02-02-2010
By Firat Kalahky Ankara - The Peace and Democratic Party (BDP) hold its first conference in Ankara on 1st February 2010, after it’s predecessor DTP was banned for having alleged ties to the PKK. BDP invited many Kurdish parties and people from all four parts of Kurdistan and said the Kurdish issue in Turkey cannot be solved without speaking to the imprisoned PKK-leader Abdullah Ocalan. Selahattin Demirtaş and Gültan Kışanak are the two candidates for leading BDP. BDP intends to be a party to work all over Turkey and their goal is a ‘democratic autonomy’ to solve the Kurdish question. "One of the purposes of the conference is to tackle some new approaches for Turkey and Middle East," Gültan Kışanak told Rudaw exclusively. Gültan was born in 1961, Graduating from Ege University, Faculty of Communication and Public Relations Department of Journalism, İzmir. She became a member of Turkish Parliament during the elections of 22 July 2007. "We believe that there is some trying and the some chances for solving the problems are available," said Kışanak. She also stated that Turkish modern history is full of wars, clashes and denying Kurdish identity. This is why there haven’t been any chance for solving the Kurdish issue. "We believe that this policy has failed, there should not be any denying of Kurdish rights and existence as a nation anymore," she said. BDP the same as DTP Şerafettin Halis, representative of Dersim (Tunceli) city in Turkish parliament and was part of a conference about Dersim in Stockholm on 24 January 2010, told Rudaw that BDP will not change it’s policy. “But we want to recruit a lot of new young in our party". The representative of Dersim city repeated the same view of the banned DTP, that the Kurdish problem cannot be solved without PKK and Abdullah Ocalan. “We will repeat the same thing and not regret it.” Gültan stated that though Turkish government is not denying Kurdish existence as before, they still do not accept the Kurds as a nation. Halis says this is an obstacle in solving the Kurdish issue. AKP doesn’t recognize Kurds The BDP also criticized the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) for not solving the Kurdish issue the last eight years. "In our conference we will ask government and state again to solve the problem in democratic and peaceful way as there are some chances other wise there might be another war and clashes which is not good for either side," said Kışanak. Kışanak told Rudaw that they have invited some Kurdish parties including the two main parties PUK and KDP, as well as some others in all parts of Kurdistan. There are only two candidates for leading BDP, Salahadin Demirtash and Gültan Kışanak . "I personally try to be the one who is worth this position, but it's our people and representatives to make final decision," said Kışanak. Recently members and supporters of BDP are talking about democratic autonomy in Turkey. "This has been discussed for four years. We believe that the model of democratic autonomy is good for Turkish democratization and solving Kurdish problem. We submit detailed report to the representatives of the conference, if they approve it then we will release it as official suggestion for solving Kurdish problem," said Kışanak. BDP to work on same policy and culture Answering the question if BDP is working as extension of DTP or it has a new and different policy, Kışanak stated that DTP has struggled a lot for the sake of Kurdish rights and for the first time they could enter Turkish parliament in 1993. "Regardless of having political pressure on them, they have worked for 20 years. BDP will work on the same policy and culture". She also mentioned that BDP is trying to solve Kurdish problem in democratic and peaceful way and to open some channels of dialogue. " Ocalan: BDP not same as PKK In a earlier statement to his lawyers, the PKK-leader Abdullah Ocalan said the BDP should not be seen as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party and that the party should not repeat the mistakes of the past. “Many parties were closed down in the past, and it’s important not to fall in the same error,” he said. The PKK-leader said while the PKK wants to solve the Kurdish issue with arms, the BDP is doing that on a legal way in the parliament. Investigation launched After the congress, the Ankara’s Chief Prosecutor’s office launched an investigation to find out if the participants of the congress ‘praised criminals’ and tried to ‘estrange people from military service’ (Photo: Rudaw).
Meanwhile, Mehmet Ocalan, brother of Abdullah Ocalan, was elected member to party assembly.
