Amed — The statement called for the enactment of a broad framework law that lays the foundations for a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue, and constitutes a foundational step toward a new phase that transcends narrow security policies.

A press conference was held in the city of Amed (Diyarbakır), convened by the Free Women's Movement (TJA), to discuss the "peace and democratic society" process and the framework law project presented to parliament. The conference was attended by representatives of civil society organizations and city institutions, and a banner reading "It's Time for Women" was displayed in the hall.

During the conference, TJA activist Ayla Akat read a statement stating: "Our region and the Middle East today stand on the threshold of a new historical era. The Kurdish issue, which has been exacerbated by policies of denial, destruction, assimilation, and war for over a century, has now become an urgent necessity to be resolved through democratic and political means. The framework law, expected to be placed on the parliamentary agenda, should be seen as the first step in this historical phase. The framework law should not be the end of the road, but the beginning of a new era in which the foundations of the democratic solution, the peace law, and the subsequent transformation process are laid. It should express the principles upon which these foundations will be built."

"We believe that lasting peace can only be achieved through building a life based on women's liberation. Removing the legal and political obstacles that prevent all women from actively participating in democratic political life and the social sphere, and ensuring an equal, free, and organized life for women, peoples, and all segments of society, are our fundamental responsibilities," as affirmed by the movement in its statement.

A Comprehensive Legal Framework Addressing the Kurdish Issue

The statement called for the adoption of a comprehensive legal framework that enables the resolution of the Kurdish issue and the overcoming of regional crises, with due consideration to the peace strategy and women's liberation perspective advanced by leader Abdullah Öcalan. It noted that all legal regulations currently being prepared or discussed should be formulated with this legitimacy in mind.

The statement also emphasized that ensuring leader Abdullah Öcalan enjoys free working and communication conditions, and securing his physical freedom, hold historical importance for the progress of the process, and that this role must be concretely reflected in the framework law. "At this stage, the manner in which legal regulations are prepared and their implementation mechanisms, and their capacity to build legitimacy and trust among various segments of society without discrimination, are crucial factors in advancing the process."

The statement explained that the law to be enacted should be comprehensive and free from any discrimination, and should pave the way for a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue. It called for moving beyond narrow security-based approaches that hinder the process's progress, and adopting a foundational approach that encompasses all societal dynamics, strengthens trust and justice, and opens the path to coexistence.

"We Will Be the Guardians of the Law"

The statement emphasized that peace and negotiation processes must be managed not from a military, masculine, or male-dominated perspective, but from one in which women are the founding actors. "In this regard, the state and parliament are committed to ensuring equal representation of women in all committees of the Grand National Assembly, ensuring their political participation in return and integration processes legally, and implementing the necessary legal regulations. For our part, we are determined to establish independent women's mechanisms that enable women to express their views directly in society, make women's organizations an essential element of the process, and combat the obstacles to their political participation. The struggle for women's liberation, as the bearer of women's resistance, the accumulated experience of the Free Women's Movement, and the philosophy of Jin Jiyan Azadî, today constitute the strongest guarantee for a democratic solution. Women will remain the leading force in spreading peace and building a free life. As TJA, we will not retreat from our struggle based on women's liberation, our demand for the physical release of leader Abdullah Öcalan, and our insistence on a peace law in which women are the primary actors. We affirm that we will commit to the laws and implementation procedures that will be enacted, and we will expand the scope of our struggle from this historical responsibility."