Upon the call of Abdullah Öcalan, the Peace and Democratic Society Group gathered in the rural area of Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî), at the Casene Cave (Şikefta Casenê), and destroyed their weapons, marking a new phase in the “Peace and Democratic Society Process.” The echoes of the ceremony, which was witnessed by numerous representatives from political parties, civil society organizations, and legal institutions, are still being felt.
Among those who observed this historic event was Co-Chair of the Human Rights Association (IHD), Hüseyin Küçükbalaban, who spoke to ANF.
Öcalan and the PKK are fulfilling their historical responsibilities
Hüseyin Küçükbalaban emphasized the importance of the peace process in addressing the Kurdish question and said: “Since the day it was founded, the Human Rights Association has been a defender of peace and the right to peace. From October 1, when the process began, to July 11, when a historic step was taken, the Human Rights Association has closely followed every development.
We participated in the disarmament ceremony on July 11. We witnessed that historic and peaceful step. We saw it as a move toward removing violence from the Kurdish issue, and as a signal that the state, too, must take steps to eliminate violence.
When we evaluate the process as a whole, we can clearly see that during the ten months since October 1, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Abdullah Öcalan have taken the necessary steps and fulfilled their responsibilities, for peace, for the brotherhood of peoples, and for the construction of a democratic society. But in contrast, we are witnessing that the state has yet to take a single step in response.”
The state must take action
Hüseyin Küçükbalaban stated that the state needs to take concrete steps on many issues and continued:
“The issue of ill prisoners remains a serious problem in Turkey, rooted in the Kurdish question, and it is ongoing. This is not a topic that can be confined to the peace table, because the right to health is one of the most fundamental human rights. The state must directly ensure access to healthcare in prisons.
On the other hand, sentencing individuals to aggravated life imprisonment, which means they remain in prison until death, is effectively a form of capital punishment. The number of such prisoners has exceeded four thousand. Political prisoners affiliated with the PKK are among those facing this situation. Another problem is the denial of release for prisoners who have completed 30 years of incarceration and are eligible for parole, based on arbitrary decisions by Administrative Observation Boards, which have no clear basis in law.
We also see that Mr. Öcalan, one of the most critical actors in this process, is still being held in isolation. In such an environment, it is not possible for the peace process to move forward. These are all factors that jeopardize the peace process.
Meanwhile, despite the PKK declaring a ceasefire after March 1, military operations are still ongoing. We view these operations, this continuation of war and conflict, as developments that could reignite hostilities and put the peace process at risk.
Of course, the Kurdish question is not limited to these issues. It is a century-old problem, and the past 40 years have been marked by war and conflict. This war has caused enormous destruction: forced disappearances, mass graves, village burnings, a culture of impunity, massacres, and acts of genocide.
The Kurdish question is an issue that requires full confrontation with this history. At the same time, the issue of securing constitutional guarantees for the Kurdish people’s language, identity, culture, and equal citizenship rights remains unresolved.
Last week, there was a gesture of goodwill in the Parliament regarding the establishment of a commission, but it has not yet materialized. This commission must be formed without delay, subcommittees must be created, and civil society organizations and human rights institutions must be included in the process.”
We are continuing our work in the name of peace
Hüseyin Küçükbalaban stated that the inventory list of the weapons destroyed during the ceremony was handed over to the IHD, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV). He said:
“This act was, of course, part of the obligation and responsibility entrusted to civil society organizations in a process that aims to be cleansed of violence, conflict, and war. In the Kurdish question, we have also undertaken a role in making democracy, peace, and human rights part of the social foundation that will carry the process of building peace forward.
We have carried out this responsibility until now, and from this point on, we will continue to deepen our efforts. We are fully aware of the weight of this responsibility.”
Legal and constitutional changes must be made
Hüseyin Küçükbalaban emphasized that strong public pressure must be built to ensure the government assumes its responsibilities and said:
“There are immediate administrative and legal steps the state must take. First, it must withdraw the government-appointed trustees. Especially regarding the situation of Mr. Öcalan and that of political prisoners, legal regulations must be enacted.
Now, thirty militants have laid down their arms. What will happen to these people? Under the current legal framework, are they expected to serve 30 years in prison? In a context where armed individuals have voluntarily disarmed, their integration into society, political life, and democratic processes must be ensured.
This, of course, requires serious legal and constitutional changes. The state must swiftly break away from the paradigm of war and security, and shift toward a paradigm rooted in democracy and peace in order to carry out these reforms.”
Source: ANF News
