What PKK leader, Kurdish politicians discussed in second meeting?

Due to the national mourning period, detailed statements regarding the second DEM Party meeting with Abdullah Öcalan were not disclosed. Gazete Duvar reached to the pro-Kurdish party resources to get the details.

Saturday January 25 2025 12:09 am

Sırrı Süreyya Önder (L), Abdullah Öcalan (C), and Pervin Buldan (R) pose together during the last peace process in 2013.

Ceren Bayar / Gazete Duvar

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party delegation, which met with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, issued only a brief statement following their second meeting on Jan. 22 without many details.

It was noted that the details of the discussion were not disclosed due to the national mourning declared after the hotel fire that claimed 79 lives.

In the brief statement, the delegation said, “Our team has provided Mr. Öcalan with the necessary updates regarding the discussions we have been conducting. Mr. Öcalan’s work on the process is ongoing. Once the preparations are finalized, the necessary announcements will be made to the public. This process will allow everyone to live together freely. With this hope in mind, we look forward to the valuable contributions of all social groups.”

As expectations for a more detailed statement grew, the brief announcement following the four-hour meeting surprised many. DEM Party sources explained that the decision to keep the statement short was made due to the national mourning.

Undisclosed details

According to sources, if the delegation consisting of senior politicians Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder had not decided to make a brief statement, they would have shared a framework with the public containing more details on the discussions held during the second meeting and information regarding upcoming activities.

The statement would not have included a call for laying down arms, but it would have emphasized the need for the complete cessation of violence in all its forms.

When Gazete Duvar asked DEM Party sources whether the undisclosed details would be provided in the coming days, they stated that no written statement was planned. However, they mentioned that the party co-chairs or the delegation members may share details of the second talk in upcoming meetings.

During the second meeting, the delegation provided a summary of the discussions and contacts made since their first visit. As part of this summary, evaluations from almost all political parties in the parliament, as well as the views, criticisms, and concerns of political party representatives, were conveyed to Öcalan.

Öcalan’s hopes

Öcalan valued the feedback from the political parties' discussions, found them very positive, and sent his greetings to everyone who has offered support to this process, according to the DEM Party.

Sources indicated that Öcalan conveyed hopeful and positive messages about the process, with one source saying, “Öcalan is confident that the issue will be resolved. He emphasizes that this time we must not miss the opportunity.”

The DEM Party also shared its stance that in order for Öcalan to play a secure role in this process, the isolation measures imposed upon him in the prison must be lifted.

A source from the DEM Party remarked, “A historic meeting is taking place, a historic process is being pursued, and a mission is expected from Öcalan. But the isolation conditions in İmralı Prison create a challenging situation.”

The party sources clarified that improving the conditions in prison was not Öcalan's personal request, saying, “Öcalan stated, ‘For the integrity and successful conclusion of this process, improving the conditions is necessary. It is also important for the process to be able to influence the relevant mechanisms. Personally, it does not matter where I am. However, if the process is to reach its conclusion, isolation must be lifted.’”

It has been learned that Öcalan has been continuing his ongoing work in collaboration with Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım, and Veysi Aktaş, who are also serving sentences in İmralı Prison, and they were contributing to the efforts.

Emphasis on parliamentary process

The DEM Party representatives stated that, just as in the first meeting, Öcalan emphasized the importance of conducting the process within a legal framework, adding, "He reiterated that the parliament should be the central body in this matter."

They relayed Öcalan’s point, "This is not a debate between me and the government. It is a discussion about the right of all societal groups in Turkey to live in a democratic country, under a democratic legal system. Therefore, everyone must contribute."

What will happen next?

The delegation will continue its contacts with different groups next week. If necessary, additional meetings will be held with political parties in the Parliament, as well as with civil society organizations and parties that are part of the leftist Labor and Freedom Alliance.

Sources from the DEM Party shared that the focus of the meetings is on removing violence and conflict from the agenda entirely.

They stated, "Along with removing violence from the agenda, all the legal reasons behind the problem must also be eliminated. That is, when a result is eliminated, the cause must also be removed. Media and politics often focus on whether a call for disarmament will be made or if the PKK will be dissolved. But there is no motivation to eliminate the reasons behind this. However, making the necessary adjustments and changes to eliminate the results is more important than completely removing the grounds for violence and conflict. Because if that ground is not addressed, today’s problem will end, but another one will arise tomorrow."