Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) held public meetings in many cities within the scope of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" on 27 February. As part of the programme, public meetings will be held in at least 100 centres between 9 and 15 March. The meetings held today in Riha (Urfa), Merdîn (Mardin), Şirnex (Şırnak), Mersin, Adana, Amed (Diyarbakır), Sêrt (Siirt) and Êlih (Batman) were closed to the press after the opening speeches.

 

RIHA

 

Speaking at the meeting which started with a minute of silence, DEM Party deputy Ömer Öcalan said, "We will shape our future politics with the discussions we will have today. Mr Öcalan always says 'do a politics that moves forward'. What kind of politics will Kurds and their friends do in the Middle East? We will talk about this. This struggle is a long-term struggle, great costs have been paid. Thousands of our friends are still in prisons. Kurds introduced themselves to the world thanks to them. We are entering a new era. The call on 27 February will change history in the Middle East. Everything is changing, and we will walk a democratic politics that moves forward within the framework of our paradigm according to this change."

 

MÊRDÎN

 

Stressing that the call had an impact on international powers and Turkish politics DBP Co-chiar Keskin Bayındır said, "Mr Öcalan has taken the initiative to solve the Kurdish issue on political and legal grounds by removing it from the politics of conflict and war. Mr Öcalan provides a great opportunity for the government and other actors to solve the Kurdish problem on democratic and legal grounds. He said to those who claim that they want to solve the problem but there are obstacles in front of them, 'I am opening the way for you. Solve this problem'. He invited them to solve this problem."

 

Drawing attention to if the Kurdish issue is to be solved democratically, legally and with justice, it is the state that must take steps from now on Keskin Bayındır added, "It is the Turkish state and the government taht will take legal steps, steps that will ensure rights of the Kurdish people. All responsibility is now on the government and the state. At the same time, a great burden and responsibility is on the shoulders of the Kurdish people and the resisting oppressed peoples. Because rights cannot be obtained by just wanting and wishing. If we fulfil the requirements of this call in 4 parts of Kurdistan, the freedom and security of the Kurdish people will be ensured. For this reason, we trust and believe in the Kurdish People's Leader Mr Abdullah Öcalan. If we have not succumbed to all kinds of oppression and persecution with our 50 years of resistance, this resistance will grow, expand and become stronger from today onwards. The Kurdish people will take their rights into their hands and gain their freedom."