Representatives of civil society organizations assisting families affected by the war in Kurdistan have called for the immediate restoration of damaged cemeteries and free access for relatives. The appeals come against the backdrop of recent political developments, including the call for peace by PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan and the establishment of a commission to resolve the Kurdish question in the Turkish parliament.
Mustafa Yıldız, co-chair of the Adana-based solidarity association AKKAY-DER, which cares for people in the Çukurova plain who have lost relatives in the Kurdish liberation struggle, emphasized that an end to armed conflict is a prerequisite for the population to live together in peace and equality. “We don’t want mothers to cry or coffins to come into homes,” Yıldız said. He warned against sacrificing the process that has begun to party political calculations and called for constitutional steps to enable mother-tongue education for Kurds and recognize Kurdish as an official language.
At the same time, he described improving Öcalan’s prison conditions and direct talks with him as essential for progress in the peace process. The new parliamentary commission must work across party lines and involve civil society actors, trade unions, and youth and women’s organizations, said Yıldız, who also criticized the low representation of women: “If women are more strongly represented, they can give the process more emotional and constructive impetus.” He called on the government to take legal and constitutional steps to ensure the successful disarmament of the PKK: “Neither guerrilla nor soldier – we don’t want anyone else to die.”
Bahattin Bektaş, co-chair of the similar association MEYA-DER in neighboring Mersin, emphasized that the necessary steps in the peace process must be taken mutually, not unilaterally. “The attacks on cemeteries in particular have left deep wounds among the families affected. These cemeteries must be repaired and families must be able to visit them. This is a fundamental human right,” said Bektaş.
Bektaş also called for the release of sick and political prisoners and pointed out that the situation of some memorial sites was still unclear. “Families have already presented their concerns to the new parliamentary commission. The necessary legal provisions must be made in this regard. Parliament must fulfill its responsibility,” Bektaş said.
Source: ANF News
