“Weapons must be laid down, a congress must be held quickly, and the decision to dissolve the PKK with all its components must be implemented. Our national unity must be strengthened through comprehensive reforms, with justice and equality as the foundation,” Bahceli said in a speech published in his party’s Turkgun newspaper.
“With the dissolution of the PKK, a new day will dawn in Turkey,” he affirmed.
Bahceli initiated the peace process in Turkey, which is mediated by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). On Monday, a MHP delegation visited the pro-Kurdish party, extending Eid al-Fitr greetings.
In October, Devlet Bahceli, leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), called on jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to address the Turkish parliament and announce the dissolution of the PKK. He also suggested that Ocalan should benefit from the “right to hope” law, which could pave the way for his release if certain conditions are met.
However, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc has repeatedly stated that there is no legal basis for granting Ocalan any right to release under the "right to hope" regulation. The law concerns prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment who are otherwise ineligible for conditional release.
Bahceli in early March said that the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria (Rojava) is not exempt from Ocalan’s call to dissolve. “The February 27th Imrali call clearly links the PKK terrorist organization with all its extensions and groups.”
Turkey claims that there are Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members within the ranks of the YPG, the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Ankara has designated both as terrorist groups.
Ocalan issued a historic message in late February telling the group to convene a congress and “make the decision to integrate with the state and society; all groups should lay down their arms and the PKK should dissolve itself.”
His message sparked hope for an end to the conflict that has taken 40,000 lives.
“It is up to us to turn this expectation into joy rather than grief. A Turkey without terror will become a Turkey with strengthened democracy,” Bahceli said about Ocalan’s call.
Following Ocalan’s message, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire but set their leader’s release from prison as a precondition to laying down arms and disbanding. The group said it cannot make such decisions without the physical attendance of their leader at the congress he urged for.
Murat Karayilan, a senior PKK commander, said earlier this month that Ocalan should be involved in all stages of such a meeting, including possibly participating remotely, saying that his involvement must go beyond a single message or symbolic appearance.
Ocalan, who founded the PKK in 1978 and launched a war against the Turkish state six years later, has been jailed on Imrali island since 1999.
The PKK initially demanded the establishment of an independent Kurdistan but now calls for autonomy. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.
