Honey (!) is dripping from their mouths...

Let's take a look at what happened this week regarding the government's PKK opening, branded with the slogan "a Turkey without terrorism."

After Sabri Ok, one of the terrorist leaders in Qandil, announced on October 26 that "with the approval of Abdullah Öcalan, all their forces in Turkey have begun to withdraw to media defense areas," the PKK spokesperson Zagros Hiwa, speaking to foreign news agencies, listed what they want as follows:

"Democratic integration laws must be discussed so that people who have been subjected to the government's pressure and persecution can integrate into Turkish politics... Kurds must have their place in the Constitution... The Turkish Army must withdraw from Iraq and Syria."

DEM co-chairs Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları also spoke about the withdrawal show.

Bakırhan, who used the phrases "a historic development, an important threshold, a new page" for Sabri Ok's statement and emphasized that "the 21st century must be the century of the democratic republic," ended his words with the slogan, "long live the brotherhood of peoples, long live a dignified peace."

Tülay Hatimoğulları also spoke of "citizens who have been looking forward to peace for 100 years" and said the following regarding the "democratic republic":

"We are on the eve of October 29. The establishment of the Republic is of course very important and valuable, but unfortunately, the republic could not be democratized. For this reason, Turkey's democratization problems could not be solved, and we have been experiencing great difficulties for a hundred years... In the second century of the Republic, the task of improving justice and law, eliminating inequalities, and crowning the republic with democracy lies before us... There is no loser in peace. Come, let us struggle together and ensure that all the peoples of Turkey win together."

Let's also look at the article Tuncer Bakırhan wrote for T24 on the occasion of the October 29 Republic Day. In summary, he made the following claims:

"In the 102-year adventure of the Republic, the Kurdish issue is fundamentally a problem of rights and political participation at every level. It is the most painful result of the tension between the Republic and democracy. Today, we are all on the threshold of a new era... The people owning the republic and democracy after 102 years is also the solution to the Kurdish Issue... In the Amasya Protocol dated October 20-22, 1919, the homeland was defined as 'the land where Turks and Kurds reside.' Today, in the 21st century, we should evaluate this definition not just as the sovereignty of two peoples, but as an opportunity for the idea of equal citizenship that includes all peoples and beliefs... The process that began on October 1, 2024, is a historic turning point for updating Turkish-Kurdish relations on a democratic basis. This process is not just the solution to a problem, but a chance to build a democratic republic... Peace is not just the silencing of weapons, but the establishment of equal citizenship, democratic participation, and free speech. In short, as we leave behind the 102nd year of the Republic, our greatest hope and goal for the second century should be to reconcile democracy with the Republic. We believe that the peoples have the power to write a common social contract together today as well."

What exactly is being explained with these fancy words? Let's hear it from KCK co-chair Cemil Bayık. Speaking on the eve of Republic Day, Bayık praised the "concept of the ummah" in the pre-Republican period and claimed that "nationalism and the nation-state mentality shattered Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood," then stated that "in the second century of the Republic, the solution to problems will be provided by democratic integration, which rejects assimilation and melting away, and where Kurds are legally recognized."

REPUBLIC DAY RECEPTION WITHOUT DEM

Let's come to the Republic Day reception on October 29.

It will be remembered; on July 12, Erdoğan said for the "Turkey without terrorism" process, "We have decided to walk this path together as the AK Party, MHP, and DEM Party."

However, not only the MHP but also the DEM was not at the reception. According to the media, the reason for DEM's absence was not a "protest," but "not being invited to these programs."

They decide to "walk the path together," yet they are not invited to the reception.

Considering that Erdoğan met with the DEM Imralı delegation a day later; there could be two reasons for them not being invited to the reception. Either there was discomfort with the statements regarding the Republic that we quoted above, or the trouble that would be caused by the possibility of those who look at the Republic so askew not coming was calculated!..

WHAT DID THE TWO MINISTERS EXPLAIN?

Let's also look at the PKK commission established in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

At Thursday's meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç gave presentations. Presumably, Fidan was going to explain the situation of the PKK in Syria, and Tunç was going to explain the legal regulations considered for the terrorists. But strangely, these presentations were closed to the press.

As if it were a crime to write about what was discussed in the commission, which has no legal basis, journalists did not learn or report what these two ministers said.

Fortunately, afterwards, Minister of Justice Tunç, while saying, "This commission will take very important decisions. We will continue on our way on the route they draw," also noted the following:

"In the Century of Turkey, there is a need for a democratic, civil, and participatory social contract. There is a need for a new constitution. We must fulfill this debt to our nation. Hopefully, such a consensus will be reached in the parliament, and we will continue on our way with a democratic, civil, and participatory constitution at the beginning of the Century of Turkey."

We will report the details in a moment; TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş also said during the budget negotiations the other day, "Making a new constitution and saving Turkey from antidemocratic regulations, primarily the Political Parties Law, is one of the most important duties of this Parliament."

MAKING THE PKK A PARTNER TO THE REPUBLIC

Let's return to the DEM front.

The other day, co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları was in Van, and Tuncer Bakırhan was in Iğdır.

After Hatimoğulları gave plenty of speeches on "the solution to the Kurdish question, peace, and democracy," look at what she said.

She said, "If the Kurdish side has taken very important concrete steps, historic steps, similar steps need to be taken by the government and the state."

What does she mean by "the Kurdish side" and "steps taken"? The PKK and those shows it puts on!..

Furthermore; for the second phase, she asked for "equal citizenship, education in the mother tongue," and explained that these are "indispensable basic principles and tenets."

Tuncer Bakırhan spoke as follows:

"No one will ignore the will you have chosen anymore, no trustee will be appointed to your will. Our children will receive education in our own language, the assimilation of our language will stop. The history and heroism of the Kurds will also take their place in history books. As Mr. Öcalan puts it, we will be equal citizens, we will be partners of the Republic, and we will live together by democratizing this republic. Those days are not far off. We are conducting a very important process. As the DEM Party, we are a party to this process... We have demonstrated our sincerity. Now it is the government's and the state's turn for sincerity. The coming period is a period of struggle that will recognize the rights of the Kurds."

Let's evaluate the rhetoric of Hatimoğulları and Bakırhan together; is it not seen that they officially declare the PKK and DEM as the owners/representatives of our citizens of Kurdish origin?

Well, what should we make of those who are uncomfortable with the chanting of "biji serok Apo" slogans in Parliament or calling the police who prevent the hanging of the terrorist leader's poster in Diyarbakır "enemies," yet not speaking out against these blatant hostilities towards the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Nation?!

''EITHER WE WILL SUCCEED OR THE IMPERIALISTS''

Let's come to TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş's speech during the budget negotiations.

Stating that from the beginning of the process, no discussion regarding the first 4 articles of the Constitution and issues such as federation or establishing a separate state have been brought to the agenda, have not been brought up, have never been discussed, and furthermore, that it is impossible for any language other than Turkish to be used as an official language, Kurtulmuş said, "We will definitely succeed this time, we have no other choice. Either we will succeed or the imperialists will succeed."

Then what are these challenges from Imralı, Qandil, and the DEM members?

Are the imperialists not the parents of all those discourses?

And if one continues to walk the path with them and these are fulfilled, will the winners not be the imperialists?

Müyesser YILDIZ

November 2, 2025