content of the process the leader has developed, what he wants, and what needs to be changed in the state regarding the Kurdish issue because no one is allowed to go there.

So, how will this process proceed? If the goal of this process is to resolve the Kurdish issue and take steps towards lasting peace, what do these practices mean? The state has once again imposed isolation, using various methods. Therefore, the state must end this isolation and open the doors of Imrali.

Another issue concerns "The Right to Hope" is there. For example, the Council of Europe decided ten years ago to change the Turkish state's laws and implement "the Right to Hope," but Turkey is not implementing it. This also applies to thousands of prisoners sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, among them the leader Apo.

In his recent meetings, the leader said, "Actually, my sentence has expired." The leader should not remain imprisoned, but they do not adhere to this matter. The deadline granted by the Council of Europe to the Turkish state also expires this year. If the Council of Europe and the European Union do not act in accordance with the interests of the Turkish state, they must implement "The Right to Hope." If the Turkish state does not implement this decision, sanctions must be imposed. We have emphasized at our 12th conference and in all our statements that the person to negotiate with is the leader Apo. No one can resolve the Kurdish issue and ensure peace except him, and he is the main negotiator. On the one hand, there is the government representing the Turkish state, and on the other hand, there is the leader representing millions of Kurds.

How is the prison door closed in the face of the main negotiator every day? How is everyone prevented from meeting with him? If this secret isolation continues, if the leader is not accepted as the main negotiator, how will this process proceed? This situation must change. If they want this process to succeed, if they want peace and a real solution, and if they want to consolidate the peoples' fraternity, the leader must be released and his physical freedom restored.

The Turkish state is not dealing with this matter strategically. If the government follows this approach to increase its votes in the elections, it will lose again. We do not lose; the leader says this too. The leader did not take these steps because the movement was too weak, or he was forced to do so. The stage of the World War III in the Middle East poses a grave threat to the Turkish state and the region, and this is the leader's view. The war has now reached a stalemate on both sides. Therefore, a solution must be found; otherwise, the war will become more dangerous.

If the Turkish state's intention is to find a solution, then the problem must be named. They still say, "Turkey is without terrorism," and sometimes make contradictory statements. Some make statements as if they intend a solution, while others issue more stringent statements, as if they are acting this way deliberately. Either they are pursuing this policy in concert, or there are contradictions among themselves. The government, in particular, must now decide; does it intend to resolve the Kurdish issue and build democracy and peace in Turkey, or does it seek to prolong its rule? What will save Turkey is to pursue this process seriously and honestly.

Avindar Ararat pointed to the role and mission of the National Solidarity, Democracy and Brotherhood Committee in the Parliament, saying, "In fact, the committee was established out of the leader's insistence and suggestion. Representatives of all parties met, but the methods currently being followed by the committee only prolong the process. They lack seriousness, as if they were truly serious, the committee would have been established on a legal basis in the Parliament, and a law should have been adopted. Erdogan can now announce the 'dissolution' of the committee, as there is no legal basis. It is true that the committee listens to everyone, and this is a good approach, but these meetings and discussions are not conducted on the basis of resolving the Kurdish issue, but rather on the basis of laying down arms and disarming the members of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK). With this mentality, the laws that the committee will present to the Parliament will be based solely on laying down arms. Long discussions have taken place on this issue, but I would like to highlight that even preventing 'The Mothers of Peace' from speaking in Kurdish in the Parliament reveals the committee’s intentions. So, why did this war start, why were these weapons used, and why did both sides present great sacrifices?

This struggle has been waged for fifty years for the Kurdish nation to be recognized and the Kurdish people to be officially recognized in the constitution to be able to live with their mother tongue, culture, and traditions, and to obtain all their rights. How can the Kurdish people be accepted if the Kurdish language cannot? They no longer say "Kurdish origin," but rather "Kurdish," and that is normal.

They have accepted them as a nation, but they cannot accept their mother tongue. These methods and ways the committee is using to prolong the process are unacceptable. The committee must be serious and work in accordance with the call for peace and a democratic society. The committee must form groups, and these groups must meet with all segments of the Turkish people, explain the process to them, and receive their proposals, while the current members of the committee must also discuss the laws to be passed and how the Kurdish issue should be resolved. To achieve this, they must meet the leader. This should not be a symbolic meeting for a few hours, as the committee must work systematically with the leader and submit draft solution laws to the Parliament."

J.J