Turkel small National Assemblies in March scrutinized in detail two ‘violence laden’ national issues.Main topics at the sNA meetings in 20 provinces were “violence directed at women” and “Civil society participation in the peace process” İnvited by İzmir sNA, Diyarbakır and İstanbul sNAs attended each other’s meetings and participants and the representatives of the parliament heard firsthand the different sensibilities.
Turkel small National Assemblies in March scrutinized in detail two ‘violence laden’ national issues.Main topics at the sNA meetings in 20 provinces were “violence directed at women” and “Civil society participation in the peace process” İnvited by İzmir sNA, Diyarbakır and İstanbul sNAs attended each other’s meetings and participants and the representatives of the parliament heard firsthand the different sensibilities.
The invitation by İzmir sNA was promptly reciprocated by mayor Osman Baydemir but mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu in his comment to journalists said he was to visit Diyarbakır later and his schedule did not permit him now and that there was a misconception that İzmir did not want peace.
Radikal newspaper finding this initiative positive carried it to the headlines for two days it atracted attention. Editor in chief Eyüp Can suggested Trabzon to be included to the peace process and Kadir İnanır of Trabzon known for his support for peace and the province’s MPs were invited to İstanbul sNA. However İnanır was to be in London at the date and the MPs of Trabzon did not reply. And neither did İstanbul Greater City Mayor that we have invited.
Parliamentary representatives were present at the lively meetings generally wikh high attendance. In İzmir Musa Çam (CHP), in Diyarbakır Cuma İçten and Galip Ensarioğlu(Ak Party), in İstanbul Binnaz Toprak and Faik Tunay (CHP), in Ankara Orhan Atalay (Ak Party), Engin Altay (CHP) and Mesut Dedeoğlu (MHP), in Elazığ Zülfü Demirbağ (Ak Party), in Hatay Hasan Akgöl (CHP), in Muğla (Bodrum) Ömer Suha Aldan (CHP).
The parliamentary participation in 20 meetings of March was 12 in total (CHP 6, AKP 5, MHP 1 which makes 0.6 per meeting, a little above half a representative.) How much politicians are ready to cooperate in working with civil societies deserves some consideration; those present MPs are not included in this criticism of course.