Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) members of parliament Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder have released a further written statement regarding the meeting they held with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan two days ago (28 December).
Buldan and Önder’s statement where they indicate that they won’t be providing further information to the press due to the “sensitivity of the process” is as follows:
“Due to its sensitivity, we won’t be providing information to the press until the process reaches a certain maturity. This doesn’t mean we are concealing anything; in contrast, it is due to the respect we hold to the meetings we will conduct from now on.”
“But to summarize in a sentence, we can say that we are much more hopeful compared to previous processes. In the new year, we, as the delegation, will make a comprehensive statement.”
What happened?
After a period of 43 months, on 23 October 2024, the PKK leader met with DEM member of parliament Ömer Öcalan, who is also his nephew, within the scope of a family visit. During this meeting, Öcalan emphasized that the policy of isolation continued and said, “If the circumstances form, I possess both the theoretical and practical power to draw this process from a platform of conflict and violence to a legal and political platform”.
Following the meeting, the Asrın Legal Office, representatives of Öcalan, stated that a new, six-month, visit-ban had been imposed on Öcalan on 6 November 2024.
Then, at the parliamentary group meeting of his party held on 26 November, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli said, “We expect a face-to-face contact between İmralı and the DEM group”.
Responding to Bahçeli’s call, DEM Party Co-Chairperson Tuncer Bakırhan said, “As co-chairs, we want to meet with Mr. Öcalan and contribute to peace in this country”.
On the same day, DEM Party filed an application with the Ministry of Justice to formally meet with Öcalan.
A month later, the Ministry of Justice responded positively to DEM’s application and Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder travelled to İmralı Island on 28 December and met with Öcalan.
According to Buldan and Önder, during the meeting, Öcalan “discussed ways to find a permanent solution to the Kurdish issue”. (TY/NHRD).
