Delegates who have been engaged with dialogue after meeting with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan have issued a detailed statement.
The delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), consisting of deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Pervin Buldan and former co-mayor of the Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Ahmet Türk, gave an insight into their recent meetings with political leaders, imprisoned politicians and civil society representatives. The delegation’s efforts stem from their visit to Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Prison on 28 December.
In a written statement, the delegation underlined the central themes of their discussions: the solution of the Kurdish question, and the promotion of Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood and regional stability. They said the meetings were aimed at conveying the results of their talks with Öcalan and assessing these developments in the context of wider social and political reconciliation.
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The statement detailed the schedule of their engagements, which began on 3 January with Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and included leaders and representatives of major political parties such as the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Future Party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Felicity Party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) and the Welfare Party. On 11 and 12 January, the delegation met also with imprisoned Kurdish politicians, including Figen Yüksekdağ, Selahattin Demirtaş, Leyla Güven and Selçuk Mızraklı.
Key messages from the statement:
*Focus on dialogue: The delegation reiterated Öcalan’s emphasis on resolving the Kurdish issue through dialogue and democratic politics, with the Turkish parliament as the main platform for solutions.
*Encouraging feedback: The meetings were described as “sincere and promising”, with political leaders expressing support for peace efforts, although concerns were raised about transparency and parliamentary oversight.
*Support from imprisoned politicians: Detained political figures expressed their commitment to strengthening social and political platforms for peace, and offered their full support to the process.
*Challenges from media narratives: The delegation criticised divisive media narratives that undermine peace efforts and called for responsibility and sensitivity in public discourse.
Read the full statement of the DEM Party delegation:
We are hopeful; the support of our people will be a valuable cornerstone for peace and resolution.
Following our meeting with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Prison on December 28, we held a series of meetings with the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), political parties and our colleagues who are imprisoned politicians. These meetings were held on the basis of the results of our discussions and at the request of Mr Öcalan.
Our visits and discussions began on 3 January with the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Numan Kurtulmuş, and continued with the leaders and representatives of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Future Party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Felicity Party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) and the Welfare Party. On 11 and 12 January, we also held meetings with our former co-chairs and political colleagues who are currently in prison, including Mr Selahattin Demirtaş, Ms Figen Yüksekdağ, Ms Leyla Güven and Mr Selçuk Mızraklı.
These dialogue and peace-oriented meetings, as well as the exchange of ideas, have also been initiated and continued with our co-presidents, party leaders, the political parties and formations that make up our party components, the political parties with which we are in alliance and civil society organisations.
First and foremost, we express our sincere respect and gratitude to all the political parties and their esteemed leaders who received us with courtesy and kindness, shared their valuable opinions and suggestions, and expressed their concerns and criticisms in a constructive manner.
The main focus of our talks was to convey the results of our meeting with Mr Öcalan and to make a joint assessment of the emerging new situation. The talks were focused on the positive contribution to the permanent solution of the Kurdish question and the resulting conflict, the historical responsibility to strengthen the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, the responsibilities imposed by the deep and irreversible developments in the Middle East and the critical role of the TBMM and democratic politics as the most important platform for the solution of the question.
Almost all the meetings were sincere and promisingly positive. Leaders and their delegations expressed their support for the peace process in principle. However, they also raised concerns and suggestions, focusing mainly on the transparency of the process and the need to conduct it within the framework of the TBMM. During these meetings, our delegation provided explanations and presentations aimed at addressing their concerns and questions.
Our overall impression is that there is a common desire and will among all political parties to move beyond the conflict-ridden and tense phase of the Kurdish issue. There is a common understanding that it is in everyone’s interest to promote unity and brotherhood among all ethnic, religious and sectarian groups in our country. In addition, there is widespread agreement that the peace process should also contribute to wider democratisation and the expansion of the democratic political sphere.
Our discussions with our colleagues in prison have been extremely constructive. They expressed clear support for the role that Mr Öcalan and the DEM Party have to play in this process and stressed their responsibility to make positive contributions to strengthening the social and political base.
At this time when we are focusing on peace, democracy and fraternity for Turkey and the region, we face challenges from divisive and biased narratives in the written and visual media that create a speculative atmosphere and make our work more difficult. We are fully aware that, just as there are expectations and hopes for this process, there are also concerns, sensitivities and questions from different segments of society. However, the production and circulation of unsubstantiated allegations that cannot even be qualified as hearsay, and the creation of agendas that sometimes overstep ethical boundaries, ultimately amounts to warmongering.
With all our positive impressions, we want to arrange another visit to Mr Öcalan at the earliest opportunity and spare no effort to ensure that the peace process continues with sound methods.
Continued public support for these efforts will remain the most valuable cornerstone in building peace and resolution.
With love and respect.
