Anti-terror panel hosts women, youth associations

ANKARA

A parliamentary commission tasked with reviewing the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” project heard testimony from several women and youth associations on Oct. 15.

The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission convened under the leadership of Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and with the participation of lawmakers from all the political parties represented at the parliament, except for the İYİ (Good) Party.

Officials from the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA), Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) and the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) were among the associations present at the commission meeting. They explained their point of view regarding the ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” bid.

The panel has been reviewing the legal, social and political dimensions of the government’s anti-terrorism effort. Under the initiative, PKK declared a ceasefire and later announced plans to disarm and dissolve following a call from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan.

A first group from PKK dropped and burned their weapons in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq in early July. The government anticipates achieving the disarmament of the PKK in the coming months.

The commission members will hold their next meeting in the Kurdish majority province of Diyarbakır on Oct. 17, according to the reports.

Before the meetings, Kurtulmuş will attend Dicle University’s academic year opening ceremony and a local cultural festival.