The effects of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" on 27 February continue. In this context, the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) launched the “Peace and Democratic Society Meetings” in Esenyurt district of Istanbul on 19 April. 

 

Under the leadership of HDK, public meetings will be organised in many districts of Istanbul. In the meetings to be held in open spaces, a public dais will be set up and the content and scope of Abdullah Öcalan's call will be discussed. 

 

HDK Executive Committee member Murat Kalmaz, who stated that they will accelerate the meetings especially after 1 May, made evaluations on the importance of the meetings and the work they will carry out. Kalmaz stated that in all the meetings of the DEM Party İmralı Delegation with Abdullah Öcalan, democratic society and organisation were emphasised. Kalmaz pointed out that Abdullah Öcalan tried to include all social segments in the process, especially the working class in Turkey and the left and socialist movements in Turkey, and said that the "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" covers not only Kurds but all social segments in Turkey. Kalmaz said that the call created a great expectation all over the Middle East and in response to this expectation, HDK organised "Democratic Society Meetings" to fulfil its duty.

 

BUILDING A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

 

Kalmaz stated that they will organise these meetings in order to bring Abdullah Öcalan's call to the society and to include the society in the process and underlined that HDK is an important ground for the construction of a democratic society. Kalmaz said, "We believe that a democratic society can only be realised by involving the people on a one-to-one basis in addition to the meetings with political parties and civil society organisations. In order to discuss the process, hustings will be established where people will come and voice their problems. The meeting we organised in Esenyurt was like this.  We are organising these meetings in order to know how the society views the ‘Peace Democratic Society Call’ and where they see themselves and to get their opinions."

 

Kalmaz said that there has been a ‘multiple crisis’ in Turkey for a long time and added: "There are very serious cultural problems in Turkey such as the Kurdish question, the Alevi question, the belief question, the women's question, the ecological question. If people from all segments of society join the call made by Mr Öcalan, we can talk about the construction of a democratic society. The ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’ is not only for one ethnic group, but for everyone living in Turkey. Mr Öcalan asked ‘What is the situation of the Greeks of Istanbul? It is obvious that the inclusion of Greeks, Armenians, Arabs living in Turkey in this process will benefit the communities of Turkey."

 

CALL FOR ‘SPEAKING ON THE HUSTINGS

 

Stating that there is a regime problem in Turkey, Kalmaz called for participation in the meetings. Kalmaz stressed, "Alevis, Laz, Arabs, Armenians, Armenians, young people and women should come and have their say at the hustings we will set up. If everyone who has a problem with the current regime comes and has their say, the process will definitely succeed. In this sense, we expect the whole society of Turkey to embrace the ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’." 

 

MA / Melik Çelik