A Human Rights Association (İHD) conference on resolving the Kurdish issue culminated in a final declaration, issued on Wednesday, insisting on the critical participation of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan in potential peace negotiations in Turkey.
Coming after deliberations and discussions extending the 16 – 17 March weekend, the declaration underscored the need to lift the isolation imposed on Öcalan as a pivotal move towards facilitating a constructive dialogue for peace.
Ercan Yılmaz, head of İHD Diyarbakir (Amed) branch, delivered the declaration at a press conference. “The Kurdish issue has evolved into an international concern due to the denial of collective rights to Kurds by states in the Kurdish region,” he stated, emphasising the enduring policies of denial, erasure and assimilation towards non-Turkish identities in Turkey, which have persisted throughout its political history, as significant barriers to democratisation and peace.
The declaration pointed out the deepening of the Kurdish conflict through anti-democratic measures rather than approaches aimed at resolution. It highlighted the shutdown of dialogue channels, including restrictions on Öcalan’s ability to communicate with his lawyers and family, which has significantly hindered the peace process. “The Kurdish issue is fundamentally a matter of human rights and democracy. Acknowledging this, peace, although challenging, remains essential and achievable for all parties involved,” Yılmaz said.
Conference discussions revolved around various dimensions of the Kurdish issue, from historical incidents of global conflict resolution to the importance of maintaining dialogue during conflict periods. The final recommendations called for the creation of a conducive environment for free debate on the Kurdish issue, the establishment of dialogue mechanisms between conflicting parties, and an end to the isolation of Öcalan to ensure his participation in the peace process, highlighting the universal necessity of peace and the integral role of human rights and democracy in achieving it.
