Tuncer Bakırhan, Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Co-Chair, urged the government on Tuesday to allow talks with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, stressing that dialogue is vital for resolving the Kurdish question.
Speaking to reporters after his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Bakırhan criticised the Justice Ministry’s indecision over a meeting request with Öcalan. “So far, we have not received a clear answer. The Justice Minister keeps saying ‘we’re working on a date, waiting for budget talks’,” Bakırhan said. “This delay must end. They need to unlock that door and make talks happen.”
Bakırhan emphasised the need for sincerity in addressing the Kurdish question. “If there’s genuine intent, why not turn this into a meaningful process?” he asked.
Highlighting broader Kurdish concerns, Bakırhan also criticised Turkish officials’ visits to Syria without engaging Kurdish leaders. “With 25 million Kurds in Turkey and their relatives across the border, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın should visit Kobanê [Kobani] and Hasekê [Hasakah] too,” he said.
Bakırhan reaffirmed DEM Party’s commitment to peace, stating, “It’s not about who visits Öcalan; it’s about what is said there and how it shapes the process.”
Calls for renewed talks with Öcalan remain a sensitive topic as Turkey grapples with ongoing ethnic tensions and demands for Kurdish rights.
