“We must face the truth—there are thousands of disappeared in this country and not even their graves are known,” said Sezai Temelli, a lawmaker for Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, during a striking speech delivered in the Grand National Assembly in Ankara on Wednesday.
Temelli’s remarks come during a week of remembrance for Turkey’s disappeared, as relatives and human rights groups mark decades of unresolved cases. In a country grappling with calls for reform on multiple fronts, his address linked the historical trauma of genocide, ongoing human rights violations in prisons, and looming environmental threats from fossil fuel extraction.
The DEM Party MP denounced the Turkish government’s continued neglect of enforced disappearances, warned against the ecological cost of oil drilling in Gabar Mountain in the Şırnak province, and criticised the lack of judicial reforms, particularly around prison conditions. His call comes amid renewed national discussions about peace processes, minority rights, and environmental sustainability.
Temelli began by acknowledging the pain of the Circassian people on the anniversary of the Circassian genocide. “We not only shared the pain of this genocide,” he said, “but also listened to their concerns that the Circassian language is increasingly being forgotten and excluded from education.”
He called on parliament to protect minority languages and implement inclusive education policies, stating that “just as all peoples should have the right to use their mother tongues in education, this right must also be realised for Circassians.”
Turning to enforced disappearances, Temelli expressed solidarity with the Saturday Mothers and Peace Mothers—campaigners who have long sought truth and justice for their missing relatives. “Unfortunately, no steps have been taken so far to investigate these disappearances,” he said. “A commission must definitely be established. We must collectively soothe the pain of the relatives of the disappeared.”
Temelli’s speech gained momentum when he addressed Turkey’s growing climate crisis. Criticising the government’s oil extraction operations in Gabar Mountain, he accused the state of endangering both the region’s biodiversity and its symbolic importance. “That oil will destroy the nature of Gabar,” he warned. “The colour of the oil coming out of there is not green—it’s pitch black.”
The Gabar Mountain region, long known for its ecological richness and Kurdish cultural significance, has become a site of extensive fossil fuel drilling. Temelli linked this to the global climate crisis and urged a shift toward energy policies that prioritise humanity and nature: “First nature, first humanity—then perhaps energy investments suitable for both.”
His critique extended to what he called the government’s hollow rhetoric on climate legislation: “A few weeks ago, during discussions on the climate law, MPs from the ruling party kept mentioning the ‘green transition’. But fossil fuels are destroying our world.”
Returning to social issues, Temelli delivered a forceful plea for comprehensive prison reform. “There are hundreds of sick prisoners who cannot survive on their own,” he said, highlighting the case of Şaban Kaygısuz, an amputee held alone in a high-security prison in Kayseri. “No steps are being taken. This must change.”
He also mentioned Sercan Ahmet Aslan, a prisoner on hunger strike for over 210 days due to repeated denials of transfer requests that would allow families to visit incarcerated loved ones. “Families can’t afford to travel from Malatya to Tekirdağ. Some can’t even send money to the canteen without being accused of financing terrorism,” he said, underscoring how poverty and punitive state policies are isolating prisoners and criminalising their families.
Temelli demanded that parliament urgently pass a judicial reform package before Eid al-Adha. “Since 2022, a promise has been made to Turkish society that a regulation would be introduced. Let this be the first judicial package of this peace period. Let it grow hope.”
He concluded by stressing that Turkey’s future depends on peaceful coexistence and justice for all communities. “The beauty of this country lies in its diversity—Turks, Kurds, Alevis, Sunnis, Christians,” he said. “Let us not take examples from war and evil. Let us take lessons from our painful past and move forward with peace.”
Temelli’s remarks come amid growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s legislative priorities. “The public isn’t interested in decrees whose shelf life has expired,” he said. “They demand peace and justice.”
With growing calls for truth, reform, and sustainability, Temelli’s speech may signal a rising challenge to dominant political narratives. Whether the government will heed his call remains uncertain, but his message was clear: “We must take these steps for the benefit of society. Because society has many open wounds.”
