ISTANBUL — Human rights defender Ahmet Faruk Ünsal said that the legal and constitutional barriers causing the Kurdish question must be removed, and emphasized that Abdullah Öcalan’s conditions should evolve into those befitting a negotiator in the ongoing peace process.

 

Ünsal’s comments came after the Kurdish Freedom Movement announced that it had begun withdrawing all its forces from Turkey as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process, a move made in line with PKK’s 12th Congress decisions and with Abdullah Öcalan’s approval. The historic declaration made in Qandil continues to draw reactions both nationally and internationally.

 

Calling the withdrawal “a sign of commitment” to the decisions of the congress and to Öcalan’s ongoing efforts, Ünsal said: “The withdrawal of the guerrillas from Turkey to Qandil is significant both for public reassurance and for confidence-building. What should come next are legal and political steps in Parliament. The recent statement referred to designing a transition process specific to the PKK, which seems to have been agreed upon. The ‘National Unity, Solidarity and Democracy Commission’ formed in Parliament was not originally designed to address the Kurdish issue directly. Now, this declaration explicitly names what the state previously kept vague.”

 

‘TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE SHOULD BE APPLIED’

 

Ünsal underlined that state policies must now directly address the actors of the conflict, adding: “There are two essential steps the state must take. First, remove the legal and constitutional barriers that have created the Kurdish question. Second, develop transitional justice laws that determine how members of the PKK can reintegrate into political and social life. These two issues are crucial — and we are gradually moving in that direction.”

 

‘ÖCALAN’S ROLE MUST BE INSTITUTIONALIZED’

 

Stressing that Abdullah Öcalan’s contact and communication channels must be formalized, Ünsal said: “Mr. Öcalan’s position in this process is unique. His current conditions must evolve into those appropriate for a negotiator. The first step should be for the parliamentary commission to establish contact with him under suitable circumstances. Once that happens, the psychological barrier preventing improvements to his and other prisoners’ conditions will be overcome.”

 

‘MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY HAVE A VITAL ROLE’

 

Ünsal also pointed to the importance of public engagement and social awareness in sustaining peace: “If we see this merely as an issue for the Kurdish people, we miss the essence of the problem. This is a nationwide issue that has cost Turkey tens of thousands of lives, immense economic loss, and widespread displacement. The media and civil society have a serious responsibility to act within a framework of accountability and to help socialize the peace process.” 

 

MA / Yesim Tukel