Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a key government ally, has made a call for Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), to be allowed to speak in parliament.
Speaking at his party's weekly group meeting in parliament, Bahçeli addressed the recent discussions surrounding a possible new peace process, which were triggered by his unexpected approach to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party ranks during the Oct 1 opening of parliament, where he shook hands with party members.
Bahçeli suggested that in exchange for lifting the near-total confinement of Öcalan, he should speak in parliament to declare that “terrorism has come to an end and that the PKK has been disbanded.”
“If he shows this determination, the path for legal regulations regarding the use of the right to hope should be fully opened,” he added, hinting at Öcalan's possible release from prison.
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"My handshake with DEM has been the subject of much debate for days. Everyone is interpreting it according to their own views," Bahçeli remarked. "Even though I have been clear about my sincere intentions for the past two weeks, some still refuse to accept it."
Bahçeli opposed the terms “Kurdish question” and “resolution process,” saying, "None of our Kurdish brothers and sisters should ever be portrayed as a problem. Saying there is a 'Kurdish issue' is the propaganda of those waiting for destruction. Turkey has never pursued a policy of assimilation," Bahçeli stated.
“Terrorism and politics”
He went on to argue that resources currently used to “combat terrorism” could be better spent on addressing unemployment and income inequality in the region.
"Every patriotic citizen knows that if the funds used to fight terror were allocated to the region, issues like unemployment and inequality would be resolved. Terrorism and politics are separate matters. Until a clear distinction is made between them, and weapons are excluded, our Kurdish citizens will struggle to achieve peace and prosperity," he said.
Bahçeli also made a bold proposal, calling for Öcalan to address parliament. "If everyone agrees on the importance of a future without terrorism, then we are ready to take responsibility and act," he said.
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Öcalan's isolation and calls for peace
Öcalan has been held in İmralı Island Prison in Turkey’s inland Sea of Marmara since his capture in 1999. He has been in near-total isolation for many years, with his last known contact with the outside world being a disrupted phone call with his brother in March 2021.
DEM Party has been vocal in demanding an end to Öcalan’s isolation, arguing that he could play a pivotal role in any potential peace process.
Turkey’s previous attempt at a peace process, initiated by then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government in the early 2010s, aimed to resolve the decades-long conflict with the PKK. However, the process collapsed in 2015, and the Erdoğan government, forging an alliance with Bahçeli’s MHP, adopted a more nationalist stance, increasing political and legal pressure on the Kurdish political movement.
During this period, military operations significantly weakened the PKK’s presence in Turkey, with clashes now occurring sporadically near Turkish bases in Iraqi territory along the border.
A shift in Bahçeli's stance
Bahçeli's latest statements mark a stark departure from his previous opposition to peace talks with the PKK. Bahçeli had been vehemently against any negotiations during the failed peace process of the 2010s. His change in tone has surprised many, given his historically hardline nationalist stance.
The DEM Party has cautiously welcomed Bahçeli’s new position, viewing it as a potentially positive development.
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