The 2nd Ordinary Congress of the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Diyarbakır Provincal Organization was held on Saturday with messages of peace and negotiations. 

The congress was dedicated to three Kurdish women who were killed in Paris on 9 January, Sakine Cansız, a co-founder of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Fidan Doğan, representative of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) in Paris, Leyla Şaylemez, member of the Kurdish youth movement, and to HPG (People's Defense Forces) Military Council Member Ethem Karabulut (Numan Amed), who lost his life in a clash in Lice district of Diyarbakir on 31 December.

Thousands attended the congress in the main Kurdish city Diyarbakır, including BDP co-chair Gültan Kışanak, deputy co-chair Meral Danış Bektaş, deputies Altan Tan and Nursel Aydoğan,  DTK (Democratic Society Congress) Permanent Council members, delegations, Peace Mother Initiative, representatives of a number of NGOs, HDK (People's Democratic Congress) members, Diyarbakır Bar Association, 78's Initiative, Dicle Fırat Dialogue Group, Azadî  Initiative, KADEP, EMEP, ESP, TMMOB, KESK. 

The congress with the motto "Let's evolve the negotiation process into solution" began with one minute silence for all those  who lost their lives in the struggle of freedom and democracy.

Speaking here, BDP co-chair Gültan Kışanak underlined that both the Turkish and Kurdish sides should sit down at the negotiation table without putting forward any preconditions. Kışanak called on the AKP government to remove the preconditions it has put forth and underlined that; “We are ready for negotiations but negotiations cannot progress if only one side move. Both sides should be able to speak and involve in the process on an equal basis to work towards a solution”.

Kışanak added that they wanted to meet Mr. Öcalan in the ongoing process of talks to ensure a permanent and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.