“Words are not enough; action is required,” said Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, on Tuesday at a her party’s “Women’s Day” themed parliamentary group meeting, as she urged the Turkish government to take concrete steps towards peace following a recent call by jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.
Hatimoğulları stressed the significance of Öcalan’s statement and called on President Erdoğan to engage in the peace process. “Erdoğan taking ownership of this process is crucial,” she stated. “For peace to be established in this country, words alone are not sufficient; what is needed is action and implementation.”
Hatimoğulları referenced Öcalan’s 27 February statement, in which he expressed his unwavering belief in freedom struggles, particularly women’s resistance, and described democratisation as the key to a just future. “Öcalan made it very clear: ‘The fundamental code of the new era is the struggle for democratisation,'” she said, quoting him directly. “Women are the revolutionary force of this struggle. True democracy and socialism require an emancipatory approach to the women’s issue.”
Hatimoğulları argued that Öcalan’s words marked a historic moment. “On 27 February 2025, the world witnessed a defining moment,” she said. “With his call for peace and democracy, Abdullah Öcalan has opened the doors for a new political era in Turkey and the Middle East. His call is the strongest foundation for lasting peace and a resolution.”
She emphasised that Öcalan’s proposal was not limited to the Kurdish movement but was directed at the state, government, and the broader opposition. “His manifesto is not just for the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party]; it also addresses the state, the government, society, and the opposition in its entirety. Parliament, as an institution, must swiftly expand the scope of democratic politics and the rule of law.”
Quoting Öcalan, she added: “Respect for identities, the freedom to express and organise democratically, and socio-economic and political structuring can only be realised through a democratic and political sphere. The second century of the Republic can only achieve lasting peace and fraternity through democracy.”
Hatimoğulları urged Turkish authorities to recognise the significance of Öcalan’s message. “We are approaching a period where democracy, equality, justice, and freedom will define our lives rather than fear and oppression,” she asserted. “This is not a time for superiority over others but a time for all to share a just and equal life.”
She concluded by calling on all political actors to contribute to a democratic solution. “Turkey’s fundamental struggle in the coming period must be for democracy, justice, and freedom. If the call for peace is embraced, all social dynamics will benefit.”
