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Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed ringleader of the PKK terrorist group, issued another message on Wednesday. His message, released by the pro-PKK Peoples’ Democracy and Equality Party (DEM Party) underlined Öcalan’s determination “to see through ongoing efforts” for the terror-free Türkiye, which aims disarmament of the PKK. Öcalan also urged the Turkish state to finalize the legal groundwork for the initiative.
“This process is a process of ensuring the participation of Kurds in the (Turkish) republic through legal means and building a democratic republic with the broadest social unity,” Öcalan said in a message released through a delegation from the DEM Party who visited him a day earlier. “I would like to reiterate our strong will and resolute stance with respect to this process.”
His remarks came just days after a senior PKK commander told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the group would take no further steps in the initiative until Türkiye frees Öcalan. Öcalan himself had earlier said it was a risk for him to leave the prison. The PKK leader has been held on Imralı Island near Istanbul since his capture in 1999. Fondly referred to as “Apo” by his supporters, Öcalan is viewed as still influential in the terrorist group.
Several PKK figures and the DEM Party have been vocal for calls for the implementation of laws for the initiative, namely, an amnesty for PKK members. Turkish authorities have been cautious on this aspect of the initiative, though they hinted that legal regulations may be implemented to facilitate the process. Currently, Türkiye is occupied with monitoring the disarmament of the PKK, while a parliamentary committee exclusively set up for the initiative is expected to draft a road map for Parliament to implement the necessary laws or regulations to advance the dissolution of the PKK.
