“Doors must open,” said Tuncer Bakırhan, Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Co-Chair, on Tuesday, highlighting the need for dialogue with Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader. Bakırhan addressed reporters after the party’s weekly meeting in Ankara, focusing on the stalled communication with the imprisoned PKK leader.
Bakırhan acknowledged uncertainty about when a delegation might revisit Öcalan or when the previous team would share details. “I hope they return as soon as possible. This is our demand too,” he stated.
Responding to Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s comments on a second meeting and disarmament, Bakırhan remarked, “Ignoring problems won’t solve them. The Kurdish question and Turkey’s democratisation are intertwined. For any call from İmralı, the delegation must visit, and the government must act.”
Bakırhan urged authorities to prioritise open communication channels, framing it as essential to addressing longstanding political challenges.
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