Selahattin Erdem, a prominent author and analyst for Yeni Özgür Politika, has penned a critical piece on the recent talks with Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan at İmralı Prison. Erdem argued that Turkey is dangerously close to wasting its final opportunity for a peaceful resolution with the Kurds, highlighting the pivotal role Öcalan plays in this process.
“It is crucial to underline this fact one last time: The only person who can reconcile the Kurds with Turkey is Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Everyone in Turkey, from state officials to intellectuals, writers, artists, and politicians, knows this. Yet, a regime of lies and fear prevents anyone from openly stating this truth,” Erdem wrote.
Erdem referenced historical examples to illustrate the risks faced by those who advocated for Kurdish rights. He recalled how former President Turgut Özal, who once suggested discussing a federation with the Kurds, paid with his life. Similarly, former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan faced severe political consequences after acknowledging Kurdish identity.
“We write these examples to highlight the lack of serious and open engagement with the recent meetings between Öcalan and the DEM Party delegation. The AKP government demands an immediate dissolution of the PKK but offers no comprehensive solution. If the PKK is disbanded, what then? The Kurds have established hundreds of organisations since the days of the 'Kurdish Advancement Society' (a late Ottoman Kurdish organisation). Even without the PKK, Kurds will continue to organise and resist in various forms,” Erdem stated.
He criticised other political parties for their superficial support. “The parties visited by the DEM delegation praise their efforts but fail to specify what they support due to fear—fear rooted in historical precedents like Özal and Erbakan. This fear serves to extend Erdoğan’s rule,” Erdem asserted.
Erdem also highlighted the contradiction in Turkey’s current stance. “While there is some lip service to ‘peace’ and expectations from İmralı, there is no corresponding thought, politics, discourse, or action. The AKP continues to threaten the PKK, seeks its designation as a ‘terrorist organisation’ in Baghdad and Damascus, seizes municipalities governed by the DEM Party, and represses journalists, politicians, and dissidents,” he noted.
Related Articles:
Read more from Selahattin Erdem
Erdem: A new era of political debate on the Kurdish questionErdoğan’s Pyrrhic victory
Erdem concluded that Turkey’s policies towards the Kurds have led the country to the brink of collapse. “Anti-Kurdish policies have pushed Turkey into disaster. The only force that can save Turkey from this catastrophe is democratisation based on Kurdish freedom, and the only person who can achieve this is Öcalan.”
He proposed a clear roadmap for resolving the conflict:
1. Mutual ceasefire: “The first condition is the declaration of a bilateral ceasefire. Without this, meaningful discussions cannot occur.”
2. Recognition of Kurdish rights: “Turkey must genuinely accept the Kurdish people’s existence and democratic rights, reflected in constitutional and legal reforms.”
3. End to İmralı isolation: “The current isolation and torture system at İmralı must be dismantled. Öcalan needs conditions that allow for secure living and free political engagement.”
Erdem warned that continuing with the current mindset and policies will lead Turkey nowhere. “Everyone in Turkey, from the government to the opposition, must approach this issue seriously and openly. It is time to confront the past, establish a commission in parliament to address these issues, and create a path toward democratic resolution,” he concluded.
Erdem’s analysis provides a sobering reflection on Turkey’s handling of its Kurdish issue and outlines a potential path forward that hinges on political courage and genuine commitment to peace.
