Necip F. Bahadir
The PKK followed Ocalan’s call and convened its congress. The organization had waited weeks for the conditions to align. They found Öcalan’s written message insufficient and insisted on his direct participation. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç of Turkey responded, “That’s not possible, the law doesn’t allow it!” But was the law brushed aside so Öcalan could participate via teleconference? The rumors vary… Silence from Ankara. The AKP and Erdoğan are mute…
Reports from the PKK and DEM suggest Öcalan did participate “through technical means.” The first signal came from DEM politician Pervin Buldan. Then, former MP Remzi Kartal claimed Öcalan addressed the congress via teleconference. When backlash grew, he denied his own statement. His retraction sounded far from convincing. Clearly, someone pulled Kartal aside and asked him to walk back his statement to avoid disrupting the process.
Minister Tunç owes the public an explanation… The claim that Öcalan spoke for 37 minutes in Turkish to organization leaders, accompanied by a two-person secretariat, cannot be casually dismissed. Nor can it be buried in silence. One can’t help but wonder—did Öcalan actually chair the congress?
Can any other prisoner hold such a meeting? What makes Öcalan different?
Could Ümit Özdağ call into his party’s group meeting by phone? Or could Ekrem İmamoğlu hold a meeting via teleconference? Shouldn’t the law apply equally to everyone?
Erdoğan has one single goal…
In this day and age, nothing remains secret. The truth always comes out eventually, no matter how hard the AKP government tries to cover it up. History confirms this again and again. Besides, the AKP and Erdoğan era is already nearing its end. They have no future. Neither Öcalan nor Selahattin Demirtaş can save Erdoğan from the judgment of history and fate. The real aim of this “process” is to extend his reign one more term, possibly with DEM’s support for constitutional changes…
The Öcalan initiative was launched by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli. Erdoğan said nothing beyond “a Turkey free of terrorism.” But seriously, is terrorism still a burning issue in Turkey? The PKK has long withdrawn from the field. Its main goal now is to gain political ground in Syria and accomplish through politics what it once attempted with arms. PYD has made significant gains in post-Assad Syria. It seeks to go further—to establish an autonomous region.
Bahçeli’s call may have launched it, but the current climate has made a shift from weapons to politics inevitable. Otherwise, would such rapid progress be possible? Could a 40-year issue advance this far in six months? Both Öcalan and the PKK now prioritize politics. The AKP–MHP alliance has laid the groundwork for this shift.
Can Erdoğan and the AKP government really take steps toward democracy and freedoms? Can Erdoğan’s politics of tension and conflict give way to “normalization”? Fine, let’s say there are no negotiations, no give-and-take… But what are the PKK and DEM’s expectations? Can there be peace without democracy and freedom? Isn’t democracy the first condition for peace? Can there be a policy of peace that involves only the PKK? Will Erdoğan continue making peace with the PKK while waging war on the CHP?
The CHP doesn’t have weapons… But it does have a presidential candidate who makes Erdoğan tremble: Ekrem İmamoğlu. Could Erdoğan demand that the CHP withdraw him too—as a condition for peace and normalization?
What about the other opposition groups?
Prisons are full of political prisoners. Merely casting a sidelong glance at Erdoğan is enough to land someone in jail… University students who participated in demonstrations are still behind bars. The attention and engagement shown by Erdoğan and Bahçeli toward the PKK and Öcalan is being denied to political opponents. Bahçeli even referred to Öcalan as a “founding leader,” but can’t bring himself to call Özgür Özel the chairman of the CHP.
Once again, the AKP is working “behind closed doors!”
Alright, we get it—Öcalan doesn’t want to leave the island. But will he continue living under existing conditions as a lifer? Or will a special living area be built for him on İmralı Island? A private residence where he can live out the rest of his days? Every time DEM spokespersons open their mouths, they demand an end to Öcalan’s isolation.
The AKP government isn’t “transparent.” It is busy working behind closed doors. Wasn’t this process supposed to proceed on the parliamentary platform? The DEM delegation said they reached an agreement with party leaders. But has Parliament played any meaningful role so far? Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has done nothing beyond repeating Erdoğan’s words. Parliament is sidelined…
So, do MHP and AKP MPs even know what’s going on? We know they’ve received no satisfactory briefings. Erdoğan simply told them, “Don’t speak to the media or the public!” Tomorrow, he’ll probably dictate how they’re supposed to speak. Empty phrases like “No negotiations, no amnesty, a terror-free Turkey…” will be repeated, though they carry no real meaning.
Democracy, freedom, and peace are principled and universal… They can’t be extended to only one segment of society. Erdoğan cannot make peace with the PKK while continuing to fight the CHP or other dissident groups…
The AKP is a strange and distorted form of government… Anything can be expected.
If they push for a regulation to release only PKK members from prison, no one would be surprised. But even if that’s the intent, I doubt they can turn it into policy. If Selahattin Demirtaş walks out of prison, then so will Ümit Özdağ, and Ekrem İmamoğlu… Can you have a system where you tell others, “You don’t get to walk out”?
Official statements differ from reality!
The PKK held its congress and heeded Öcalan’s call. The organization disbanded itself and buried its weapons. Peace demands democracy and freedom…
In Diyarbakır, the DEM Party spearheaded the formation of the “Democratic Unity Initiative.” Though not stated outright, this too is part of the process… In the declaration read by DEM MP Gülistan Sayyiğit, she said: “The geography of Kurdistan, with its multi-ethnic, multi-faith, and multi-cultural fabric, represents a rich social mosaic. This initiative, which prioritizes a just, equal, and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue and the democratization of Turkey, aims to contribute to this struggle from the civil society front.”
Do Erdoğan and Bahçeli have a response to what Sayyiğit said? Aren’t these signs of where the process is headed? Is this what politics on level ground will look like? Or will Öcalan, as DEM Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan accidentally suggested, establish a new political party? Will the PKK become a party? The “P” in PKK could stand for “Party”…
There’s a vast gulf between what Erdoğan and Bahçeli say and what is actually happening. Their words and their policies don’t match.
I’ve long given up any hope for Erdoğan. I support peace and a solution—but I don’t trust the AKP’s sincerity. They’re chasing a new scheme… I wish Erdoğan would return to democracy, open the path to freedom, and lead the country into a climate of peace…
Not just peace with the PKK—but with all political and social opposition. Who wouldn’t want that? But it seems very unlikely…
