Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, head of Turkey’s main opposition party, visited Diyarbakır (Amed), Turkey’s most populous Kurdish city, as part of his tour across southeastern Turkey. This visit follows heightened discussions on the Kurdish issue, particularly after recent remarks by Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a key government partner. Bahçeli recently suggested that imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan could address the Turkish Parliament under certain conditions, reigniting political debate over Öcalan’s right to hope and the broader Kurdish question in Turkey.
Upon his arrival at Diyarbakır Airport, Özel was welcomed by a crowd with Kurdish songs, setting a symbolic tone for his visit to the predominantly Kurdish city.
Before his arrival in Diyarbakır, Özel had made bold statements in response to Bahçeli’s remarks. Speaking at a CHP group meeting, he addressed the ongoing debate, saying: “I offer the Kurds the state. I propose that they feel they fully belong to the Republic of Turkey as equal citizens, where democratic rights are upheld to world standards and no one feels like an outsider. Let us make the Kurds the rightful owners of the Republic of Turkey.”
In Diyarbakır, Özel criticised Bahçeli’s dismissal of the Kurdish question by playing on the Turkish word devlet, which means ‘state’ but is also Bahçeli’s first name. He remarked: “The big state [devlet] says there is no Kurdish problem, and now the small state [referring to Bahçeli] has said the same. But the Kurdish question won’t disappear just because Devlet says so, it will only deepen”. This play on words underlined Özel’s criticism of the state’s refusal to recognise the Kurdish question, drawing a parallel between the state apparatus and Bahçeli’s dismissive attitude.
Özel’s first meeting in Diyarbakır was with local women’s civil society organisations, where he reiterated: “When we come to Diyarbakır, we can clearly see that the Kurdish question exists, with democratic participation at the forefront”.
During his visit, Özel met with various groups, including officials from the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office and local businesses. He also expressed his appreciation for the support the CHP received from Kurdish voters and the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party in the 2023 local elections.
In the Sur district, Özel visited the site of the assassination of Tahir Elçi at the Four Legged Minaret. Elçi, the former president of the Diyarbakır Bar Association, was murdered in 2015. Özel laid a carnation at the site and reiterated his commitment to seeking justice for Elçi’s murder: “We will pursue this case until all aspects of the truth are revealed.”
Özel had planned to continue his meetings in Diyarbakır. However, due to the explosion and gunfire attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) site in Ankara, Özgür Özel decided to cut short his visit to Diyarbakır. Speaking at a press briefing in Diyarbakır, Özel expressed his deep sorrow over the tragic incident and confirmed that he would immediately return to Ankara to closely monitor the situation.
