According to Kurdistan Press, the “Peace and Democratic Society” process has entered a new stage after the approval of the framework law.The 12-article bill “Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration” was submitted to the Turkish parliament on August 5 with the signatures of 367 deputies, passed the Justice Committee on August 8, and was approved by the parliament’s general assembly on August 10.

Public opinion is now awaiting the implementation of the law. One of the issues of interest is the fate of the government-appointed mayor policy, which has been in place for a third term.

Abdullah Zeydan, the co-elected mayor of the Van Metropolitan Municipality, who has now been replaced by a government-appointed mayor, assessed the framework law and its possible impact on the policy of appointing guardians in an interview with the Kurdish news agency Valat.

Framework Law is a Historic Step, but Incomplete

Zeidan called the adoption of the Framework Law a historic step, but noted that the law has significant shortcomings and does not cover Abdullah Öcalan and a large number of individuals.

 “The existence of the Kurdish people, their culture, language, education and similar issues must be recognized through laws,” he said. However, we know that this law is only a beginning.”

Referring to Öcalan’s statement that “I brought the Kurdish struggle from the gallows to the negotiating table,” Zeidan added: “Heavy costs were paid, but we were able to convince the world of our existence. The government has retreated in terms of denial, destruction and assimilation, and this stage was achieved through the struggle of Öcalan, the youth, women and the Kurdish nation.»

He described the Framework Law as the beginning of the Turkish government's acceptance of the existence of the Kurds and continued: "This step is the result of 50 years of effort and the cost of 500 steps. In order to advance the process, we still need struggle, unity and effort. Öcalan also warns us about this and calls for the formation of communes and the organization of society."

The policy of appointing guardians should be abandoned along with the peace process

In another part of his speech, the co-elected mayor of Van addressed the policy of appointing guardians and stated that this policy is not limited to occupying a municipality building, but also means plundering public resources and transferring them to groups close to power.Zidan added: “When the government takes a historic step to accept the Kurds, both in the mental and legal realms, this development should also affect the policy of appointing guardians; because guardianship means denying the Kurds and not tolerating them.”

He predicted that as the process progresses and the anticipated steps are implemented, the existing cases against local administrators will be dropped and the excuses for appointing guardians will disappear.

Zidan continued: “A great step has been taken in the field of achievements and acceptance of our identity, but this is not the end of the matter. We expect the guardians to withdraw. We also see their performance; they have destroyed the cities and left nothing behind.»

He spoke of the readiness of elected administrators to re-govern cities with public participation, a collective approach, and cooperation with local forces, adding that more serious efforts must be made to compensate for the damage caused and end the policy of appointing guardians.