In response to a recent surge in violence in northern Iraq, which killed nine Turkish soldiers, the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), a prominent pro-Kurdish political entity in Turkey, reiterated its call for peace and democracy. Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chairs of the DEM Party, emphasised that a resolution of the ongoing Kurdish conflict in Turkey was only achievable through dialogue.
On Friday, the deaths of the Turkish soldiers at a military base in northern Iraq, attributed to clashes with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), marked a significant escalation in the conflict. The Turkish government responded by intensifying attacks in both Iraq and Syria. Amidst this turmoil, Bakırhan and Hatimoğulları have been vocal on social media and in public meetings in Istanbul, stressing an urgent need to halt the cycle of violence.
Bakırhan, at an Istanbul meeting, expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, stating, “You, the Kurds, democrats, revolutionaries, know best the pain of the place where tragedy strikes.” He criticised those that “continue to shout war cries”.
Similarly, Hatimoğulları shared a poignant message, saying, “The children of the poor should not die so that someone can maintain their power, and so the powerful and their children can accumulate wealth upon wealth. There must be an end to this pain as soon as possible. That is why we must all join together in calling for peace, louder and stronger.”
The leaders of the DEM Party, through these statements, highlight the disproportionate impact of the conflict on the poor and marginalised. They stress the importance of ending the cycle of violence and call for a resolution through dialogue and mutual respect, rather than military means. This stance represents a persistent plea for a peaceful solution to a conflict that has affected the region for decades.
