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The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee of Parliament held its 14th session in Ankara on Wednesday.
The committee, established in August, aims to set guidelines for Parliament for the future of the terror-free Türkiye initiative. The initiative, proposed by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli last year, went through several stages, starting with the terrorist group PKK’s jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan urging the group to dissolve itself in a historic call in February and a ceremony in July where PKK members burned their weapons.
The next stage in the initiative will likely be the enactment of new laws or regulations for the status of the PKK and its members after it fully dissolves itself.
The committee heard a diverse group of people with direct links to the process and/or who will be affected by it. On Wednesday, it hosted representatives from associations of retired military officers and several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
The committee may hear from the main actor in the fight against terrorism soon. Bahçeli on Tuesday suggested that Öcalan speak to the committee members, a proposal fervently endorsed by the pro-PKK Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
On the sidelines of the session on Wednesday, Kurtulmuş held a private meeting with representatives of parties at the committee, further triggering rumors that the committee may be interested in meeting Öcalan. Media outlets reported on Wednesday that the committee may choose some members to visit Öcalan at the island prison where he is held near Istanbul, as it is unlikely that Öcalan will be allowed to access Parliament to speak at a future meeting of the committee. Bahçeli last year proposed that Öcalan may directly address Parliament to call the PKK to lay down arms, but this idea was later scrapped, while the PKK’s founder himself confirmed that he would not risk his life by leaving the prison where he has been held for more than two decades. A divisive figure in Türkiye, Öcalan is still revered and respected by the PKK, whose senior leadership is hiding out in a mountainous region of Iraq near the Turkish border.
Speaking about the initiative on Wednesday during a meeting with members of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party), President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the initiative aimed at freeing the country from a half-century-long terrorism ordeal. He said the initiative has been carried out with great patience and sincerity. He noted that the parliamentary committee has made significant progress.
Erdoğan emphasized that security and intelligence units are diligently fulfilling their responsibilities within their areas of operation to move forward the process.
“We remain very cautious and vigilant against sabotage, but we are also aware that we must act swiftly in a period when geopolitical risks are steadily rising. We are obligated to bind our Kurdish brothers, both within and beyond our borders, to the trustworthy friendship of the Republic of Türkiye, with unbreakable ties. Allah willing, we will succeed in this. Just as we did a millennium ago, Turks, Kurds and Arabs will build the future together with a shared history and vision. We must never forget that a healthy future cannot be built on pain, anger or hatred. For this reason, we will build our common future not on suffering, but on the shared hopes of all 86 million citizens.”
For decades, the PKK exploited the disillusioned Kurdish community concentrated in the southeast, claiming to fight for Kurdish self-rule in the region. Kurds opposing the group faced massacres and attacks, while Kurdish youth in economically deprived southeast were brainwashed to join the group. More than a decade ago, the government tried to win back the community, to root out the issues the PKK exploited to gain support. This “reconciliation process,” as it was called, collapsed when the PKK resumed its attacks after a brief lull, despite the government’s efforts to grant more rights to the Kurdish community.
