JINHA

AMED – Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chairs Selma Irmak and HatipDicle released a written statement calling on the public and institutions in Turkey to take up the 10-point draft plan for the peace process released by Abdullah Öcalan.

On Saturday, in the first-ever joint announcement about the peace process, state representatives and opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) party members came together to release a 10-point call for a range of democratic changes in Turkey developed through the work of Abdullah Öcalan. The jailed PKK leader also called on the PKK to assemble in spring to discuss disarmament.

Selma Irmak and HatipDicle, speaking on behalf of the umbrella political congressrepresenting a range of NGOs working for peace and democratization, said that Abdullah Öcalan'sNewroz (Kurdish New Year) 2013 address to the Turkish and Kurdish people had created a historic opportunity for a democratic, peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue.

The statement noted that the recent authoritarian Internal Security Law could create openings for provocation and crisis in the fragile peace process. The law restricts civil rights in the country and outlaws Kurdish regional garb. The Congress called on the state to take seriously the statements made by the KCK on behalf of PKK command, which called for the law to be withdrawn.

"This is why we are calling on the state and government to take concrete steps, to step back from policies that will bring crisis into the peace process and to implement the recommendations of Mr. Öcalan'sdraft plan," said the DTK.

"The first step in this is clearly to withdraw the Internal Security Law bill from Parliament."

 (fk/mg/cm)