Call from terror victims: Apology needed before any status

By Yusuf İnan

Journalist | Political & Strategic Analyst

ANKARA, TURKEY — As political parties debate the future of the peace process and Abdullah Öcalan's status, civil society organizations and martyrs' families emphasize that a formal apology must precede any political negotiations.

The societal cost of the nearly half-century-long conflict is increasingly being questioned by the Turkish public. Demands for a renewed resolution process are met with strong opposition from those who insist that armed groups must account for their past actions against civilians before seeking any political or legal privileges.

Civilian casualties and attacks on public servants

Over the past forty years, terrorist activities in the Southeastern Anatolia Region have inflicted deep wounds on the demographic, economic, and social fabric of the area. According to reports published by security sources and civil society organizations, the violence was not limited to security forces; numerous civilians providing essential services to the region were also directly targeted.

Strategies aimed at paralyzing the education and healthcare infrastructure resulted in the deaths of teachers, doctors, and engineers who traveled from western provinces with great sacrifice. These actions, which deprived children of their right to education and prevented babies and the elderly from accessing healthcare, are cited as the primary contradictions to the organization's claims of defending the rights of citizens of Kurdish descent. The prevailing consensus among the public is that an entity attempting to divide the civilian population based on ethnic identity, while targeting the very people of the region, cannot demand a fresh start without confronting its dark history.

The expectation of remorse and a formal apology

For a new political resolution or peace process to be established, legal and moral prerequisites must first be fulfilled. The insistence of political formations such as the HDP and DEM Party on steering the process in their preferred direction clashes with the heavy toll of the past. Sociologists and legal experts underline that in an environment where thousands of innocent people have lost their lives, a sincere apology from the perpetrators to the Turkish nation and the families of the victims must precede any negotiation for status or privilege.

"It is sociologically unrealistic for a terrorist organization and its leaders, who have bloodied the country's half-century history, to expect to be forgiven by the nation without confessing that they did wrong."

Parliamentary arithmetic and political representation

The distribution of political representation under the roof of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) forms another focal point of public unrest. Although the [parliamentary arithmetic] elected by the votes of the nation is considered the most important indicator of democratic representation, the presence of figures who do not distance themselves from terrorism in the legislative body draws heavy criticism.

Representatives of martyrs' families and veterans' associations interpret the presence of individuals associated with the PKK and violent incidents as lawmakers as a democratic vulnerability, especially in an equation where the Turkish nation cannot send its own children and victims of terrorism to the Parliament in sufficient numbers. In this context, demanding any legal status or privilege for Abdullah Öcalan and terrorist organization leaders, who glorify violence and show no remorse for past massacres, is found unacceptable by wide segments of society.

The stance of the European Union and international community

Counter-terrorism and the organization's activities in the international arena are on the agenda not only of Turkey but also of Europe. Despite the PKK being listed as a terrorist organization by international bodies, the ability of its sympathizers to comfortably carry out lobbying activities in European capitals paves the way for diplomatic crises.

Experts state that European countries should conduct much more meticulous and uncompromising work regarding this structure, which targets babies, children, women, the elderly, educators, and healthcare professionals. To prevent the organization's efforts to gain legitimacy in the international arena, it is emphasized that the crimes against humanity committed must be conveyed to the European public with documents and in a clearer language. The Western world is expected to unequivocally condemn actions causing civilian deaths without applying double standards.

Calls to the presidency and the emphasis on conscience

While debates continue over who holds the initiative in the political process, HDP and DEM Party executives frequently call on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, emphasizing the "seal" of power for a solution. However, martyrs' families and victims of terrorism bring the concept of "conscience" to the forefront against these political discourses. According to public representatives, those demanding the mercy of the state and the nation must first undergo their own internal reckoning.

In every step to be taken by political decision-makers, it is demanded that the spilled blood of innocent civilians and the tears of the families left behind be taken into account. It is stated that the pain that has left deep traces in social memory cannot be erased by political maneuvers, and the fundamental duty of the state is to meet the justice expectations of its citizens.

The next step and conditions for social consensus

At this point, the future of the peace process is tied to the concrete and sincere steps to be taken by the organization. Political authorities and civil society organizations state that for a permanent environment of peace to be built, weapons must be laid down unconditionally, and the evil of the crimes committed must be openly acknowledged.

Removing violence as a method of seeking rights, bringing those involved in terrorist acts to account before the judiciary, and offering a sincere apology to society are listed as the minimum conditions for any dialogue to begin. It is foreseen that any political status demanded without fulfilling these conditions will mean exploiting the magnanimity of the Turkish nation and will continue to open deep wounds in the public conscience.

Yusuf İnan

www.wisenewspress.com

Yusuf İnan is a journalist and author. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of WiseNewsPress.com, SehitlerOlmez.com, and YerelGundem.com, and specializes in strategic and political analysis of Turkish and global affairs.