Duvar English

Far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has welcomed a recent call for disarmament issued by Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), stating that the appeal marks a significant step toward a “terror-free Turkey.”

In a written statement on March 1, Bahçeli described the Feb. 27 announcement, read publicly by a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and written by Öcalan in his prison on İmralı Island, as “valuable and important from beginning to end.”

“On Nov. 27, 1978, the PKK held its first congress in the Fis village of Diyarbakır’s Lice district with the goal of establishing a greater Kurdistan within a Marxist-Leninist framework. Now, 47 years later, its founding leader has called for the dissolution of the organization,” Bahçeli said. “

“The statements emerging from Qandil support and complement this call, making it all the more significant,” the far-right leader said.

The PKK on March 1 declared a ceasefire, in line with Öcalan’s call. The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. 

Bahçeli, a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in recent years, emphasized that the disarmament appeal should be taken seriously by all PKK factions, particularly those based in the Qandil Mountains, where the group maintains its headquarters.

“The leaders of the PKK in Qandil must rally around İmralı’s call. At this stage, organizational coherence is in everyone’s best interest,” he said, adding that “pursuing results through terrorism is a futile dream.”

Bahçeli argued that embracing the call for disarmament would strengthen Turkey in its “new century,” reinforcing national unity and bringing an end to ethnic divisions. “The call has been extended to all elements of the separatist organization. If heeded, it will add strength to Turkey and solidify a brotherhood that has existed for a thousand years,” he stated.

He also warned against “efforts to undermine” the process, criticizing “certain malicious actors in the media” for attempting to discredit the disarmament initiative and obstruct steps toward peace. 

“The desire for a Turkey free of terrorism must not be diluted by provocations or the manipulations of those who benefit from conflict,” Bahçeli said.

The MHP leader positioned Turkey’s current political climate as a “historic opportunity” amid global instability, citing increasing geopolitical tensions, economic confrontations, and strategic rivalries. 

“Turkey is at the threshold of a significant moment, and our nation’s strength lies in its unity,” he said.

Reaffirming his party’s support for national security policies, Bahçeli emphasized that Turkey must remain vigilant against external interference and internal destabilization efforts. 

“The fight against terrorism will not be compromised. The Turkish nation is writing a new history, and there will be no place in its pages for those who oppose our homeland and nation,” he underscored.

What happened?

Devlet Bahceli, in October 2024 started the new process after his unexpected call suggesting that Öcalan announce an end to the insurgency in exchange for the possibility of his release. 

He has been known for his stance against the DEM Party and Kurdish politicians despite meeting with them after the DEM Party delegation began to visit Öcalan in prison.

Government figures, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, started making seemingly reconciliation efforts regarding the Kurdish issue.

In one of the surprising moves, Bahçeli, who previously called for the closure of the DEM Party on several occasions, invited Öcalan to announce the dissolution of the PKK at the Parliament.

Öcalan was arrested in 1999 and is serving a life sentence in a prison on İmralı Island alongside other five PKK convicts.