Following Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society", the PKK held a congress and announced a "new beginning" at its 12th Congress. 

 

Nesteren Davutoğlu, a member of the Assembly of the Union for Democracy (DİB), stated that the decisions taken by the PKK were positive and important. Emphasizing that the process should continue in mutual harmony, Nesteren Davutoğlu said, "I see Abdullah Öcalan as a very wise and far-sighted manager by evaluating this situation in terms of peace. This is a very correct attitude. Peace is too important an issue to be wasted on mutual stubbornness. Because at the end of this, people's death or people's peace is in question."

 

'SOCIETY SHOULD ALSO STRUGGLE'

 

Emphasising that change will only be possible if the parties fulfil their responsibilities, Nesteren Davutoğlu said: "I see this step towards peace as a very important step for our children and grandchildren. The state has an important role to play here, but we know that the state comes from a conquering tradition and that peace cannot be achieved immediately. Therefore, conditions must be created for the people to achieve peace within themselves without waiting for the state. For this purpose, we should establish an environment that is equipped with love and that will benefit everyone by using the language of peace." Nesteren Davutoğlu stated that everyone has a responsibility to ensure an environment of peace.

 

EXPLAINING PEACE TO THE SOCIETY

 

Nesteren Davutoğlu said that she found the CHP's attitude positive and added: "It was the dream of all leftist parties to achieve peace in Turkey. Now they should show themselves if they want peace. First of all, they can strengthen this process by listening to each other and showing respect. If this is reflected more strongly to the public, I am sure that the society will be convinced of this. On the other hand, the state has a lot of duty, but the state is already made up of these communes. We need to declare this partnership together."

 

Nesteren Davutoğlu stated that language and communication are powerful tools in explaining peace to the society and added that it is important to explain this through professional means and campaigns. Stating that communication strategies such as campaigns and advertisements should be used to explain to the society why peace is good and beneficial, Nesteren Davutoğlu continued: "I think that a process that is equipped with persuasion instead of an accelerated process will be more permanent and beneficial."

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal