New photo of Selahattin Demirtaş shared

The “Qad-Peace Square” website, established by the QAD-Peace Research Association founded in Cologne, Germany, in February 2024, went live yesterday. An article by former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been imprisoned in Edirne Prison for approximately nine years, was also published. Along with the article, a new photo of Demirtaş was shared.

Here is an excerpt from Selahattin Demirtaş’s article titled “Let’s Go to the Square”:

"No one knows the value of “PEACE” as much as the people of geographies whose lives have been shaken by the pain of war and destruction. For them, the word “peace” evokes a sorrowful joy even when it is merely spoken. Is it possible for a Norwegian and a Syrian, a Swede and an Afghan, or a Dane and a Kurdistani to have the same feelings when they hear the word peace?

Whoever needs something, whoever lacks something, seeks that most of all. Just as we seek peace the most, peace is the dream of every people who have experienced the pain of war. However, as it happens, this dream of ours is often interrupted by nightmares and terrors; we are left in a cold sweat, unable to wake up to a happy morning or sleep peacefully at night. There is a saying attributed to Ibn Khaldun, considered one of the pioneers of sociology, that “geography is destiny.” In our lands, however, geography is also grief.

For many years, we have been searching for the peace that will end our grief and turn it into joy. No one can start peace as easily as they start a war. Because once a war begins, so many factors and interest groups become involved that the war may cease to be your own. For this reason, you also find it difficult to build a peace that is not yours, for a war that is not yours. Just as those who conduct war carry out their military tactics; logistics, intelligence, diplomacy, alliances, or propaganda with patience and meticulousness, those who seek peace cannot succeed unless they carry out the tactics of peace; its logistics, diplomacy, alliances, or propaganda with the same patience and meticulousness. Indeed, wanting peace, merely demanding it, has never been enough to ensure peace anywhere, at any time.

We want, demand, and desire peace. But because we know this is not enough, we continue to work for the construction of peace wherever our breath allows. The QAD Peace Research Association emerged as a part of this effort. It was founded in Cologne through the labor of academics, researchers, and activists who had to live and work abroad but continue to struggle for peace. For now, it will contribute to peace from abroad, with the intention of moving to the country at the first opportunity when conditions allow. By a great coincidence, QAD, which began its work right in the middle of a new peace process in Turkey, will face serious responsibilities. The volunteers of QAD are already aware of this and have taken the initiative.

First and foremost, we are aware of this: The silencing of weapons is only the first stage of peace. Although this situation is called 'negative peace' in the literature, I prefer to call it 'political peace.' Following this, the process of building positive peace (social peace), where all potential for conflict will be eliminated, will begin, and must begin. Since we do not have the power to command weapons, even if we cannot be decision-makers in the negative peace phase, we are striving for this phase to be completed with an honorable agreement and in a way that paves the way for the construction process of positive peace. But our main task, our essential responsibility, relates to what comes after. Because for peace to be fair, lasting, and problem-solving, what is done in the subsequent stage—that is, the period after weapons are laid down—is important and decisive. If a system, administration, or regime based on human rights, institutional democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms, and fair distribution in the economy cannot be established, the thread by which peace hangs will inevitably snap somewhere.

Our primary goal with QAD is to create a free discussion environment aimed at forming the archive, theory, and institutions of all stages of peace. Every thought expressed at QAD can only be limited by universal fundamental principles; without placing any other boundaries, we will try to serve our people's honorable peace with free and critical thoughts, new ideas, and suggestions. Perhaps if we can succeed and create the conditions, we are discussing and will discuss transforming QAD into a think tank within the country. Of course, all initiative lies with the QAD management, which is responsible for creating a free discussion environment.

First of all, we have to discuss thoroughly and create a roadmap for social peace. Ultimately, we know very well that when weapons are silenced, there will be no automatic transition to democracy. For this, we will have a difficult and long struggle ahead of us. We must courageously discuss all kinds of work aimed at socializing democracy, starting with the efforts to transform it into a culture within ourselves first. Perhaps we should start by looking at ourselves: Without us becoming true democrats, and without our institutions turning into civil centers where democracy functions, what, whom, and how can we change? How can we make peace permanent without building models that are based on justice, equality, and freedoms, and are closest to direct democracy? And of course, without freely discussing, talking, and researching, how can we find the answers to these questions?"