DEM Parti: We will visit leader Ocalan soon

The Peoples' Democratic and Equality Party (DEM Parti) delegation, which visited Imrali after meeting with political parties, issued a statement saying: "We will visit Mr. Ocalan as soon as possible with all our positive observations, and we will work hard to ensure the success of the process."

The statement reads as follows:

"We met with Mr. Ocalan on December 28, 2024, in Imrali, and after this meeting, based on the results of this meeting and at his request, we held a meeting with the Turkish General Council and political parties, as well as our political friends in prison.

On January 3, 2025, we visited the head of the Turkish General Council, Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş, and continued our meetings with the leaders and representatives of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Future Party (Gelecek Partisi), the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi), the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Invitation Party, and the Welfare Party, between January 11 and 12, 2025. We also visited our former co-chairs and political friends in prison, Ms. Figen Yuksekdagh, Mr. Selahattin Demirtaş, Ms. Leyla Guven, and Mr. Selçuk Mizrakli.

These meetings were based on dialogue and peace, and we exchanged ideas with our co-chairs and committees in our party, with the components of our party, and with the political parties we are allied with, as well as with civil society organizations we belong to and continue to work with.

First, we would like to express our respect and gratitude to all the political parties and their esteemed officials who warmly welcomed us and shared their valuable opinions and suggestions, expressing their concerns and criticisms in a very constructive manner.

The main purpose of our visit was to inform them of the results of our meeting with Mr. Ocalan and to review the new situation that has arisen.

In short, the desire and will to reach a lasting solution to the Kurdish issue and end the conflict process represent a historical responsibility for strengthening the unity of Turks and Kurds, and the responsibility for irreversible developments in the Middle East. It points out that the Turkish General Council and democratic politics are the foundation for this, and the most important thing is the solution.

All our meetings were sincere and filled with positive hope. Senior leaders and their accompanying delegations expressed their support for the peace process. In this context, they also raised concerns and suggestions about various issues, primarily focusing on the transparency of the process and its implementation within the Turkish General Council.

Our delegation made statements and offered suggestions during the meetings to address concerns and questions. The perspective we reached through the meetings is that there is a common desire and will among all political parties, and that all parties wish to leave behind the conflict and the complex process that arose from the Kurdish issue. Overcoming this problem and enhancing unity and brotherhood among all ethnic, religious, and sectarian components in our country is in the interest and benefit of everyone. This is the common position of all parties. Another related issue is whether the peace process should lead to general democracy and expand the scope of democratic politics.

Our meetings with our co-chairs and

comrades in prison were extremely positive. They clearly and explicitly expressed their support for the role that Mr. Ocalan and the Peoples' Democratic and Equality Party will play, and they emphasized that they will fulfill their responsibility in positively strengthening the political and social foundation during this process.

At this stage, when we defend peace, democracy, and unity in Turkey and the region, the discriminatory and biased forms we face from time to time in the written and visual media, and the sphere of speculation being created, make our work difficult. We know that everyone and all social sectors have hopes and desires regarding this process, but at the same time, everyone has concerns, sensitivities, and questions. In this mental state, and in such a sensitive process, spreading fabricated discourse and attempting to create agendas that sometimes cross ethical boundaries is nothing more than igniting and fueling war.

Along with all our positive opinions and evaluations, we will visit Mr. Ocalan soon and make great efforts to ensure that the process leads to peace and find a solution through strong and effective methods.

In building peace and reaching a solution, the support of the people for these meetings will be the most important element."

A-H

ANHA