The 19th European Union Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) conference titled 'The European Union, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds' at the European Parliament (EP) continues on its second day.

The conference is hosted by the EU Turkey Civic Commission in cooperation with The Left, the Greens-European Free Alliance and the Groups of the Free Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

For 19 years, the EUTCC has organised annual international conferences at the European Parliament, focusing on the Kurdish question and democratic processes in Turkey. With invited civil society organisations, academics, European, Turkish and Kurdish politicians, policy-makers and activists, these conferences have received international attention, politically and in the media. 

The second day of the conference started with the panel "A New Chapter in Turkey: Obstacles and Opportunities for Peace and Reconciliation", moderated by Dersim Dagdeviren, member of the EUTCC board and Kurd-Akad.

Bakırhan: The Kurdish issue has now reached regional and global dimensions

DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan summarized their 4-hour meeting with Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Island Prison. Bakırhan recalled the fact that a heavy war process was experienced after the failure of the previous “resolution process”. He stated: “With this war, there has been a very serious polarization in society. The law was instrumentalized and became a stick in the hands of the government. The economy experienced a serious crisis. Pressures against our party have increased. Hopes for peace were almost destroyed. In this process, fault lines emerged between all sections of society and this polarization has increased significantly in the last 10 years. But Abdullah Öcalan's call on February 27 is very important. These 10 years have created very important experiences.

The DEM Party Co-Chair continued: “The Kurdish issue has now reached regional and global dimensions. The problems of not only Kurds but also other social structures have become visible. Turkey's democratization and economic independence depend on the resolution of the Kurdish issue. This is not a political choice, but an existential necessity. There are lessons to be learned from the past. We are discussing the previous resolution process at length. We are a party that is self-critical about the issues where we fell short. Despite all its shortcomings, the previous resolution process built social trust and democracy. Economic welfare increased significantly. We have seen how the peace process paved the way for the country. The solution of the Kurdish issue brings many opportunities.

‘The law is being undermined and even abolished’

But there are internal and external balances in front of this issue. The recent arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, is a very concrete example that the law is being undermined and even abolished. The mayor of a city of 16 million people is intended to be disciplined with the stick of law. As you know, trustees are appointed to municipalities won by Kurds. An appointed officer usurps the municipality and locks the doors of social and cultural institutions.

Apart from this, there is widespread censorship in Turkey. The path is smoothened for the mainstream media and there is a serious crackdown on the opposition media. Hundreds of people are detained for their social media posts. Social media accounts and news websites are blocked and shut down. There is an understanding that wants to keep everyone in line. Along with these, there is also a constitutional problem in Turkey. The constitution is not based on common and social values. The centralist constitution does not include young people, women and others.

‘The Kurdish-led politics in the Middle East is very democratic and admirable’

There are external factors in the way of this process. We are going through an unpredictable process with regard to international relations. Instantly changing decisions and unprincipled foreign policy have a serious impact on the country. This matter also directly affects Europe. The democratization of Turkey will also affect Europe. The Kurdish-led politics in the Middle East is very democratic and admirable. Again, we are doing politics for the benefit of workers, laborers, women, young people and others. Our stance on democracy and human rights offers a great opportunity for Europe. This can be seen more easily when we look at Syria. A system has been established where Yazidis, Turkmens, Kurds and Arabs live together. A democratic understanding, a democratic administration is being implemented.

‘A stable Turkey in the region will be important and beneficial for Europe’

EU-Turkey relations are also going through a turbulent period. A stable Turkey in the region will be important and beneficial for Europe. Turkey's internal peace will directly affect the developments in Syria and Iraq. This will directly reduce migration towards Europe. Peace and democracy will be a historic achievement, and we are working to this end.

Dinç: Öcalan has been seeking peace since 1993 and wants to lead Turkey to peace, democracy

Mazlum Dinç, one of the lawyers from Asrin Law Office, made a legal evaluation on Abdullah Öcalan2s Right to Hope and a possible period of peace. Dinç noted that the policy of denial and the lack of freedom mentioned in Öcalan’s call have led to the emergence of an armed struggle. Dinç recalled that while Öcalan has been seeking peace since 1993 and wants to lead Turkey to peace and democracy, to date, there has been no government that can develop the will for a solution.

Referring to the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the Right to Hope, Mazlum Dinç continued: “When it comes to Kurds or Abdullah Öcalan, the law is not applied. However, this lawlessness has spread to all segments of society today. This breach was opened with the unlawfulness against Mr. Öcalan and everyone was silent at that time. Our struggle continued. When Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey, the death penalty was abolished, but an execution regime called 'aggravated life imprisonment' was introduced and the way to stay in prison until death was opened. On March 18, 2014, the ECtHR ruled that this law was a crime of torture. However, Turkey has still not taken a step for 11 years.

‘A step on the ‘Right to Hope’ should be taken without any political bargaining’

When Devlet Bahçeli expressed his opinion on the ‘Right to Hope’ on October 22, 2024, it became a hot topic. Bahçeli actually talked about freedom. It was a call for Abdullah Öcalan to play his role. However, despite Abdullah Öcalan's call, no step has yet been taken regarding the ‘Right to Hope’. A step should be taken in this sense without any political bargaining, but this has not happened yet.

‘Everyone must take responsibility’

In his latest call, Abdullah Öcalan pointed out that there will be much heavier losses should this process fail. This process, in which Abdullah Öcalan has taken the initiative, may be the last chance. Everyone must take responsibility in this sense. It is a process in which everyone will pay a heavy price. Seeing this, one should not descend into a mood of expectation and leave the initiative of this process to the government. Abdullah Öcalan's freedom lies at the heart of the continuation of this process. Europe also has a responsibility in paving the way for Abdullah Öcalan. Although there are institutions that can take a stance against the unlawfulness against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, we have not seen any development in this sense. The relevant institutions should take responsibility and be in an encouraging position for the development of democracy.”

The session ended with a question-and-answer session.

The conference continued with the panel “Turkey in the New World Order”. Journalist Ferda Çetin, CHP (Republican People’s Party) Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Hüseyin Çiçek from Vienna University and Joost Jongerden from Wageningen University participated as speakers in the panel moderated by academic Latife Akyüz.

Tanrıkulu: The AKP and the government have not done their part so far

CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu attended the conference online from Ankara due to the mobilization of his party after the operation against Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. 

Sezgin Tanrıkulu stated that the call made by Abdullah Öcalan on February 27 for the solution of the Kurdish issue was in the nature of a manifesto and said, “The organization (referring to the PKK) responded positively and this process entered a different phase. However, the AKP and the government have not done their part so far. On the contrary, it has developed very harsh practices. Instead of facilitating the congress of the organization, it is doing the opposite and impeding it. The organization also explains this, and frankly my observations are in this direction. The AKP has not provided transparent information to the public about the process so far.”

Stating that the CHP sees parliament as the address for the solution of the Kurdish question, Tanrıkulu continued: “Unfortunately, the AKP is not in favor of this. From the first day, our chairman Mr. Özgür Özel has been calling for this. We especially called for the establishment of a commission in Parliament on this issue. But the AKP maintains its silence on this matter. On the contrary, the AKP is implementing very harsh policies against both Kurdish politics and the CHP. They have appointed trustees to many municipalities, including Van and Mardin.  Similarly, operations were carried out against municipalities in Istanbul and Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was imprisoned. HDK members were arrested. The AKP and the government are not taking any steps. We say that if a political step is to be taken a the solution to the Kurdish question, the parliament is the address. But I am not optimistic that this will happen.”

Çetin: The US and the EU are silent on Turkey’s actions

Journalist Ferda Çetin stated that Turkey pursues an expansionist pattern, as is proven by its settlement in Syria, Iraq and some places in the Middle East. He said: “Turkey's rulers do not see all these actions as a violation and they actually support them. Turkey has 80 bases in Iraq and as many in Syria. The US is not bothered by this either. That's why this situation is not only associated with the AKP. The US and the EU are silent against this. On the contrary, they defend Turkey's rightfulness on security grounds. If we do not see this, we cannot see Turkey's relations with Europe as normal.”

Ferda Çetin also criticized the relations between the European Union (EU) countries and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and stated, “He will visit Europe soon. This person was one of the leaders of Al-Qaeda in the past. A person who ordered many massacres cannot be treated like this just because he is wearing a suit. Therefore, we need to talk not only about the practices of the AKP government in Syria, but also about the attitude of the European Union.”

Çiçek: There is an autocratic regime in Turkey

Hüseyin Çiçek from the University of Vienna underlined that there is an autocratic regime in Turkey and said, “Today we have an autocratic Turkey at home and an aggressive Turkey abroad. In 2017, Erdoğan replaced the parliamentary system with the presidency. He created a one-man regime. He changed the balance of power. Serious pressures on the media, pluralism and civil society organizations started. 

Foreign policy is a mirror of domestic policy. Turkey’s policies in Syria, Somalia, Iraq and Cyprus are purely military. Europe has security and economic ties with Turkey. The European Union maintains its silence because it sees Turkey as a buffer zone for migration and an area for trade.”

Jongerden: Öcalan has been looking for an interlocutor for 25 years

Joost Jongerden from Wageningen University stated: “There is no Kurdish question in Turkey, but a 100-year-old Turkish question. We need to talk about it and discuss it. Abdullah Öcalan's call for a solution to this issue is historic. All parties need to listen to it. The call must be implemented in order for us to reach peace. The process that started between Turkey and the PKK in 2009 ended negatively. In order for this period not to repeat itself, communication channels must be opened. Obstacles must be overcome. Abdullah Öcalan and PKK leaders must meet. The state must fulfill its responsibilities.”

Jongerden said that Abdullah Öcalan’s words “I am looking for an interlocutor” in a book he wrote 25 years ago are still valid and added, “I hope that this time he finds the interlocutor he is looking for.”

Joost Jongerden called on European Union countries to remove the PKK from the list of terrorist organizations.

Today's pre-lunch session ended after the questions of the participants.

The conference continues in the afternoon with a panel on “The European Union, the Kurds and Turkey in the Context of Progress and Democracy”.