DEM Party Delegation Presses Ocalan for a Peaceful PKK Disarmament Initiative
A delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party visited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan on Thursday at his Imrali Island prison, seeking a statement that could pave the way for the group’s disarmament. The seven-member group, on its third visit since December, aims to secure a message from Ocalan calling on the PKK to lay down arms—a move that could mark a significant step toward ending a conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives since 1984 and inflicted lasting economic and social damage on Turkey.
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The DEM Party was scheduled to hold a press conference in Istanbul later in the day to discuss the outcomes of the talks and to share Ocalan’s anticipated statement. However, Turkish government and ruling party officials have expressed strong opposition to any video message from Ocalan, citing the sensitive status of the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc reiterated on Wednesday that a video statement was not possible, in keeping with previous government policies.
Ocalan, who has been held in near-total isolation on Imrali since 1999, has rarely communicated with the outside world. The DEM Party’s visit comes amid government efforts to force a change in the longstanding insurgency, with attention now turning to how PKK commanders in the mountains of northern Iraq might respond if Ocalan calls for disarmament.
