The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party is pushing for new momentum in the dialogue process regarding the Kurdish issue in Turkey. Following a meeting of the party executive board, party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan stated that the party’s Imrali delegation is expected to visit Abdullah Öcalan again on the prison island of Imrali “in the coming days.”

 

Ayşegül Doğan stated that although the process remains in motion, a noticeable stagnation has emerged. To overcome this, she said, new political steps and a clear institutional framework are needed.

 

“The existing ambiguities must be eliminated. In order for the process to move forward, new paths and new initiatives are required,” she said.

 

According to her the first phase of the ongoing process has now been completed. Ayşegül Doğan stated that the next step is to create concrete political and legal mechanisms for the next stage.

 

She also referred to recent statements by Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, who had proposed a new structure to coordinate the process. However, the discussion should not be reduced to technical questions alone, the DEM Party spokesperson said. What matters, she stressed, is the creation of a comprehensive political and legal framework.

 

The party has long demanded legal foundations for a possible transition process. This includes questions of political reintegration and steps to follow the PKK’s declaration that it intends to strategically end the armed struggle.

 

Ayşegül Doğan recalled that the Kurdish movement, referring to Abdullah Öcalan’s peace appeal, had taken decisions on self-dissolution and the destruction of weapons. What must now be clarified, she said, is which political and legal steps will follow.

 

She stated that the party is also demanding stronger involvement of the Turkish parliament, and a process of such social significance cannot be conducted solely behind closed doors. “People want to see parliament actively taking responsibility,” she said.

 

According to Ayşegül Doğan, parliament, as the legislative body, must play a central role in enabling a democratic and socially legitimate solution to the Kurdish issue.

 

In the party’s view, a sustainable peace process can only become socially rooted if it is conducted transparently and institutionally guaranteed. Ayşegül Doğan placed particular emphasis on Abdullah Öcalan’s role within the process. The ongoing isolation on Imrali can no longer be ignored, she said and added: “The reality of Öcalan is out in the open."

 

Despite decades of imprisonment, the Kurdish leader continues to play a central role in a democratic solution and in coexistence among the peoples of Turkey, she added.

 

“The debate over Öcalan’s status should not be framed as a matter of personal privileges. Rather, it concerns a political reality recognized by millions of Kurds,” Ayşegül Doğan said.

 

She criticized Abdullah Öcalan’s continued isolation from the public and media. Speculation regarding meetings and contacts, she argued, can only end if direct channels of communication are established.

 

Ayşegül Doğan demanded that journalists and other visitors be granted direct access to Imrali. She said Abdullah Öcalan must be able to share his views directly with the public. “Open the gates of Imrali,” she demanded.

 

Only in this way, she argued, can speculative reporting and deliberate disinformation be ended. Furthermore, she added, Abdullah Öcalan must once again be able to establish direct contact with his movement. According to Ayşegül Doğan, this is one of the fundamental conditions for giving the process renewed momentum.

 

In conclusion, Doğan stated that long interruptions in meetings with Abdullah Öcalan inevitably create the impression of a crisis among the public. Therefore, she said, the process requires a reliable rhythm and continuous contact.

 

The DEM Party therefore expects a new meeting between its Imrali delegation and Abdullah Öcalan in the near future.