The Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" and the PKK's decision at its 12th Congress to end its activities under the name of the PKK, as well as the efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue, continue to be discussed in various circles. 

 

Commenting on the issue to Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Laura Castel, Catalan Senator, Member of the Spanish House of Representatives and Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), stated that Abdullah Öcalan's call is historic. Commenting on the call as "brave" and "a step forward", Laura Castel said: "It is very brave step from the side of Mr. Öcalan, I would say that. But of course, the conditions in İmralı prison are not the best conditions for he’s not free to say everything. He's kidnapped there. But still I think it is a step forward."

 

Referring to the supportive decisions taken by the PKK following Abdullah Öcalan's call, Laura Castel said: "There are clear messages from PKK that convey this willing to clear peace process and also to this social politics. I only can evaluate and assess positively, because I think it is brave to do it this kind of generous way"

 

'NOW IS THE TIME FOR TURKEY TO STEP FORWARD'

 

Laura Castel stated that it is time for Turkey to take steps in response to the steps taken by the Kurds: "Now it's time to Turkish government to step forward. And it could be, first of all, set a dialog with in a good faith, showing the willingness of the Government of Turkey that this is serious. So the first point, under my point of view, is to release Mr. Öcalan in order to him be free, and having the opportunity to lead these conversations face to face in the same level, not in prison. Because if you are in prison, you are not free to deal with anything. Because you are kidnapped, you are a hostage. So he should be released and then lead this dialog. After that, maybe a reform in the Constitution could be a good thing, whatever it is the solution, but put it in the law, in order to be lawful."

 

'THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SHOULD ACCOMPANY THE PROCESS'

 

Pointing out that the Council of Europe should also contribute to the process, Laura Castel stressed: "Now everybody, assessing this moment, as a positive starting point. I said in the Monitoring Committee last week in Riga when we talked about Turkey, that now it made it the point to use this organization and these different organisms in the Council of Europe to accompany this process. As a cornerstone of the democracy, rule of law and human rights in the international arena, the Council of Europe should be this organization that could accompany this process as a mediator. So now maybe it's time to do this. So I proposed that in the monitoring committee when we did the debate on Turkey and in reference on the peace process, on the call from Mr. Öcalan and the PKK dissolution. "

 

'THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED'

 

Emphasising that the PKK has been targeted with the discourse of "terror" for many years, Laura Castel added: "The problem until now has been that this stack of PKK as terrorist organization, and all this dark cloak that has been put all these years on the Kurdish movement, and that was, has been a problem. Now it's time to clear and explain what is the Kurdish movement, what is the Kurdish history, and let the international opinion know what is really about. I think public opinion, if has information, they take the streets. So I think it is important to explain history of the Kurdish movement, and Mr. Öcalan and all the backgrounds in order to know the truth. Because, normally the oppressors, always explain the history as in its best convenience. Sometimes there are a lot of lies and there are a lot of misinformation, and that is impacting the public opinion."

 

MA / Hîvda Çelebi