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The Democratic Party for Equality (DEM) has launched a series of high-level talks in parliament following a rare meeting with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is serving a life sentence on a prison island off the coast of Istanbul.
This is the party’s first visit in almost 10 years. The People’s Democratic Party (HDP), the predecessor of the pro-Kurdish DEM party, last met with Mr. Öcalan in April 2015.
After the government approved the party’s request on December 27, a DEM party delegation consisting of parliamentarians Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan visited the island.
The party’s former mayor, Ahmet Türk, also participated in subsequent parliamentary discussions.
The delegation first met with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, and then held discussions with Debret Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
After these meetings, the DEM party is expected to issue a comprehensive statement detailing its discussions with Öcalan and the feedback received from other parties.
The delegation will also work with various social organizations, including non-governmental organizations, trade unions and professional associations.
After their return from the island, a DEM party statement released on December 29 said Mr Öcalan was “prepared to make a call” in support of renewed efforts by the Turkish government to end the decades-old conflict. It’s done,” he said.
Twenty-five years ago, after years on the run, Öcalan was captured by Turkish security forces in Kenya and sentenced to death. However, the death penalty was abolished in 2004, and Turkiye spends the rest of his life in an isolated cell on a prison island.
The visit came about after Mr. Bahçeli invited Mr. Öcalan to come to parliament to demand renunciation of terrorism and the disbandment of the PKK.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an ally, supported the appeal as a “historic window of opportunity”.
“I have the ability and determination to actively contribute to the new paradigm initiated by Messrs. Bahçeli and Erdoğan,” Öcalan was quoted as saying in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ozgür Ezer, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), expressed cautious support for the initiative.
“I say ‘yes’ to a new process that will be carried out honestly and transparently. My only condition is that the Turkish Parliament and any political party should not be excluded,” he said. He said this in an interview with the daily Sabah newspaper published on the 2nd of May.
“Whatever I do, I will do it with the eyes of the families of our martyrs and veterans in mind.”
