Pro-Kurdish DEM Party visit parties after meeting with PKK leader

Since the meeting with PKK leader Öcalan, the DEM Party delegation has visited various parties to provide brief updates and seek support.

Tuesday January 07 2025 12:28 am

Ceren Bayar / Gazete Duvar

The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party delegation, which met with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan on Dec. 28 in jail nearly after a decade, has been continuing its political engagements.

The delegation included lawmakers Pervin Buldan, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, and Mardin co-mayor Ahmet Türk who was recently ousted by the government and replaced with a trustee mayor.

Last week, the delegation met with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli who unexpectedly called for the meeting with Öcalan to happen.

During these meetings, they sought support for the new process initiated by Bahçeli about the imprisonment of Öcalan and disarmament of the PKK, and received feedback and suggestions.

The delegation members highlighted the positive atmosphere and favorable conditions for the process, seeking support from political parties to ensure its success.

During the meetings, concrete topics such as steps to be taken, legal regulations, and timelines were not reportedly discussed. Representatives of political parties who met with the delegation stated that the process had not yet reached such a concrete stage.

The parties indicated that concrete steps regarding the process might emerge after one or two more meetings with Öcalan.

Past, future

The delegation also sought criticism and suggestions from political parties regarding the process. During the visit to the Future Party on Jan. 6, an assessment of why the previous peace process of 2013-2015 failed was conducted, and the delegation listened to the new process proposals from Ahmet Davutoğlu, who was the prime minister during that period.

Future Party leader Davutoğlu stated that Bahçeli’s statements and calls were highly valuable and expressed their support for the process.

Emphasizing the importance of not repeating past mistakes, Davutoğlu suggested that the DEM Party should present a unified voice and consider the sensitivities of all groups. He also stressed the need for effective psychological management of the process and the importance of addressing societal sensitivities in all discussions.

Davutoğlu added that this period is much more advantageous compared to the previous resolution process. He also mentioned that the external conditions were in Turkey's favor, with the MHP, which opposed the peace process last time, now initiating it, and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) not opposing it.

Erdoğan’s role

Davutoğlu also said that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan should take more initiative in this process as he has been keeping a more low profile in the domestic developments while he has often called for the rooting out of the PKK from Syria in recent days.

During their meetings with the delegation, Islamist opposition Felicity Party officials also called for the President to take responsibility. They suggested that the President should inform political parties, listen to their concerns, and conduct similar meetings as the DEM Party delegation.

The delegation currently has no scheduled meeting with President Erdoğan. According to the DEM Party, such a meeting was not deemed necessary at this stage.

Meeting with AKP

The DEM Party delegation on Jan. 6 also visited the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Chair Abdullah Güler, Deputy Chair Efkan Ala, Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, and Deputy Group Chair Özlem Zengin in the Parliament.

The AKP delegation included figures who were part of the team that announced the Dolmabahçe Consensus on Feb. 28, 2015, just before the end of the last peace process. The consensus was a prescription-like document to lay down the solutions for the Kurdish issue which was later denounced by Erdoğan.

Kurdish politicians Buldan and Önder, who also announced the consensus back then were also present in the meeting. AKP sources described the meeting as "sincere and productive," stating that the steps to be taken in the upcoming process were discussed.

Next visits

The delegation will visit CHP leader Özgür Özel, DEVA Party leader Ali Babacan, and New Welfare Party (YRP) leader Fatih Erbakan on Jan. 7. Meetings with representatives of Labor Party (EMEP) and Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), as well as left-socialist parties not represented in Parliament, are also planned for this week.

Meetings with Demirtaş, Yüksekdağ

After these meetings, the delegation will visit former Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, and DTK co-chair Leyla Güven in prison.

These meetings are expected to take place by next week.

Disarmament

One of the most anticipated questions is whether the PKK will disarm. According to the DEM Party, the process has not yet reached a point where this question can be answered.

Government sources indicated that Öcalan may make a concrete call for disarmament after a few more meetings.

Message from Öcalan to DEM Party

After completing all the meetings, the delegation will visit PKK leader Öcalan with notes and suggestions. This visit is expected to take place by the end of January.

It has been reported that Öcalan sent a message directly to the DEM Party. In this comprehensive message regarding the role of the DEM Party in this process, Öcalan emphasized the importance of expanding democratic political space and creating public awareness.

DEM Party sources described the message as recognizing their sacrifices and efforts but indicating that more is needed.