Felicity Party proposes convening in Diyarbakır for peace

Sinan Tartanoğlu
 
With debate raging over the Afrin Operation and what steps are to be taken to further it and early election scenarios, Felicity Party General Chair Temel Karamollaoğlu has made a noteworthy proposal with regard to the region’s problems. A few days after 18 March, the day on which the Afrin Operation entered the city centre, Karamollaoğlu made a proposal to the government for a conference to solve the Middle East’s problems.
 
“Peace, Stability and Brotherhood”
In his appeal that has not attracted much attention among the heated debate, Karamollaoğlu, having analysed the stage the Afrin Operation has come to, said, “A matter that is as important as border security is fostering a climate of brotherhood” and commented, “A widely attended regional conference should be organised in Diyarbakır. Alongside the legitimate governments of Islamic countries, all groups that have not taken up arms should be represented at this conference, to be held under the rubric of “Peace, Stability and Brotherhood.”
 
Fifteenth anniversary of the occupation
The significance was stressed of the making of this appeal to the ruling body both following the completion of the first stage of the Afrin Operation and on the fifteenth anniversary of the US occupation of Iraq. The main thrust of this appeal was stated to be not certain problems such as Afrin, Manbij and the east-west of the Euphrates viewed as being “tactical improvements” but to draw attention to the game being played in the region involving ethnic and sectarian differences.
 
Both Damascus and North Syria
From what has been learnt, the thought that the government needs to take diplomatic, economic, socio-cultural and psychologic steps along with military steps has morphed into the proposal for a “Peace, Stability and Brotherhood” congress to convene in Diyarbakır. It was stated that there needs to be the widest possible participation by the legitimate regimes which it is thought should be invited to the conference, deemed to be the first of the steps to be taken for solving the region’s problems. With it stated that contact needs to be made with the Syrian regime, too, the need was voiced for both the Damascus government and representatives of North Syria with which the operation was staged to be invited to the conference. However, it was underlined that tribes in North Syria should be represented at the conference, not the YPG/PYD.
 
The Felicity Party is reported to have suggested that invitations to the mooted congress in Diyarbakır should go out to the Iraqi and Iranian governments. In conjunction with this, stress was laid on the importance of both the Iraqi central government and Kurdish party representatives in the Northern Iraq Regional Government being represented.
 
However much it is conceded to have solved its own internal problems between it and the Kurds living in its territory, the Iranian government’s presence at the conference was said to be necessary.
 
From the native language problem to cultural rights
Premised on the thought that the Kurdish problem lies at the root of the problems being experienced in the region, it was stated that the Kurds living in all four countries could be consulted at the Diyarbakır conference over solutions to all the problems they were experiencing with their government. It was pointed out that, to this end, each and every problem from the native language problem to cultural rights could be solved through consultation between all parties. The importance was stressed of the conference convening without losing any time as a vehicle for dialogue in which each representative would set out their expectations and be able to converge around lowest common denominators.