Peregraf
The People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) delegation that visited Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali is scheduled to visit the Kurdistan Region next week.
The delegation will arrive in Erbil on Sunday, February 16, 2025, where they will meet with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Massoud Barzani and Kurdistan Regional President Nechirvan Barzani.
On the following day, the delegation will travel to Sulaymaniyah to meet with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) President Bafel Talabani and Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.
The delegation consists of Sirri Sureyya Onder, Deputy Chairman of the DEM Party faction; Pervin Buldan, DEM Party MP from Van; and Keskin Bayindir, Co-Chairman of the Democratic Regions Party in Turkey.
Negotiations between the Turkish government, political parties, and PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan continue in an effort to end the 40-year conflict between Turkey and the PKK. Informed sources suggest that an agreement is imminent, and on February 15, which marks the 26th anniversary of Ocalan's arrest, he may announce a decision to disarm the PKK.
MPs from the DEM Party met with Ocalan for the second time on January 22, 2025, to convey responses from Turkish political parties regarding the peace process. The PKK delegation stated that Ocalan is actively working on the process.
This development follows a significant meeting between Ocalan and pro-Kurdish lawmakers Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan on December 28, 2024, at Imrali Island. During that meeting, Ocalan called for a renewed peace process, emphasizing the urgent need for Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood and democratic reforms.
In a statement issued by Onder and Buldan, Ocalan outlined a comprehensive framework to address the Kurdish issue and regional instability. Citing recent events in Gaza and Syria, he warned that the Kurdish question, exacerbated by foreign interventions, requires immediate attention.
Ocalan urged all Turkish political parties to adopt a constructive and inclusive approach, stressing the importance of Turkish parliamentary involvement. He expressed willingness to contribute to a new political paradigm and suggested that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and MHP leader Devlet Bahceli could play key roles in the process.
"The strengthening of Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood is not only a historical responsibility but a decisive need for all nations," Ocalan stated, highlighting the necessity of cooperation beyond political divisions.
This meeting marked the first direct communication with Ocalan by pro-Kurdish lawmakers since the collapse of the 2014 peace process, which led to increased violence.
Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on Imrali Island since 1999, has had limited contact with the outside world. His last family visit was in October 2024, when his nephew, DEM Party lawmaker Omer Ocalan, met him for the first time since 2020.
In a notable political shift, the Turkish government has recently softened its stance on Ocalan. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli proposed that Ocalan address the Turkish parliament to announce the PKK’s dissolution, signaling a potential turning point in relations.
The PKK, which originally sought an independent Kurdish state upon its founding in 1978, now advocates for autonomy within Turkey. It remains classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
The DEM Party, as the successor to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), played a critical role in previous peace negotiations with Ocalan. Recent developments, including Ocalan’s expected letter to the PKK leadership in Qandil, have reignited hopes for renewed dialogue and a potential path toward lasting peace in Turkey.