The chairs of 16 bar associations in Kurdistan visited political parties in Ankara on 17-18 June as part of the process for the solution of the Kurdish question and democratisation of the country. The heads of bar associations presented a 17-point solution proposal covering rights and freedoms.

 

NUMAN KURTULMUŞ MEETING

 

Abdulkadir Güleç said, "In the meetings, we expressed that civil society organisations are ready for the success of the process, that bar associations want to contribute to this process and that the same contribution is expected from political parties."

 

Pointing to the meeting they held with the Speaker of the Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş, Güleç said: "We stated that the Parliament should be used actively in this process and that the regional bar associations and the society have a serious expectation from the Parliament. Numan Kurtulmuş presented his evaluation of the process. He stated that the process should be approached on the axis of rights. He said that the work on the constitution is very important. 'Do these studies as bar associations. We also benefit from it,' he said. He even used an expression such as 'If necessary, organise a constitutional workshop in the Parliament, we can prepare it'. We left there with a hope and expectation that this process will be carried to positive points."

 

Güleç stated that Kurtulmuş said that all state organs, security units and political parties are part of this process: "He stated that social peace and tranquillity will definitely be achieved and that the way forward is different from other solution processes. He mentioned the role of Mr Bahçeli, Mr Öcalan and Mr Erdoğan. He said that our work should continue. After meeting with Mr Numan, we left with the thought and conviction that this process would evolve into positive peace towards October-November-December."

 

IYI PARTY'S APPROACH

 

Referring to their meeting with the IYI Party, which stands out with its opposition to the process, Güleç said: "The IYI Party has criticisms about the process. But he welcomed us very kindly and listened to us (IYI Party Chair Müsavat Dervişoğlu). He touched upon the dynamics of Turkey and the Middle East. He stated that imperial powers were a part of the Israeli attack on Iran and that it was not right for this process to proceed in this way. I said, "Our point of view on the Kurdish issue may be different from your party's point of view, we have named this issue as the Kurdish issue. We have put our suggestions for the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue in writing and we would like to present them to you as the proposal of our bar association". He said that he would read the booklet and the 17-point statement of the regional bar associations carefully and that he would get back to us after analysing it. He even said 'If I come to the region, I would like to visit you'."

 

'THE PROCESS WILL TAKE FLESH AND BLOOD'

 

Güleç stated that they shared with the delegations of political parties that the Parliament should take the lead in finding a solution. Güleç said, "We expressed the necessary obligations in the field of human rights. We talked about the expansion of fundamental rights and freedoms. We stated that the obstacles in front of Kurdish education should be removed. Again, we said that there is a need for reform regarding those who are imprisoned due to the penal execution law. We stated that this mortgage placed on the will of the people through trustee practices weakens democracy and should be removed. We tried to express our demands in detail, from the right to assembly and demonstration to freedom of thought and expression and the right to politics."

 

Güleç said that they found what they hoped for in the talks and added, "All political parties underlined that these talks and work were very valuable. There was no very negative and unfavourable perception or statement about the solution. We encountered a picture that we expected or hoped for. We had a one-to-one chat with all the bar association presidents afterwards. The common opinion of all of us from these meetings is that the solution process will actually proceed in the right way. In the coming months, this will become more fleshed out. At the point of our demands, there are prison reforms, a new constitution or regulations on fundamental rights and freedoms. We have an expectation that work will be carried out in this field."

 

WORK OF THE BAR ASSOCIATIONS WILL CONTINUE

 

Güleç said that the bar associations are planning to carry out more comprehensive work in the coming period and that they aim to strengthen and nourish the process through congresses, workshops or panels. Güleç concluded: "We plan to work for the transformation of this negative peace environment into a positive peace environment, for the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue, for all social issues to be handled with a human rights perspective and to evolve towards a positive outcome."

 

MA / Rukiye Payiz Adıgüzel