ISTANBUL – Rezan Sarıca, lawyer of Abdullah Öcalan pointed out that the legal existence of Kurds should be secured and said, “A new page has been opened, the problems accumulated due to the Kurdish issue should be eliminated.”

 

While the PKK's announcement that it had ended the armed struggle at its congress on 12 May was considered as the beginning of a new phase in the Kurdish question, the decisive role of Abdullah Öcalan's search for a solution, which he had been pursuing for years, came to the fore again. 

Rezan Sarıca, one of the lawyers of Asrin Law Office, evaluated this historical process to Mezopotamya Agency (MA). 

 

A HISTORICAL TURNING POINT

 

Considering the PKK’s congress decision to declare an end to the “armed struggle” as a historic turning point for the region Sarıca stated that behind this decision lies the democratic solution perspective developed by Öcalan for years. 

 

“This is a transformation not only of the PKK, but also of an entire style of struggle. Along with the Kurdish freedom movement, the state and the entire social structure must also undergo change,” he said and added that the state should read this step not only as “neutralisation” but also as a call for the construction of a lasting peace. 

 

Sarıca stressed that Öcalan’s development to this point was not sudden and that he had been giving messages in this direction for many years. Emphasising that Öcalan proposed a political solution instead of violence at many stages such as the ceasefire declared in 1993, the peace groups initiative in 1999 and the 2013 solution process, Sarıca said: “From the statements he made in 1993 until today, there has been consistent stance in Mr Öcalan’s line. The main goal is the freedom of the Kurdish people and democratic life.”

 

Sarıca reminded the times when Öcalan stated that he could “en the conflicts in a week” and said that he had been looking for an interlocutor for dialogue and reconciliation for years, but he could not find a response. 

 

DISARMAMENT AND DEMOCRATIC POLITICS

 

Emphasising the need to pave the way for democratic politics with the end of the armed struggle, Sarıca stated that Turkey’s legal and political system has important duties at this point. He stated that the Anti-Terror Law should be abolished, political prisoners should be released and obstacles to political representation should be removed. 

 

He added, “If weapons are out of the picture, politics must take over. Democratic struggle should no longer be prevented.”

 

According to Sarıca, this transformation is a matter that concerns not only the Kurdish people, but all the peoples of Turkey. He said that the state must restructure itself on a democratic basis, freeing itself from the policies of denial. 

 

ISOLATION 

 

Stressing that the İmralı system must be terminated for the healthy progress of the process, Sarıca said that communication with the society of Abdullah Öcalan is the guarantee of a democratic solution. He emphasised that the isolation is applied not only to an individual but to the whole society. "Öcalan has been prevented from reaching the society. However, as the architect of the solution, Öcalan's free thoughts should reach the public. This is also the insurance of peace," he said. 

 

Sarıca stated that İmralı should turn into an "ancient bridge of peace" between the peoples of Mesopotamia and Anatolia.

 

LEGAL STATUS AND CONSTITUTIONAL CITIZENSHIP

 

Emphasising that the natural existence of Kurds is recognised, but their legal status is still not recognised, Sarıca stated that the problem should be solved at the constitutional level. Drawing attention to the need for an “equal citizenship law”, Sarıca stated that an approach based on recognition and participation should be adopted instead of the politics of denial. Sarıca said, “"Kurds have proved their natural existence, but they still do not exist legally. A democratic life will only be possible when this contradiction is eliminated."

 

THE MANDELA EXAMPLE AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES

 

Sarıca drew attention to the peace achieved in South Africa through Nelson Mandela's negotiation process and stated that Öcalan has been ready for a similar solution for years. Reminding that peace could not be established before Mandela's liberation process began, Sarıca emphasised that ending the isolation imposed on Öcalan would pave the way for peace and said, "Mandela prepared for peace while he was imprisoned. Öcalan was ready for negotiations in the same way. But his conditions were not provided. However, peace passes through the ground where leaders can establish dialogue."

 

DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY AND SOCIALISM

 

Sarıca argued that the paradigm of "Democratic Socialism" developed by Abdullah Öcalan could offer a solution not only to the Kurdish issue but also to the crises in the entire Middle East, and spoke of an alternative structure to capitalist and statist systems. This structure is a model in which the individual, family and society can govern themselves said Sarıca and added: "Society needs to govern itself with its own values, on a moral-political basis. This is the model Öcalan proposes."

 

He stated that this model offers a ground for freedom and equality that can inspire not only ethnic identities but all peoples.

 

CRITICISM OF THOSE AGAINST THE PROCESS AND DOMINANT POLITICS

 

Sarıca said that the circles opposing the process mostly have sovereignty and rent-seeking approaches and that these actors feed on conflict. He stated that especially some nationalist and power-oriented circles see the possibility of peace as a threat to their own political interests and said, “In 100 years of political history, the rivalry of two dominant veins has always cost this country. Therefore, the peace process should not be compressed into narrow political interests."

 

Sarıca also criticised the opposition blocs that oppose the process based on their opposition to Erdoğan. "The opposition that does not offer a solution only feeds on the continuation of the conflict. Any attitude that excludes a democratic solution is undemocratic," he stressed.

 

CALL FOR SOCIAL RECONCILIATION AND RESPONSIBILITY

 

Sarıca emphasised that the developments presented a historical opportunity for the peoples of Turkey and the region and that this process should be appreciated. Sarıca underlined that everyone should approach the process with responsibility and continued: "If there is to be peace, everyone must see themselves in this peace. A democratic solution is no longer a possibility, but a necessity."

 

MA / Diren Yurtsever