The protesters against cross-border operations in Northern Iraq camped in tents near Cudi Mountain in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday (6 February). Under the slogan “Opposing operations and supporting a democratic solution”, supporters of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) as well as parties and organisations of the left had cooperated in the a protest.

A convoy joining from Istanbul was held up by countless military checks on the way, and was only able to reach Sirnak after 41.5 hours. Filiz Kocali, chair of the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP) said that they only arrived at 7.30 am in the morning:

"Peace is actually very easy" 

“When we arrived, fires had been lit, and dances had finished. We were in time for the press briefing at 7.30 am. DTP co-chair Emine Ayna announced the ‘Declaration for a Democratic Solution.’”

Kocali said that there had been a small number of security forces watching the event from afar and not interfering. She summarised the speech she made for bianet:

“The problem must be named properly; they say ‘terror’, but it is a revolt against the lack of solutions for the Kurdish issue. A start has to be made by stopping operations. The justified demands of Kurds have to be met. Peace is actually very easy.” (NZ/TK/AG)