Cengiz Çandar, a seasoned Turkish journalist and DEM Party MP, has reiterated the significant potential of Abdullah Öcalan’s strategies to resolve the Kurdish problem. Advocating for the application of these strategies, Çandar highlighted their importance for fostering peace in Turkey and across the broader Middle East.
Speaking to the press at a conference on the Kurdish issue and peace in Diyarbakir (Amed) during the weekend, Çandar underlined the region’s drift towards increased violence and conflict:
“The Western world has forfeited its moral high ground by siding with Israel, leading to significant consequences for the years to come. The Middle East we see today is not the same as it was six months ago; it’s a new Middle East where anything can happen. Currently, observations from diverse groups converge on a grim outlook for the near future of the Middle East, dominated by violence, war and conflict.”
Turning his attention to Turkey’s internal challenges, Çandar warned of potential military operations aimed at Kurdish regions in Syria and Iraq. “If unchecked, Turkey’s leaders are poised to continue their aggressive stance towards the Kurds, heralding louder war drums in a region already on edge,” he said.
Çandar advocated for a collective effort to rejuvenate the peace process and a resurgence of dialogue and cooperation grounded in peace strategies once outlined by PKK leader Öcalan. The MP said: “To initiate these dialogues, one must have their own project ready. I encourage revisiting and reflecting upon Abdullah Öcalan’s 2013 Newroz statement; let’s translate it into the context of 2024 and set forth.”
