Peace is a victory for the workers
Trade unions around the world stand for peace and solidarity. This is because it is the working class that pays the heaviest price for wars, conflicts, terrorism, and violence. The profits of arms dealers and imperialists are paid for by workers with their lives, their blood, and the value they create through their labor. Therefore, the interests and moral compass of the working class always require taking a stand for peace.
Our country has recently entered a process referred to as a “Turkey without Terror,” which has been frequently emphasized as a “state policy.” It is said that this new phase marks the beginning of an era in which arms will be laid down, demands concerning the Kurdish question will be expressed through democratic means, problems will be discussed and resolved in parliament, and bloodshed and tears will come to an end.
At DİSK, we have long advocated for a solution based on democracy, justice, and peace — a vision we have defended, hoped for, and voiced for years. Naturally, no person of sound mind and conscience who loves their country and people would oppose such a development. Every step taken toward peace is in the interest of our people and our country — especially the working class.
Great care must be taken to avoid repeating the mistakes of past processes in which hopes for peace and resolution were raised but ultimately dashed. The public’s hope for peace must not be allowed to wither.
To achieve peace, we must persist in democracy; and to achieve democracy, we must persist in peace. The minimum condition of democracy is respect for the right to vote and be elected, the unconditional sovereignty of the people, and the principle that those elected by the ballot box can only be removed by the ballot box.
To build peace, a broad-based social consensus and participation must be secured. A constructive, calm, and free environment for discussion should be fostered. Therefore, every step taken within the peace process must be genuine, must reinforce mutual trust, and must involve all sectors of society. Every peace-seeking initiative must proceed through representative institutions — especially the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Achieving real social peace also requires abandoning the mindset that demonizes all dissenters.
At its core, becoming equal citizens of a democratic, secular, and social republic is the strongest guarantee of a peaceful and fraternal coexistence. The construction of a system where democratic and social rights are expanded, pluralism is respected, and everyone regards themselves as equal citizens of the Republic of Turkey — benefiting fairly from this equality in economic, social, political, and democratic spheres — is the key not only to solving the Kurdish question but to addressing all the problems facing our country.
Peace is the hope of us all. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has expressed the condition for realizing this hope in its founding principles: “If you desire peace, cultivate justice – si vis pacem, cole justitiam.”
Once again, we must underline that peace requires justice, and peace requires democracy. Achieving true social peace entails not only the silencing and laying down of arms, but also the implementation of the principles of equality, freedom, and justice across all spheres of life. A democratic environment where fundamental rights such as job security, trade union rights, collective bargaining, and freedom of association are guaranteed provides the firmest foundation for peace. Because peace also means the construction of a social order in which workers live in dignity and the value they create is shared fairly.
With this understanding, we at DİSK will continue to defend the dignity of labor and the brotherhood of peoples. We will continue our struggle for justice and peace, organizing and fighting to live together in fraternity, as equal citizens under the guarantee of a democratic republic and the rule of law.
Peace is a victory for the workers: Statement on the Peace Agenda by Arzu Çerkezoğlu, President of DİSK, on behalf of the Executive Committee
