Following a call from Abdullah Öcalan, the Group for Peace and Democratic Society, a 30-member guerrilla force, destroyed their weapons in a ceremony held in Sulaymaniyah on July 11. Hundreds of intellectuals, human rights defenders, political party representatives, and journalists from Turkey, Kurdistan, and around the world attended the ceremony.
Gülseren Yoleri, who has been advocating for human rights in Turkey for years and is currently a member of the executive board of the Human Rights Association (İHD), was also among those who witnessed the historic ceremony.
‘The PKK demonstrated that it would not take a step back in the process’
Speaking to ANF about the significance and emotions of the ceremony, Gülseren Yoleri stated that the freedom movement’s decision to burn its weapons also demonstrated that it would not take a step back in the process. Yoleri said: “Today is a historic day. The PKK has put an end to its armed struggle, which has been ongoing for over 40 years, with a simple yet resolute ceremony in front of the eyes of the entire world, aiming to pave the way for peace and the building of a democratic society. Today, the PKK has demonstrated that it is taking the process that began on October 1, 2024, seriously and that it stands by its word. The PKK did not only lay down its weapons, but also burned them, demonstrating that it would not back down. In its statement, it clearly expressed its determination to fight for peace and the establishment of a democratic society, as well as its expectations from the state. It called on the state to act in accordance with its responsibilities, reiterating that this process cannot be unilateral and that the state must fulfill its obligations under the peace process. And a crucial point: by handing over a list of the weapons in its possession to a team composed of legal and human rights organizations, it demonstrated its commitment to conducting the process transparently and subject to oversight.”
‘The state should abandon its stance that is far from justice and rights’
Gülseren Yoleri continued, “As human rights defenders who have always said that human rights and democratic values can only grow in a peaceful environment and who have insisted on peace even in the toughest times, we can say that these developments have strengthened our hope for peace. At the same time, this step taken by the PKK has placed a heavy responsibility on us, society, and the whole community. We have been given the heavy responsibility of establishing a roadmap for the construction of peace and a democratic society, socializing peace, and monitoring the process. However, this struggle requires a suitable environment, which does not seem possible in a climate where anyone who speaks out or opposes the government is imprisoned and silenced by violence and oppression. Following the attacks on the will of voters in Kurdish municipalities, the policies of coercion and punishment against CHP municipalities will only block the path to peace, not open it. For this reason, we call on the state to abandon its stance that is far from justice and rights, to develop an attitude appropriate to its responsibilities in the process, and to take urgent steps that will contribute to the healthy progress of the process.”
Source: ANF News
