DEM Party leader criticizes Ankara’s inaction on peace process, hopes to meet Erdogan this week

ANKARA, Turkey — Tuncer Bakırhan, Co-Chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Parti), accused Turkey’s executive leadership of failing to take any concrete steps to advance the stalled peace process, casting doubt over Ankara’s commitment to national reconciliation. 

Speaking during a parliamentary group meeting, Bakırhan criticized what he described as “a deafening silence and indifference” surrounding the peace efforts, urging the Turkish government to take decisive actions to reassure the public and reignite dialogue. “Our party has always stood on the side of peace,” he said. “We will continue this struggle just as we did in the past. There is no reason to fear democracy.” 

The Co-Chair of DEM Parti, of which the Federation of Syriac Associations in Turkey (SÜDEF) is a co-founder, also underscored the Kurdish community’s support for the latest peace appeal issued by Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Öcalan, in a rare statement earlier this year, called for the PKK to hold its Congress, disband, lay down arms, and pursue a peaceful resolution with the Turkish state. 

Criticizing the Turkish government’s continued isolation of Öcalan on İmralı Island, Bakırhan urged the national parliament to play a more active role in facilitating the peace process. “This is a historical responsibility,” he said, calling for a package of legislative reforms that would enable the realization of Öcalan’s appeal.  

Regarding a possible meeting with President Recep Erdogan, Bakırhan said that he expected to meet with the Turkish President this week. 

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan voiced cautious optimism, expressing hope that Öcalan’s call would be heeded. Fidan stated that if the PKK were to disband and disarm, “it would yield immense benefits not only for Kurds, but for all peoples of the region — in Iraq, Turkey, and Syria alike.” 

Öcalan’s statement, issued in February, marked one of the most significant peace overtures since the collapse of previous negotiations in 2015. But with Ankara accused of maintaining a hardline stance, doubts remain about whether the political will exists to transform this proposal into a new chapter of dialogue.