First group meeting from DEM Party following call by PKK terrorist leader Öcalan: 'The PKK is not the only addressee of this call'

Tülay Hatimoğulları, Co-Chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), is speaking at her party's group meeting in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

Before the group meeting, a video of approximately 5 minutes was shown, which was the DEM Party's March 8 International Women's Day video.

Highlights from the statements of DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları are as follows:

"Greetings to the women around the world who are struggling against the male-dominated system," said Hatimoğulları, who also sent greetings to Leyla Güven, Figen Yüksekdağ, and other female DEM Party prisoners held in jail.

"Let it be our promise to all women who have carried the history of struggle to this day despite all the heavy costs, that we will build a geography together where women can live freely," said Hatimoğulları, and continued:

"We have waged our struggle against the male-dominated system and the state mentality that fosters it. The government has never taken genuine steps to prevent male violence against women. The year 2025 was declared the 'Year of the Family.' We oppose practices that portray abortion, contraceptive measures, and even cesarean sections as abnormal. Take your hands off women's bodies, government. Women are being murdered by the men they love the most.

The roadmap to prevent male violence is very clear. We have voiced this in the fields, in the squares, together with the women's movement in Turkey. Every one of our female deputies has voiced this from the podiums. First of all, the Istanbul Convention must be returned to immediately. The understanding of poverty imposed on women must be abandoned immediately.

Women's poverty is not just an economic issue for women. It is an urgent need to end these policies that lead to the increasing impoverishment of women along with the economic crisis and to implement gender-equal economic policies. This government has appointed trustees to municipalities that wanted to address women's problems."

"THE CALL IS ALSO TO THE STATE AND THE OPPOSITION"

Later, mentioning the call for disarmament and dissolution made by PKK terrorist leader Abdullah Öcalan to his organization, Hatimoğulları included the following statements in her speech:

"We are close to a period where demands for democracy, freedom, and justice will begin to enter our lives, rather than fear, anxiety, and syndromes. Mr. Öcalan has closed a century with courage. The addressee of this manifesto is not only the PKK, but the state and the entire opposition. One of the most important addressees is the TBMM. Parliament must rapidly expand the space for democracy. A lasting peace will only be possible when the second century of the Republic is crowned with democracy.

'THE BASIC DYNAMICS OF THE STRUGGLE ARE JUSTICE AND FREEDOM'

In the process ahead for Turkey, the basic dynamics of the struggle are justice and freedom. When the government fulfills the requirements of this call, all peoples and faith groups will gain greatly, and Turkey will certainly achieve peace. An unprecedented level of support has come for Öcalan's call. Within the country, Devlet Bahçeli, Özgür Özel, Ali Babacan, Ekrem İmamoğlu, Ahmet Davutoğlu, and many other actors whose names I cannot list have made statements of support. Our components, left-socialist, and democratic parties have also made statements of support. This is historic support.

"IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S TURN TO TAKE ACTION"

The PKK's declaration of a ceasefire has increased our belief in peace. For this hope to grow even further, it is very important to create the ground for the PKK to convene its congress and to stop cross-border operations. For the sake of this process, it is the government and the state that must take action. We will first build peace in our language. A great duty falls upon the media and press workers in these matters as well. It is important that Mr. Erdoğan embraces this process, but words are not enough for the establishment of peace; action and implementation are required. This is expected from the President.

It is in our hands to grow and develop this beginning. I see those who look at the past and say it is 'difficult.' Here, we will trust in our organized struggle for a democratic republic in this geography, in our historical knowledge and experience, and most of all, we women will trust in ourselves in this process. Mr. Öcalan also stated that the contribution of every segment is needed. Öcalan's free working and living conditions must be created rapidly. The legal and judicial basis for this process must be established. Peace is the work of the brave.

Tülay Hatimoğulları continued her words as follows:

"Öcalan has closed a century with courage. The addressee of this manifesto is not only the PKK"

News Source: 12punto