Answering journalists' questions while leaving the courthouse of Diyarbakır after the hearing of 12 Kurdish politicians tried in the so-called Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) case on Wednesday, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Gültan Kışanak criticized the list of wise people announced yesterday to take place in the commission for the establishment of an environment of a just and lasting peace regarding the Kurdish question.

Kışanak avoided making comments on the names, remarking that every single person who believed in democracy and peace could and should make a contribution to the process of negotiations between Kurds and the Turkish state.

BDP co-chair however criticized the government for failing to lead the current process on the basis of public consensus and satisfying the expectations of the society for the involvement of all circles and groups in the process. She said the government should change this approach towards the issue and lead a transparent process by asking everyone's opinion and advice.

Kışanak underlined that the list of wise people didn't include a satisfying number of women, academics and names that could truly and directly represent the Kurdish people.

Referring to the ongoing process of talks for a solution to the Kurdish question, Kışanak stated that the call Abdullah Öcalan made on 21 March has greatly raised the expectations and hopes of the society for the silence of arms and practice of a democratic politics which -she said- were the major points intended to be achieved in this process.

“The Turkish government, judiciary and politics should now give an exact answer on the possibility of democratic politics which primarily requires the release of political prisoners”, she noted.

Kışanak added that BDP wouldn't make a statement on yesterday's Imralı meeting which -she said- didn't witness any new developments to require making a statement.