Breaking News: DEM Party statement on second İmralı visit

The DEM Party Delegation, which visited İmralı on December 28 and met with terrorist leader Abdullah Öcalan, has issued a statement regarding the meetings held at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) and the second İmralı visit.

In the statement, which provided information on the work carried out during the meeting process, it was stated, "Almost all meetings were sincere and positive to a promising degree. There are concerns and suggestions regarding various issues."

DEM PARTY NAMES THE NEW PROCESS

On the other hand, it was observed that the statement referred to the new process as the "peace process."

The statement issued by the DEM Party İmralı Delegation, consisting of Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Pervin Buldan, and Ahmet Türk, is as follows:

"To the Press and the Esteemed Public,

Following our meeting with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı on December 28, 2024, and upon the results of this meeting and his own request, we held a series of meetings with the TBMM, political parties, and our politician friends in prison.

Our visits and meetings, which began with TBMM Speaker Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş on January 3, continued with the chairs and representatives of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Future Party (Gelecek Partisi), Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi), Republican People's Party (CHP), DEVA Party, and New Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi). On January 11-12, we held meetings with our former co-chairs and politician friends held in prisons, Mr. Figen Yüksekdağ, Mr. Selahattin Demirtaş, Mr. Leyla Güven, and Mr. Selçuk Mızraklı.

These dialogue and peace-oriented meetings and the exchange of ideas process have also been initiated and are being maintained with our Co-Chairs and party boards, the political parties and formations that make up our party component, the political parties we are in alliance with, and non-governmental organizations.

First and foremost, we would like to express our deepest respect and gratitude to all our political parties and their esteemed leaders who welcomed us with courtesy and hospitality, shared their valuable views and suggestions, and expressed their concerns and criticisms in an extremely constructive language.

The main axis of our visit agendas was the transmission of the results of our meeting with Mr. Öcalan and the mutual evaluation of the emerging new situation. In summary, these focused on the desire and will to provide positive contributions to finding a permanent solution to the Kurdish issue and the resulting conflict process, the historical responsibility of strengthening Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, the responsibility imposed by the deep-rooted and irreversible developments in the Middle East, and the fact that the TBMM and democratic politics constitute the most important ground for the solution of the issue.

Almost all meetings were sincere and positive to a promising degree. The esteemed leaders and their delegations expressed their support for the peace process in principle. However, they also had concerns and suggestions regarding various issues. These are fundamentally centered on the transparency of the process and the fact that it should be conducted within the body of the TBMM. During these meetings, our delegation provided explanations and presentations aimed at addressing concerns and question marks.

The impression we gained from the meetings is that there is a common desire and will in all political parties to leave behind the conflict and tension process stemming from the Kurdish issue. It is a common opinion that overcoming this and developing the unity and brotherhood of all ethnic, religious, and sectarian elements in our country is for the benefit and good of everyone. A parallel issue is that the peace process should serve as a means for general democratization and the expansion of the democratic political sphere.

Our discussions with our chairs and friends in prisons were extremely positive. They expressed their clear support for the role that Mr. Öcalan and the DEM Party will undertake in this process and stated that they will fulfill the requirements of their responsibility to make positive contributions toward strengthening the political and social ground.

In this period when we are focusing on peace, democracy, and brotherhood for Turkey and the region, the divisive and prejudiced tone we occasionally encounter in the written and visual press and the speculation area it creates make our work difficult. Just as everyone and every social segment has expectations and hopes regarding this process, they also have concerns, sensitivities, and question marks. We are aware of this. As such, producing and circulating fabricated rhetoric that cannot even be called hearsay, and trying to create agendas that sometimes even push moral boundaries, can only be linked to warmongering in its result.

With all our good impressions, we will not spare any effort to pay a visit to Mr. Öcalan as soon as possible to ensure that the process reaches peace through healthy methods.

The continuation of the public's support for these efforts of ours will be the most valuable building block in the construction of peace and solution.

With our love and respect.

DEM Party İmralı Delegation

January 17, 2025"

News Source: 12punto