Co-Mayor Hatun: ‘We hope the peace process concludes with dignity’

Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun attended the awards ceremony of the GGC (Southeast Journalists' Association of Türkiye)“Successful Journalists of the Year” Competition, the 39th edition of which was held this year. Commemorating all journalists who have fallen in the line of duty, Co-Mayor Hatun said: “We hope the peace process concludes with dignity.”

The ceremony, held at a hotel in the Sur district, was attended by Co-Mayor Hatun alongside members of parliament, district municipality co-mayors, representatives of political parties, civil society organisations, journalist associations, and many members of the press.

Opening the event, GGC Chair Felat Bozarslan said they continue this programme to encourage the work journalists do. Bozarslan noted that the Jury Special Award would be presented in the name of politician Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a figure who had become a voice for peace in Turkey and who passed away in recent months, adding: “Although he did not live to see it, we hope social peace will be achieved through a broad consensus. We have also deemed it appropriate to present an award in the name of Nizamettin Kabaiş, who has waged a justice struggle to learn the fate of Rojin Kabaiş.”

Bozarslan further announced that the Press Freedom Award this year would go to Al Jazeera, in order to draw attention to the scale of devastation in Gaza: “In previous years we presented this award to institutions whose press-freedom rights had been violated. But this year, thousands of people have lost their lives in Gaza, and 224 courageous journalists were killed while trying to relay Gaza’s cry to the world. For this reason, we found it appropriate to give the award to Al Jazeera.”

Co-Mayor Hatun: ‘We hope the peace process concludes with dignity’

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun greeted the participants and noted that this was his second time attending the GGC awards. Commemorating journalist Ümit Özdal with respect, Co-Mayor Hatun said:

“Wherever they may be in the world, you—our esteemed members of the press—bring every joy and all that pertains to life to humanity. We live in Amed, an important city of the Middle East. There is a peace process in our country; we hope it concludes in the most dignified manner. Our friend Felat (Bozarslan) spoke of the members of the press who fell in Gaza. Not only in Gaza, but in Rojava too, many members of the press fell in past periods. In the person of Apê Musa, I commemorate with respect and gratitude all journalists who lost their lives. We hope these wars and conflicts come to an end as soon as possible. We wish that the cycle of conflict will not be experienced again in Gaza, Rojava or Turkey.”

‘The time has come to take steps’

Stating that, as Kurds, they are hopeful about the process, Co-Mayor Hatun continued:

“Our hope springs from the justice of our cause and from our courage. The time has come to take steps. The delay of this step is slowly bringing people’s budding hope to the point of exhaustion. Only if we stand together to protect this budding hope, and if we demand that steps be taken and that the constitutional process be accelerated, will this process bear fruit. Once again, I salute all members of the press with respect and affection.”

Co-Mayor Hatun presented the award to the winning journalist

At the ceremony, Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun presented the award to Zelal Sinayiç of Amida Haber.