Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: On the basis of a joint analytical framework (Panel 1) and a number of research hypotheses this paper analyses the role of civil society in the peacebuilding processes in Turkey?s Kurdish conflict. It aims to study the issues that come into play in the post-conflict environments and different civil society functions within the highly-politicized Kurdish conflict in Turkey. The conflict between the PKK and the Turkish armed forces since 1984 started to de-escalate since the capture of the PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan and after Turkey?s candidacy to the EU have been accepted in 1999. Since then the Turkish state has passed new legislations to ?democratize? the country while at the same time many civil society organizations tried to deal with different issues in the conflict; especially those that are not addressed by the state. The data for the paper are drawn from the author?s fieldwork in the southeastern Anatolia where the armed conflict take place as well as in Istanbul where many civil society organizations have their headquarters. The research focuses only on the post-conflict stage since civil society efforts have been hindered or were insignificant due to the state regulations. It also studies the civil society efforts to prevent the escalation of conflict. The conclusion part discusses the role of civil society in post-conflict and discusses the nexus between civil society and peacebuilding in highly politicized ethnic conflicts.