Tuncer Bakırhan, co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), addressed the current developments during his party’s parliamentary group meeting.

Bakırhan began his remarks by commemorating Kurdish Language Day on 15 May, delivering part of his speech in Kurdish.

He said: "Happy Kurdish Language Day. Our language is everything to us. Every people should learn their own language. Education in one’s mother tongue is a right."

The DEM Party co-chair also marked the anniversary of the Soma mine massacre, commemorating those who lost their lives and emphasizing that they will continue to pursue justice for the victims.

We hope this new process will lead to peace and equal citizenship

Bakırhan said that they are in the midst of a very important process and that the door to a long-awaited period has finally been opened: "For years, society has dreamed of days like these, days when peace and a resolution are genuinely discussed. That door has now been opened. I hope it brings good to all of us, to all the peoples of Turkey. I hope we will crown this moment with peace and equal citizenship and offer it as a gift to the 86 million citizens living in Turkey. The hearts of 86 million people are truly beating for peace. After the recent statements, during the visits, meetings, rallies, and gatherings we held, we all witnessed how much the people of Turkey long for peace. Our friends from Konya know this best. We have all lived through a history shaped by pain."

A process millions have been waiting for

Bakırhan continued: "Despite decades of repression, people never gave up hope. Instead, they nurtured it. We are now in a moment that millions have longed for.

As Kurdish poet Pîremêrd wrote: 'They say a year has twelve months, but ask me, I have seen months that felt like fourteen years.' We, as Kurds, have endured such days throughout the past forty years of pain and oppression that each one felt like an entire year. I sincerely hope we can now begin to live our days as they are, free from pain, war, and conflict. Every single day spent waiting for peace and resolution felt like a year. I believe many of our friends here have experienced such times, when each passing day carried the weight of a full year. May no one ever have to live through such suffering again."

We will carry the flag of freedom to its rightful place

Bakırhan added: "The congress held by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) between May 5 and 7, 2025, and the decisions announced on 12 May have created a real chance for a democratic solution and a vital opportunity for peace. May 12 will no longer be just a date on the calendar in Turkey, it will go down in history as the day that marked the beginning of easing the heavy burdens of the past. At this point, we carry with us the struggle of our comrades, the sacrifices made by all of you, the memories of those who are no longer with us, our fallen loved ones, our companions on this path, and above all, the prayers of our mothers and fathers. We arrived at this day thanks to them. We remember with gratitude and respect every soul we have lost in the struggle for peace and democracy. We bow in reverence before their memory, and together with these pure hearts who applaud with sincerity, we once again renew our promise: we will carry their flag of peace, democracy, and freedom to its rightful place."

The beginning of a new era

Bakırhan said that "the short but momentous period from February 27 to May 12 signaled the end of one era and the beginning of another. The transformation initiated under the leadership of Mr. Öcalan stands as one of the most profound turning points in both Kurdish political history and the history of Turkey.

Now, the struggle carried out with great sacrifice is giving way to the resolution of the issue and the construction of a democratic society. This decision is also a call to establish a democratic foundation for Kurdish-Turkish relations, to strengthen the idea of a shared homeland, and to advance a peaceful resolution. It is a message not only directed at the Kurdish people, but also at Turkish society and the international community.

Yes, following these calls and congresses, what is now expected, especially in this process, from all 86 million of us is to claim our rights and our future with determination, to amplify our voice, and to demonstrate a will capable of transforming democratic politics."

The true owners of this process

Bakırhan said: "The role of politics is clear: to make the peace process permanent and to enact the necessary legal and political reforms. This is a profound responsibility that falls on the shoulders of political actors. The duty of the international community is to offer genuine support and solidarity during this critical period. Parliament, political parties, civil society, democratic mass organizations, intellectuals, writers, and artists are the true owners of this process. We have no doubt that they will do everything in their power to ensure its success.

Humane, concrete, and confidence-building steps are essential

Yesterday, Mr. Devlet Bahçeli stated that the atmosphere of peace must be lasting and realistic, and that politics should be strengthened through legal and political measures. We consider this statement to be highly valuable and wholeheartedly support this constructive approach. Similarly, Mr. Özgür Özel’s observation that “lasting societal peace depends on the sincerity and legality of the steps taken” is both meaningful and significant. In light of these statements, we believe that implementing humane, concrete, and confidence-building measures without postponing them until after the holiday would help open the way for Turkey. This would turn Eid al-Adha into a double celebration. On this matter, we express our expectation that the executive body will fulfill its responsibilities and duties accordingly.

A decision that could change Turkey’s fate

This decision, which has the power to change Turkey’s fate, is of vital importance, and I will try to explain why, briefly. Imagine we are all living in the same village. In that village, there is a single well filled with the water we all need to live. For years, we’ve been fighting over that well. Because of our fighting, no one has been able to benefit from its water, and worse, our conflict has caused the well to dry up. Now we’ve reached a turning point. We must make a decision: either the well dries up completely, or we join hands, stand shoulder to shoulder, and work together to bring the water back, to strengthen and revitalize the world around us. That water, that well, this is our shared destiny. Today, we are Turkey, standing together at the edge of that well."

It heralds an equal and democratic future

Bakırhan added: "Our hearts are scorched by thirst, our lands cracked by drought, and we now find ourselves gathered at the edge of that well, looking into each other’s eyes. We are passing through historic days, days in which we must revive the dried waters and open new wells of life. The bold statement made by Mr. Bahçeli on October 22, the historic call by Mr. Öcalan on February 27, and the ownership and resolve shown by Mr. Erdoğan on April 10 have become guiding lights leading us to the shores of peace. The congress decisions announced by the PKK on May 12, opening the door to a new era, now herald an equal and democratic future. Believe me, we are fully aware that we are on a difficult and demanding path. But with the will of politics, the belief of youth, the strength of women, and the prayers of us all, one day we will achieve peace in these lands.

A small minority disturbed by peace must face their conscience

We have shared sorrow for centuries. Now is the time to grow and deepen our shared destiny and brotherhood. From the fertile plains of Mesopotamia to the lush highlands of the Black Sea, from the olive-scented shores of the Aegean to the snow-capped peaks of the Zagros Mountains, we have shared the same blue sky. We breathe in the scent of the same soil. It is time to claim it as our own. It is time to choose life over death, peace over conflict and violence. To those who still remain on the outside, I entrust them to your conscience. It is difficult to understand why they choose not to join. A war is ending, and yet we see a small minority disturbed in their safe harbors, those who feed on blood, who thrive on weapons, who are nourished by the loss of our youth. May God grant them wisdom. And hopefully, as this process moves forward, they too will come to see the error of their ways."

Mandela also endured great suffering

Bakırhan ended his remarks by saying: "Look at Mandela, he, too, endured unimaginable pain. He spent 27 years in prison for defending his people and his identity and suffered brutal torture behind bars. After his release, years later, Mandela was sitting in a restaurant when he recognized a man at a nearby table: it was one of the guards who had tortured him in prison. The guard, realizing that Mandela had recognized him, began to panic. Mandela stood up, walked over to his table, and seeing his fear, said, “Do not be afraid. I did not come to this table carrying the weight of the past. I have left it behind.” Mandela wanted to prevent a painful history from repeating itself. He was speaking of a new era. Today, sitting among us is our companion, our wise elder Ahmet Türk. He once recounted the torture he endured in the Diyarbakır Prison. Believe me, the suffering he went through is beyond imagination. Yet we have worked together in politics for over 30 years, and not once has he spoken with hatred or revenge in his heart. He left behind the pain he experienced and continued to speak of peace, democracy, and resolution. It is this dignified, principled stance that must be supported and upheld.

To delay this opportunity is wrong

We will, of course, never forget the past. We will confront it. But without becoming trapped by it, we must strive to build a democratic, egalitarian, and peaceful Turkey. What matters is that we act with courage and determination. What matters is that we do not place our political ambitions, or the blood-stained, profit-driven mindsets, before the cause of peace. Let us find peace together in the Alawite semah, a spiritual circle dance symbolizing unity and harmony, the prayers of the Sunnis, the folk songs of the Turks, in the traditional Kurdish kilam, which conveys stories of love, resistance, and sorrow of Kurdish dengbêjs, the laments of the Armenians, the dances of the Circassians, and the horons of the Laz people. Peace reveals itself so beautifully in all of these, if only we are willing to see it with our hearts. There is an important Kurdish saying: “If an opportunity comes to your door, to delay it is wrong.” And today, to delay peace is forbidden. Peace is sacred, because peace is what truly belongs on this land."