Turkey’s Kurdish Leaders Engage in Peace Dialogue with Jailed Politician

A delegation from Turkey’s Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party recently met jailed Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas in Edirne prison, marking a significant step in resolving the country’s protracted conflict with Kurdish militants. This dialogue follows earlier meetings with Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK founder. Both parties express optimism for peace, emphasizing the need for cooperation and political dialogue to address long-standing grievances.

A recent meeting took place between a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), one of Turkey’s major pro-Kurdish political parties, and Selahattin Demirtas, a prominent Kurdish leader currently incarcerated. This encounter marks a significant progression in the ongoing efforts to resolve Turkey’s enduring 40-year conflict with Kurdish militants. The meeting occurred at Edirne prison, where Demirtas has been held since 2016 due to politically charged terrorism charges.

This occasion follows a prior meeting between DEM members and Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), signaling a potential thaw in relations amidst ongoing hostilities. While the PKK has maintained an armed uprising since the 1980s, DEM symbolizes a modern, left-leaning representation of Kurdish nationalism that has faced substantial repression, including the incarceration of elected officials and the prohibition of political parties.

Following the meeting, Demirtas urged all parties to “focus on a common future where everyone, all of us, will win.” He acknowledged Ocalan’s role in fostering an atmosphere conducive to peace, suggesting that the PKK may be open to disarmament. Despite being imprisoned since 1999 on treason charges, Ocalan retains considerable influence and popularity among many Kurdish citizens in Turkey.

Ahmet Turk, a member of DEM, expressed a desire for a unified democratic future in Turkey, stating, “I believe that Turks need Kurds and Kurds need Turks.” The long-standing conflict, which began in 1984, has incurred significant loss of life, despite repeated attempts at peace. The recent political climate has opened channels for renewed dialogue.

In a related political context, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the disbandment of the PKK and urged for the surrender of its arms during an address to his supporters in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey’s Kurdish region. Erdogan noted that eliminating the PKK would allow for the strengthening of a unified Turkish front against local conflicts.

The efforts towards peace gained momentum when Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, suggested that Ocalan might be eligible for parole if he renounced violence. Erdogan subsequently appeared to support this notion, creating an active dialogue on peace that Ocalan himself expressed willingness to pursue through a message conveyed by his nephew.

In summary, the meeting between DEM representatives and Selahattin Demirtas represents an essential step in addressing the long-standing conflict between the Turkish state and Kurdish groups. The dialogues initiated may pave the way for improved relations and a potential resolution to the violence that has persisted for decades. Both Kurdish leaders and Turkish officials express cautious optimism for a peaceful future, underscoring the importance of political dialogue in achieving lasting peace.

Original Source: abcnews.go.com