Prep Work Begins for Kurdish National Conference
Representative from Kurdish political parties and NGOs came together in Selahaddin (Mesif), Iraq in order to pave the way to a Kurdish National Conference in Erbil - the capital of autonomous region of Northern Iraq.
The meeting was attended by: South Kurdistan Region President Mesut Barzani, Regional Government Prime Minister Neçirvan Barzani, KCK Executive Board Members Sabri Ok, Zeki Şengali and Ronahi Serhat, DTK Co-chairperson Ahmet Türk, BDP co-chairperson Selahattin Demirtaş, YNK Politburo members Sadi Pira and Adnan Müfti, Kemal Kerküki (KDP), PYD co-chairpersons Salih Müslim and Asya Abdullah, KNK co-chairpersons Nülifer Koç and Tahir Kemalizade, and various political party and NGO representatives.
According to Firat News Agency (ANF), representatives agreed to form a conference preparation committee in the end of a 4 hour-long meeting.
The conference preparation committee gave all attendees a 2 two day period in order to determine their candidates. Attendees are expected to meet again after the determination of candidates.
Previously, PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan advised the conference idea and Mesut Barzani made an appeal for attendance.
Conditions are set for Kurds to live peacefully and democratically across 4 countries and Kurdish National Conference will have a contribution to this process, Barzani said.
The meeting attracted several politicians and NGO representatives from Turkey. Notable attendees other than Ahmet Türk and Selahattin Demirtaş included:
BDP Kars Deputy Mülkiye Birtane, Asrın Law Bureau representative Mazlum Dinç, KADEP Chairperson Lütfi Baksi, Freedom and Socialism Party Sinan Çiftyürek, DDKD Chairperson Imam Taşçıer, Islamic Movement general coordinator Fikri Bozkurt, Azadi Initiative General Coordinator Adem Özcaner, Kurdish Democracy Platform spokesperson Sertaç Bucak, Diyarbakır Bar Association Vice President Nahit Eren, IHD Diyarbakır Branch Chairperson Raci Bilici, KESK administrative Kasım Birtek, MEYA-DER administrative Leyla Ayaz, DÖKH administratives Meryem Adıbelli, Figen Ekti, Dicle Fırat Dialog Group spokesperson Nesime Çimen, DTK administratives Mehmet Baysal and Azize Abiş and Saliha Aydeniz, Mesopotamia Alevis Union Nurhayat Altun, Hak-Par Vice Chairperson Bayram Bozyel and party assembly member Ramazan Boray.
In 2011, similar preparations were made in order to organize a Kurdish National Conference - an effort interrupted by the killing of 13 Turkish Army soldiers due to a PKK raid in Silvan, Diyarbakır on July 14. Following the incident, Barzani called off the conference. (AS/BM)
* Photo credit: Hayrullah Saruhan / AA