
Meral Danış Beştaş: Developments in the Middle East urge Turkey to resolve its internal issues

2025-06-27 09:25:05


	ISTANBUL – Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) Co-Spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş stated that developments in the Middle East are sending a clear message to Turkey: “Resolve your internal issues.” She emphasized that peace is one of Turkey’s most urgent needs and underlined HDK’s commitment to a democratic solution in the region.

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	Meral Danış Beştaş criticized the Turkish government’s passive stance on peace, describing its approach as “wait-and-see,” and noted that internal debates within the ruling bloc are also being reported.

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	Recalling the HDK’s 13th General Assembly in November 2024, where the need for building a just peace was prioritized, Beştaş explained that the organization has since held public forums titled “Talking About Peace” across several cities. She said, these meetings involved open dialogue, not top-down messaging.

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	Highlighting widespread distrust in the government, she said: “There’s strong demand for peace but also deep-rooted anxiety. This distrust stems from the government's repressive rule since 2015—crackdowns, mass arrests, the Suruç and Ankara bombings, the annulment of the June 7 elections, and more. These are events still fresh in collective memory.”

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	‘ÖCALAN’S CALL GAINED GLOBAL SUPPORT’

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	Referring to Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”, Meral Danış Beştaş noted the significant international support it garnered: “We are living in a time when philosophers, Nobel laureates, and academics around the world are backing peace. Meanwhile, in Turkey, people are being criminalized, municipalities are being seized through government-appointed trustees, and public discourse is stifled.”

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	She stressed that the peace process must involve all sectors of society: “It’s not just HDK, DEM Party, or Öcalan. The entire public is a stakeholder. Peace and democratization are inseparable.”

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	‘THE PROCESS MUST BE CARRIED BY THE PEOPLE’

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	Meral Danış Beştaş criticized repression against civil society and opposition groups, including arrests targeting HDK members. “Thirty of our colleagues were arrested; 11 remain behind bars. Yet, this doesn’t deter us. We consider peace a value worth struggling for,” she said.

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	Citing the arrest of journalist Fatih Altaylı as an example of the suppression of dissent, Meral Danış Beştaş added: “Even those not aligned with us ideologically are affected. Everyone has a seat at this table. Social consensus is vital.”

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	PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION TO BE FORMED IN JULY

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	Meral Danış Beştaş addressed the upcoming parliamentary commission expected to facilitate legislative changes around peace and democratization: “This commission must be formed immediately. From what I see, aside from the IYI Party, no party has opposed it. We expect the commission to be shaped by July.”

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	Emphasizing the need to overhaul the judicial system, including the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK), and advocated for constitutional reform Meral Danış Beştaş said: “Education in mother tongues, linguistic rights in public space, and decentralization must be secured. The Anti-Terror Law must be changed.”

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	On regional tensions, Meral Danış Beştaş said: “The current chaos in the Middle East is a warning to Turkey: clean up your house. We are not siding with Iran or Israel. Both governments are committing human rights violations, Israel in Gaza, Iran with executions.”

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	She reaffirmed HDK’s commitment to the “Third Way”: “We are not obligated to align with either camp. We support democracy and human rights. Kurdish people are being falsely portrayed as pro-Israel. We reject that. In Israel itself, we saw mass protests against the Gaza assault. People everywhere must act for justice.”

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	MA / Melik Çelik&nbsp;

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