The Language, Culture and Art Commission of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party met with language institutions at the Çand Amed Congress Centre. During the meeting, opinions and suggestions were also received to be forwarded to the "National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission" established in the Parliament. 

 

Commission Co-Spokespersons Cemile Turhallı and Heval Dilbihar drew attention to the denial of the Kurdish language, culture, and identity and emphasized that the mother tongue must be officially recognized.

 

Speaking at the meeting, HDK Co-Spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş stated that the Kurdish language must be included in the commission's agenda “without any ifs or buts.”

 

Stating that the mother tongue is the reason for existence, Beştaş said that they do not accept Kurdish being offered only as an elective course.

 

Meral Danış Beştaş stated, “Language is our priority. Some people point out that Kurdish is already offered as an elective course in schools and that children can learn the language this way. From our perspective, this is not an acceptable situation. A war has been waged for years, and thousands of people have lost their lives for this cause. The Kurdish question is not only the problem of the Kurds, but also of Turkey.”

 

Meral Danış Beştaş stated that the parliamentary commission may meet with Abdullah Öcalan in the coming days: “We believe that a commission-level delegation could meet with Mr. Öcalan in the coming days. Not meeting with Mr. Öcalan would be inconsistent with the spirit, understanding, and approach of the process. We have examined numerous experiences around the world and listened to academics, and there is a common view that Mr. Öcalan should be heard. Education in the mother tongue must be available, it must be used in the public sphere, and obstacles must be removed. Our stance on this issue is clear."