A Turkish-Kurdish Peace Treaty must be implemented: STP supports "Campaign for a political solution"

Regarding the Turkish-Kurdish peace process, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) supports the "Campaign for a political solution" in Turkey, which was initiated by the Party for Peace and Democracy (BDP). The campaign aims to urge the government to implement a peace treaty following the conditions that were negotiated between the Turkish government and the banned Kurdish Workers Party, the PKK. On May 8, the PKK started to withdraw its fighters from Turkish territory – as a sign of willingness to put an end to the struggle with the Turkish state that has now lasted for nearly 30 years and during which about 45,000 people lost their lives.

Among other things, the BDP demands the release of all political prisoners, an end to the military mobilization in the Kurdish regions and a legal framework to establish Kurdish as a language of education. Also, non-democratic laws such as the anti-terror act must be abolished. Further, the BDP demands more efforts regarding the prosecution of violence against women and advocates for environmental sustainability. The STP supports these claims and sees their fast and consistent implementation as an essential basis for successful peace talks.

The BDP's initiative will last for a period of at least three weeks, divided into three stages. The first stage started on June 30, 2013 and is expected to last until May 6, 2013: peaceful mass demonstrations are to take place in various cities in the Kurdish settlement areas of south-eastern Turkey. In Diyarbakir, there have already been clashes between protesters and the police. The security forces used water cannons and gas grenades. There were several injuries. Sit-ins and other events are planned for the next weeks – and the BDP has invited a wide selection of representatives of different political parties and civil society organizations.

The peace treaty between the PKK and the Turkish state came into effect on March 21, 2013, the day of the Kurdish Newroz (New Year). Both Kurds and Turks are hoping for a rapprochement, so that the long-lasting violence can finally come to an end. The STP warns that the process should not be delayed by the ongoing protests in Istanbul and other Turkish cities, because this would intensify the domestic problems.