In a groundbreaking move, a Turkish parliamentary committee established to oversee a new peace initiative with Kurdish militants has voted in favor of meeting Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The decision, reported by state broadcaster TRT, marks a significant step in efforts to end a decades-long insurgency that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Ocalan, who has been incarcerated on Imrali Island near Istanbul since 1999, remains a pivotal figure among Kurds despite being widely condemned by the Turkish public for his role in the conflict. The cross-party committee’s decision to send a delegation—potentially including members of a nationalist party—to Imrali is unprecedented. While the timing of the visit remains unclear, this development underscores the complexity of the peace process. Notably, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) abstained from the vote and has refused to participate in the visit, citing ongoing political tensions. The committee was formed in August following the PKK’s announcement in May that it would disarm and disband, a move prompted by Ocalan’s call for peace. The group later held a symbolic disarmament ceremony in northern Iraq, signaling a shift toward de-escalation. However, skepticism persists due to the collapse of previous peace efforts, most recently in 2015. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nationalist ally, Devlet Bahceli, has endorsed the initiative, even offering to visit Ocalan personally if others decline. This latest effort represents a delicate balance between reconciliation and political resistance in Turkey.
Turkish committee to visit PKK leader Ocalan in prison as part of peace initiative
