Kurdish oriented-DEM Party prepares for 2nd visit to PKK ringleader Ocalan

The Kurdish-oriented Peoples’ Equality and Democrat Party (DEM Party) delegation is allegedly planning to apply for a second visit to Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK terrorist group, with the meeting expected to take place in the upcoming days.

DEM Party deputies Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan last met with Ocalan at Imranli Island on Dec. 28. According to Turkish media, former Mardin Mayor Ahmet Turk will be added to the Ocalan delegation.

Ocalan is expected to make a call for the laying down of arms by the end of January or the beginning of February, and the pending call is anticipated by Ankara to be short, clear and direct.

The “peace process 2.0” began when the government’s junior partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli on Oct. 22 called for the imprisoned Ocalan to come to the Turkish Parliament and call for the PKK to disarm itself.

Türkiye’s second largest opposition party DEM has since then been holding high-level private meetings with all domestic stakeholders on the matter.

Will they listen to Ocalan?

This would not be the first that Ocalan called for the PKK and its related organizations to lay down arms. Between a shortlived peace process in 2013-2015, Ocalan made similar calls but they were not adhered.

No positive response has emerged thus far from the terrorist network operating outside of Turkish borders.

Political turmoil

A recent survey revealed that Nearly 70% of Turks oppose Bahceli’s initiative involving Ocalan. In mid-January, Bahceli stated that “It (peace) should be announced unconditionally, once the PKK’s organizational existence has ended,” while also expressing that multiple visits by the DEM Party to Ocalan are unacceptable.

Rumors have circulated regarding the possibility of Ocalan no longer serving his life sentence and instead being placed under house arrest. In response, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally addressed the issue, stating that any such move for a “baby killer” is out of the question.

Timeline of ‘peace process 2.0’

• Oct. 1: MHP leader Devlet Bahceli shakes hands with DEM Party members at Parliament.
• Oct. 22: Bahceli shocks Turkish politics by calling on imprisoned PKK founder and leader Ocalan to address Parliament and demand for the PKK to disband and disarm.
• Dec. 28: Justice Ministry allows DEM Party delegation to visit Ocalan in prison. Istanbul deputy Sureyya Onder, Van deputy Pervin Buldan and Ahmet Turk pay a visit to Ocalan.
• Jan 2: DEM Party delegation meets with Speaker of Parliament Numan Kurtulmus and holds a key meeting with MHP chairman Bahceli.
• Jan 6: DEM Party delegation meets with AK Party delegation, Future Party (Gelecek) chairman Ahmet Davutoglu and Felicity Party (Saadet).
• Jan 7: DEM Party delegation holds a meeting with CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel.
• Jan 9: Erdogan and Bahceli hold a meeting together to discuss domestic and foreign matters, specifically on “peace process 2.0”. 
• Jan 11: DEM Party delegation to visit HDP’s imprisoned co-chairs Figen Yusekdag and Selahattin Demirtas.