ISTANBUL – Politician and former CHP MP Melda Onur stated that the government must change its rhetoric regarding the new peace process, and emphasized that any commission established in Parliament should include not only political parties but also civil society organizations. 

 

After Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and Democratic Society,” the PKK declared a ceasefire, held its congress between May 5-7, and on May 12, announced the end of its armed activities, describing it not as an end, but “a new beginning.” Despite these significant steps, no response has yet come from the government.

 

‘PEACE IS A COMMON DESIRE’

 

Melda Onur said peace is a shared aspiration across all segments of society and added that Turkey’s current process should be viewed in the context of international peace models: “Every country has its own history, but there are frameworks we can learn from. The problem is, politicians often cherry-pick what suits them. We need to assess both the strengths and flaws of such models to shape our own. I am cautious about this current process, it’s vague, with no clear plan of action. We’ve seen how such gestures in the past led nowhere.”

 

‘PAST PROCESS UNDERMINED TRUST’

 

Referring to the 2013-2015 peace process, Melda Onur said: “Back then, at least there were established commissions and the Wise People Delegation, which travelled the country. After the process collapsed, many involved were marginalized, imprisoned, or forced into exile. That’s why people today are cautious, and rightly so.”

 

‘CIVIL SOCIETY MUST BE AT THE TABLE’

 

Melda Onur recalled her participation in a women-led peace forum in Amed (Diyarbakır), where one young woman said, “They promised us spring and peace—but everything was turned upside down. How can we forget?” Citing this, she stressed the importance of grounding the process in institutions: “It’s crucial to move this into Parliament, but I don’t think Devlet Bahçeli should shape that commission alone. Political parties must be involved, but so should civil society groups.”

 

‘INCLUDE FAMILIES FROM BOTH SIDES’

 

Melda Onur underlined the Irish peace process as a model for broader inclusion: “After elections, all parties with a certain vote share were included in negotiations. Later, a women’s coalition was formed, made up of families from both sides. They even formed a party and gained seats. This gave people rights and trust in the process. We saw similar dynamics in the Philippines and Colombia, where the first sign of change was a shift in language. But in Turkey, the language remains rooted in violence.”

 

She said no one wants to lose their children to this conflict anymore. Recalling that the 2013 process broke down after the Serekaniyê incident, she warned against government insincerity: “In the Philippines, provocation happened, but the process continued. Here, the government talks about managing martyr families but has no actual plan. In Ireland, the most difficult part was reconciling families. That’s because this is not just political, it’s deeply social.”

 

‘ALL VOICES MUST BE HEARD’

 

Melda Onur criticized the government’s contradiction between talking democracy and continuing anti-democratic practices like trustee appointments: “You can’t talk about democracy while suppressing it in half the country. We need all parties, intellectuals, civil society groups, martyr families, and the Saturday Mothers at the table. If we’re talking about a new constitution, it must come from a constituent assembly, not imposed from above. Otherwise, we risk chaos.”

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal