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Turkish Nationalist Leader Applauds PKK Disbanding, Sets Conditions for Lasting Peace

In a historic development marking the end of a decades-long conflict, Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has hailed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s decision to disband and lay down its arms. The announcement came after PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan called on the group to abandon violence—a move Bahçeli described as a turning point in Turkey’s history.

After the news broke, Bahçeli said: “The seeds of peace sown with effort, patience, and sacrifice across every corner of the Turkish homeland have finally sprouted and bloomed.” He added that the bloody chapter written by betrayal over 47 years should now be closed permanently, as reported by the T24.

Bahçeli praised Öcalan’s so-called “February 27 Imralı Peace Call,” which urged the PKK to take responsibility for ending the armed struggle. He thanked Öcalan, the DEM Party, a Kurdish political party known for its support of the peace process, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for their roles in advancing the peace process.

However, while celebrating a victory for democracy and politics, Bahçeli emphasized that the next phase must proceed with caution and strategic foresight. He outlined five key conditions for ensuring a sustainable peace:

1. Disarmament Details: Clarifying when, where, and under what conditions weapons will be surrendered, including the scale and scope of disarmament.

2. Monitoring Possible Transfers: Ensuring simultaneous oversight of any potential movement of former PKK militants to affiliated groups like PYD/YPG.

3. Categorization of Militants: Distinguishing between militants who committed crimes and those who did not, for appropriate legal action or reintegration.

4. Measures Against Leadership: Defining the legal and administrative measures against the PKK leadership cadre, which may include trials for war crimes and the dissolution of the organization.

5. Legal and Political Reforms: Establishing a legal and strategic framework to strengthen democracy, civil society, and long-term Kurdish-Turkish coexistence.

Bahçeli stressed that peace must be real and lasting. “Prejudices must be eradicated, artificial conflicts ended, and ideological obsessions put aside,” he warned. He also reiterated that Turkey has never engaged in assimilation or genocide, emphasizing that the country belongs equally to all its citizens.

“This is a day where politics and democracy have won,” Bahçeli declared. “Today, we celebrate peace and brotherhood.”

He also paid tribute to the late Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a prominent figure in Turkey’s peace efforts, and honored the memory of Turkish soldiers killed in the conflict.

The MHP leader concluded with a message of unity: “The Turk and the Kurd have been one since time immemorial, and no internal or external force can break this bond.”

Photo: ANF

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