“Peace is not a choice for Turkey—it’s a necessity,” said Tuncer Bakırhan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, during a weekly parliamentary group meeting in Ankara on Tuesday, underlining that conditions were ripe for reviving dialogue to solve the Kurdish question.
“Our delegation conveyed that Mr [Abdullah] Öcalan expressed hope,” Bakırhan told lawmakers. “He said that in the coming weeks, everyone shares the expectation that important developments will accelerate the process. He too is hopeful.”
The remarks come at a time when Turkey faces both domestic turmoil and regional instability. Bakırhan linked these wider dynamics to the need for a sustainable peace policy at home.
“We are living through stormy times, globally and in our region,” he said. “In a world where power struggles dominate, a country that has not achieved internal peace, where the rule of law does not function, will struggle to stay standing. That’s why peace and democratic transition are not options for Turkey—they are obligations.”
Referring to recent developments, Bakırhan spoke about the illness of MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a prominent figure in past peace negotiations and a member of the İmralı delegation. “Despite numerous health issues, Sırrı Süreyya never stopped working for peace,” Bakırhan said. “We hope he recovers quickly and returns to the struggle stronger than before.”
He emphasised that Önder’s hospitalisation had triggered rare cross-party and nationwide expressions of solidarity. “From the first day, people from all walks of life, political parties, and civil society organisations stood outside the hospital,” he said. “Messages came from inside and outside Turkey. It reminded us of something fundamental: Sırrı’s unifying power is also the shared ground of peace.”
Addressing the significance of Öcalan’s role, Bakırhan said the imprisoned leader remains central to any real resolution. “Mr Öcalan shared his best wishes for Mr Önder and also discussed the broader process,” Bakırhan reported. “He is working with high morale and intensity. Our delegation was told he is committed to efforts that can bring momentum to the process.”
Bakırhan said any renewed peace initiative must be built on a “solid legal foundation and a strong political will”. He called on both the ruling party and the opposition to play their part. “We urge the government and all opposition forces to normalise Turkish politics,” he said. “The peace process must gain momentum, and the state must become sensitive to democracy.”
He also called for immediate legal reforms, especially in the prison system. “From sick prisoners to those jailed for political reasons—emptying these prisons will allow Turkey to breathe,” he said. “Let’s open the way for this, together.”
The DEM Party co-chair stressed that unresolved conflict only prolongs pain. “Those who sweep problems under the carpet merely pass them down to future generations,” he warned. “History has shown time and again that the antidote to coups and chaos is democracy.”
Ending his remarks, Bakırhan quoted a line frequently cited by Öcalan: “Let’s not lose the next century. This is a call to build the next 100 years—without denying the past, but without being stuck in it either.”
