In a pointed critique of the recent Ankara-Baghdad military agreement, Ayşegül Doğan, spokeswoman for Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, has called for a shift away from militarisation towards a robust peace and democracy movement. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Doğan argued that the region’s complex problems cannot be resolved through the establishment of more military bases.
“More military bases are not the solution in the Middle East. What Turkey needs most urgently today is a strong peace and democracy movement,” Doğan declared, highlighting the DEM Party’s opposition to the recent security pact signed between Turkey and Iraq. The agreement, which focuses on military cooperation and counterterrorism, has been met with criticism from Kurdish political groups, who see it as another attempt to suppress Kurdish gains in the region.
Doğan’s remarks came during a press conference held at the DEM Party’s headquarters, where she also discussed other pressing issues, including the ongoing imprisonment of MP Can Atalay, the deteriorating conditions in Turkish prisons and the increasing pressures on Kurdish language and culture.
She warned that the Ankara-Baghdad agreement, which includes provisions for military bases and security cooperation, is not just about security but is also aimed at undermining Kurdish progress in the region. “This agreement is clearly targeting Kurdish achievements and seeks to pit Kurds against each other,” Doğan stated, emphasising the need for peaceful and democratic solutions rather than military interventions.
The DEM Party has long advocated for dialogue and democratic governance as the only sustainable way to resolve the Kurdish issue and broader regional conflicts. Doğan’s speech reflects the party’s continued commitment to these principles, even as the Turkish government pursues a more militarised approach.
Doğan also linked the government’s militaristic policies to the worsening economic situation in Turkey, arguing that the insistence on a war economy is deepening the country’s economic crisis. “The growing Kurdish issue is leading to a shrinking Turkish economy. It’s time to abandon the war economy,” she urged.
