NEWS CENTER - In a statement on the bill submitted to Parliament, the Movement’s Leadership said the draft contained serious flaws and shortcomings, adding: “Unless Rêber Apo is able to live and work freely and coordinate this committee, many of the provisions set out in the law will not implemented.”

 

The importance of legal guarantees has been repeatedly emphasized throughout the Peace and Democratic Society Process, launched by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call on February 27, 2025. The 12-article framework bill, titled the “Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration” and setting out the proposed legal measures, was submitted to Parliament on August 5.

 

The Movement’s Leadership issued an important statement on the framework bill. The full statement is as follows:

 

“The framework law, which has been awaited for months, has passed the committee and will now be put to a vote in Parliament. Alongside those who have strongly opposed the law, there have also been those who have criticized it on several grounds. The DEM Party, too, raised many of its shortcomings and inadequacies in the committee and set out what needs to be done in the aftermath of the law. Following Devlet Bahçeli’s call, Rêber Apo said he had the capacity to move the conflict stemming from the Kurdish issue onto a legal and political footing. In his February 27, 2025, Call for Peace and a Democratic Society, he clearly set out a roadmap for how this could be achieved. Our Freedom Movement has fulfilled its responsibilities to advance the Peace and Democratic Society Process on the basis of Rêber Apo’s call. On this basis, there has been no armed conflict for the past year and a half. 

 

THE FRAMEWORK LAW SHOULD SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF PEACE NOT WAR

 

As part of this process, the National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission was established in Parliament to work towards peace, democratization and resolution to the Kurdish issue. Following series of consultations, the commission produced a report which, despite its serious shortcomings, can nevertheless be regarded as significant. Throughout this process, Rêber Apo has been in contact in dialogue with state officials, DEM Party and our Freedom Movement in efforts to ensure the adoption of a framework law that will pave the way for democratization and a resolution to the Kurdish issue. We, too, have closely followed the discussions and developments surrounding the framework law throughout this process. We have publicly shared our views and criticisms of the draft law, which presented to us in various forms, through a series of statements. First and foremost, we emphasized that a framework aimed at achieving peace must speak the language of peace, not the language of war. As Rêber Apo has emphasized, we stressed that the law should not be narrow or simplistic, nor should it be framed in a way that fails to serve the future, and that mutual sensitivities must be taken into account. We also underlined that Rêber Apo must be free and able to work freely in order for the steps envisaged by the law to be implemented. We also stated that the importance of the law committing to the adoption of democratic and freedom laws through a series of concrete steps. 

 

Rêber Apo had already conveyed his views to the public, through the DEM Party delegation, on the purpose of the framework law and what it should entail, even before our statement. During this process, the DEM. Party and other democratic forces have also put forward their views and proposals on the framework law and held a number of discussions on the matter.

 

The bill, which has been the subject of debate for months and reflects the views of our people, of us, and of democratic forces, has passed the Parliament’s Justice Committee with the approval of other political forces, despite opposition from an anti-Kurdish faction in Parliament that resorted to provocations.

 

THIS LAW CONTAINS SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS 

 

This law contains serious shortcomings and deficiencies. The recommendations put forward in the parliamentary commission’s report on democratization and a resolution to the Kurdish issue have not been reflected in the law.  In this regard, the law has failed to fully meet its objective. The fact that it refers only to disarmament without mentioning the Kurds shows that the issue has not been addressed in a comprehensive manner. In addition to its serious shortcomings in the content, the language and terminology used also pose a serious problem for a law aimed at achieving peace. Undoubtedly, this is not language that our people or our Movement can accept. Our Movement and our people have emphasized that if a law is to be enacted and a process is to move forward, this can only be possible if Rêber Apo is able to live and work freely. They have reiterated this at every opportunity.  Any steps concerning our Movement and their implementation can only be possible if Rêber Apo is able to live and work freely and if the process is personally led and guided by him. The Peace and Democratic Society Process can move forward only when Rêber Apo is able to live and work freely. As the Freedom Movement, all the steps we have taken so far have been based on the expectation that Rêber Apo would be able to live and work under free conditions. From the very beginning, Devlet Bahçeli pledged that Rêber Apo’s right to hope would be granted.

 

MANY PROVISIONS WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE UNLESS RÊBER APO COORDINATES THE BOARD

 

Devlet Bahçeli and AKP Officials have emphasized that this process is a state policy. All statements have likewise been made in line with this policy. Devlet Bahçeli has stressed that Rêber Apo will serve as the “Coordinator for the Peace Process and Political Transition” within the peace and democratic society process.  State officials also accepted Devlet Bahçeli’s proposal. However, the role Rêber Apo is to play in this process is not specified in the framework law. It merely states, in vague terms, that the board to be established under the chairmanship of the vice president may form sub-committees. Unless Rêber Apo is able to live and work freely and coordinate this board, many of the provisions set out in the law will not be implemented.

 

THE LAW CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH ONE-SIDED IMPOSITIONS

 

In this regard, how the law will be put into practice is important. Any law can become meaningful in practice if it is implemented through the right means and methods. The procedure, approach, method and language used are important. This is because the law cannot be implemented through one-sided impositions. On such an important issue, creative and constructive approaches and methods that open the way forward are also important. In short, this law can only be implemented if a language of peace is adopted, if its implementation is led and directed by Rêber Apo, and if it is reinforced by new democratic legislation to be enacted.

 

MUST ACHIEVE ITS PURPOSE THROUGH LAWS THAT ADVANCE DEMOCRATIZATION WITHOUT DELAY

 

The law is intended to promote the democratic political sphere on the basis of democratization. Democratic political activity can only be ensured through democratization that fully guarantees freedom of thought and freedom of organization. In this regard, this framework law must achieve its purpose without delay through legislation and measures that advance democratization. As Rêber Apo and all democratic forces have stated, this law should serve as a starting point. Only if it paves the way for further developments can it fulfill its role as a foundational and framework law.

 

The disarmament and return of the guerrillas is being sought. But if, returning to Turkey, they are unable to engage in democratic politics with freedom of thought and organization, and if they face imprisonment over their statements and organizational activities, then it would not only be impossible for the guerrillas to come down from the mountains, even politicians who were forced to go to Europe would unable to return. This is just one concrete example. Of course, democratization and resolving the Kurdish issue have many other dimensions as well. 

 

A STARTING POINT FOR SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

 

This law is a starting point. The struggle for democratization must be advanced in order to resolve all problems, particularly the Kurdish issue. In this regard, our peoples and all democratic forces must organize and struggle for democratization and a resolution to the Kurdish issue. Only then can the law fulfill its role as a genuine framework law and serve as a starting point for significant developments.”