The two-day 3rd “Middle East and Peace Conference” organized by the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK) has started in Kadıköy district of Istanbul. Representatives of several international non-governmental organizations, political parties and trade unions are attending the conference.

'We condemn the attacks that serve the interests of imperialist powers'

KESK Co-President Ahmet Karagöz made the opening speech and said, “We see how ISIS and its derivative jihadist mercenaries have turned women's lives into hell while the Middle East is drenched in blood. We are witnessing massacres against oppressed peoples in Syria. As KESK, we condemn the attacks that serve the interests of imperialist powers. We call on human rights organizations to take action. As KESK, we blend the struggle for labor with the struggle for peace and democracy and carry it out in coordination.”

'It is time to bury war and exploitation in history'

Karagöz said that peace can be achieved not only with the silence of guns but also with the common struggle of the peoples. He continued: “We have to be patient and stable for absolute peace. We are aware that peace will not eliminate the problems at once, but the conditions for us to speak are related to peace. As KESK, we will continue our struggle until we build peace. The Kurdish question must evolve into a lasting and honorable peace. We make an open call to all peoples and institutions; it is time for peace and freedom against war. It is time to bury war and exploitation in history.”

'There is a move towards a multi-polar world'

Expressing his views on the topic “Global hegemony struggle and the rupture in the western alliance”, Prof. Dr. Hayri Kozanoğlu said: “It is interesting how Trump addresses Russia as an interlocutor in the Russia-Ukraine issue and does not include Ukraine to the negotiation table, sees it as a weak president and does not invite Europe to the table. Trump says, 'The Middle East is an important point for energy shipments, I should have a say there. I should prevent China's dominance in the Pacific, I should not waste my energy elsewhere.’ America is still very important in certain areas. America is the world's leading military power, the dollar is the world's reserve currency, it is the number one technological power, but America's influence in the world is diminishing. When this is the case, different powers are emerging. China has become an important power. India is one of the fastest-growing countries. Brazil, Mexico and Indonesia are trying to have a say in certain areas. There is a move towards a multi-polar world.”

'We no longer see the discussion of democracy models'

Speaking on the topic “Who was the one who left and who was the one who stayed: Seeking peace in the 1990s and today”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elçin Aktoprak said, “In the 1990s, there were genocides and war, but there was also a search for peace. The 90s was a period when efforts were made to find a solution to the conflict, but conflicts would not end. After the end of the Cold War, after liberalism declared its victory, concepts such as human rights and international law were brought forward and it was like the golden age of liberal values. Women, LGBT+s, minorities were able to take their struggles to the field in the environment that unfolded during the neoliberal period. It was the labor movement that was suppressed both in the 90s and today. UNESCO defined the culture of peace in 1995 and 2000 was recognized as the International Year for the Culture of Peace. The culture of peace is defined in the United Nations resolution as follows: 'Resolving problems by tackling the root causes of war, through dialogue, gender equality and understanding.' In the current period, we no longer see the discussion of democracy models in the literature or in the political arena. The democracy model has been sidelined.”

'We have seen the decline of international law, organizations and peace projects'

Pointing out the need to discuss positive peace, Elçin Aktoprak continued: “Instead of the discourse of ‘security first and then peace’, discussions were held on whether there would be security if peace was achieved. In 2001, the US said this did not work and went back to the discourse ‘we will look at security first and then peace'. We see that the concept of terrorism has risen as a securitization discourse. We see polarization increase after 2008. The state became stronger, walls were built concretely on the borders. We have seen the decline of international law, organizations and peace projects such as the EU. Everyone talks about peace, but everyone acts as if they are riding a horse and no one is talking about positive peace. Our work is more and more difficult than ever. I believe that we need to build the promise of peace from the local level, where we are involved, but not the peace of the masters.”

'We are trying to understand peace through the words of those with the loudest voices'

In his speech titled “The cracked ground and current limits of peace in Turkey”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Demirer said: “Even singing a Kurdish folk song is a justification for beating young people. Despite his important role in this environment, Abdullah Öcalan is subject to limited conditions. We are discussing peace not in a majority that can say what it thinks, but in a society that does what it is told. Instead of philosophical and religious discussions on the peace issue, there are discussions on TV channels about 'what's in it for us, what's in for our benefit?’. We are trying to understand peace through the words of those with the loudest voices and who they shake hands with. Not in conditions where they sit at an equal table. We are discussing peace in an environment of joyless, hopeless constructions. The main opposition party is unable to react adequately to the steps taken to deteriorate its relationship with Kurdish politics. The influence of civil society at the negotiation table is very low. In the negotiation process, it is always the leaders talking. It is time for an ethical stance and to be frank.”

'We are in search of a way forward on the Kurdish question under authoritarian rule'

Speaking at the session titled “Possibilities and challenges of peace in the Kurdish question”, Hakan Tahmaz, President of the Peace Foundation, emphasized that the government has been punishing anyone who says “peace” for years. He stated: “We are talking about a problem created by the fact that the Republic was founded on the wrong foundations. It is not possible to move forward on the Kurdish issue without discussing these issues. There is a crisis in the world, there is a crisis in the human rights regime. We are in search of a way forward on the Kurdish question under authoritarian rule. Every missed opportunity has cost us dearly. This issue is no longer a problem that we can fight alone. We cannot talk about the Kurdish issue independent of the problems in the Middle East and the outcome of the 7 October Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

'We will fight for what we want in an environment of uncertainty'

Stating that everyone's expectations of the solution and peace are different, Tahmaz said: “The process that developed on October 1, 2024 when Devlet Bahçeli went to the DEM Party bench in parliament has nothing to do with the 2015 process. If we do not clarify this, we cannot move forward. We will fight for what we want in an environment of uncertainty. In 2015, all segments of society tried to uncover what was being negotiated between İmralı-Qandil-Ankara and the question 'what is my responsibility' became secondary. We did not spend the energy correctly for the socialization of peace. A new opportunity has arisen. When the Kurdish question and equal citizenship are mentioned, 'security' and 'terrorism' are mentioned. This was based on the PKK's armed struggle. Öcalan defined the process in his meeting and said, 'We will bring the conflict to legal and political grounds'. Öcalan is making a new assessment for the solution of the Kurdish question. I think this is important for the whole of Turkey. They will not be able to come before us with a problem called 'terror' or 'survival'. The excuse they have will be taken away from them.”

‘The authoritarian government does not talk about the Kurdish question’

Emphasizing the importance of putting an end to military and political operations and creating conditions for Abdullah Öcalan to be active in the congress, Tahmaz said, “The main opposition also has a duty. It needs to show today what it will do when it comes to power. The authoritarian government does not talk about the Kurdish question. Instead, they call it an external problem and say the internal problem is over. The authoritarian government instrumentalizes the founding philosophy of the republic for its own political power. It is necessary to take a stance against this. Legal regulations must be changed for nearly 3 thousand sick prisoners. We are taking the burden on our shoulders. When the weapons are disengaged, civil politics will not be able to produce politics with its old routines. Efforts must be made to bring the peace agreement in Syria to life. We are at the beginning of the road. If we leave it to the mercy of the People's Alliance (AKP-MHP) or the AKP, we are likely to go back to the demoralization process of the post-2015 period. We need to be realistic and ask for the impossible.”