Latest news with #Bahceli
Rudaw Net
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Bahceli says PKK must dissolve ‘with all its components'
Also in Turkey Erdogan calls on PKK to dissolve 'without any ifs and buts' Desecrating Kurdistan flag is 'international disgrace': AKP MP Van Bar Association urges Kurdistan to take legal action over flag insult Erdogan backs SDF integration into Syrian government A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said on Monday that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and 'all its components' must be dissolved to begin a new era in the country. 'Weapons must be laid down, a congress must be held quickly, and the decision to dissolve the PKK with all its components must be implemented. Our national unity must be strengthened through comprehensive reforms, with justice and equality as the foundation,' Bahceli said in a speech published in his party's Turkgun newspaper. 'With the dissolution of the PKK, a new day will dawn in Turkey,' he affirmed. Bahceli initiated the peace process in Turkey, which is mediated by the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). On Monday, a MHP delegation visited the pro-Kurdish party, extending Eid al-Fitr greetings. In October, Devlet Bahceli, leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), called on jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to address the Turkish parliament and announce the dissolution of the PKK. He also suggested that Ocalan should benefit from the 'right to hope' law, which could pave the way for his release if certain conditions are met. However, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc has repeatedly stated that there is no legal basis for granting Ocalan any right to release under the "right to hope" regulation. The law concerns prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment who are otherwise ineligible for conditional release. Bahceli in early March said that the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria (Rojava) is not exempt from Ocalan's call to dissolve. 'The February 27th Imrali call clearly links the PKK terrorist organization with all its extensions and groups.' Turkey claims that there are Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members within the ranks of the YPG, the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Ankara has designated both as terrorist groups. Ocalan issued a historic message in late February telling the group to convene a congress and 'make the decision to integrate with the state and society; all groups should lay down their arms and the PKK should dissolve itself.' His message sparked hope for an end to the conflict that has taken 40,000 lives. 'It is up to us to turn this expectation into joy rather than grief. A Turkey without terror will become a Turkey with strengthened democracy,' Bahceli said about Ocalan's call. Following Ocalan's message, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire but set their leader's release from prison as a precondition to laying down arms and disbanding. The group said it cannot make such decisions without the physical attendance of their leader at the congress he urged for. Murat Karayilan, a senior PKK commander, said earlier this month that Ocalan should be involved in all stages of such a meeting, including possibly participating remotely, saying that his involvement must go beyond a single message or symbolic appearance. Ocalan, who founded the PKK in 1978 and launched a war against the Turkish state six years later, has been jailed on Imrali island since 1999. The PKK initially demanded the establishment of an independent Kurdistan but now calls for autonomy. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.
Rudaw Net
12-03-2025
- General
- Rudaw Net
Hakkari showcases Kurdish culture in folk dance competition
Also in Turkey Turkish President welcomes deal to integrate SDF into Damascus forces YPG not exempt from Ocalan's message: Bahceli Local population not benefiting from Sirnak oil field: MP Next step in PKK peace talks must come from Ankara: Senior Kurdish official A+ A- HAKKARI, Turkey - People in the Kurdish province of Hakkari (Colemerg) in southeast Turkey demonstrated Kurdish culture and the region's scenic beauty with traditional clothing and folk dances. Hakkari hosts a folk dance competition each year with its various districts competing under the supervision of local authorities. This year, 16 teams competed across various categories for the top prize. "Today, we held our folk dance competition in Hakkari with all federation and school teams. We are here to continue with our 16 teams, aiming to preserve and promote Colemerg's culture. Our goal is to ensure these ancient and priceless cultural traditions are passed down to future generations and not lost," Sitki Zirek, one of the organizers said. The traditional dance teams presented a plethora of scenes from Hakkari's rich cultural heritage to the guests. As a result, three teams from Semdinli and Rubarok, three teams from Hakkari, and two teams from Yuksekova (Gever) became champions in their respective categories.
Rudaw Net
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
YPG not exempt from Ocalan's message: Bahceli
Also in Turkey Local population not benefiting from Sirnak oil field: MP Next step in PKK peace talks must come from Ankara: Senior Kurdish official Turkey says PKK must lay down arms, dissolve 'immediately' Pro-Kurdish party to hold fresh talks on Ankara-PKK peace efforts A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) who initiated peace talks between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), said on Sunday that the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) is not exempt from Abdullah Ocalan's call to dissolve. 'Claims that YPG and similar terrorist formations are exempt from this call, and the sharing of these unfounded views by dissenters, is completely contradictory to the nature of organizational and founding leadership,' Bahceli said, adding, 'The February 27th Imrali call clearly links the PKK terrorist organization with all its extensions and groups.' Turkey claims that there are Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members within the ranks of the YPG, the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Ankara has designated both as terrorist groups. The PKK has repeatedly said that it has no presence in Rojava, and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi has also repeatedly said that the PKK no longer exists in Rojava. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in mid-January warned that the YPG will experience a 'bitter fate' if they choose to remain operational and not disband. A delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) earlier this month shared with the public a letter from Ocalan, the leader of the PKK, who is imprisoned on Turkey's secluded Imrali island. In the letter, he urged the group to disarm and disband. His message has sparked hope for an end to four decades of a conflict that has taken 40,000 lives. Bahceli initiated the peace process, which was mediated by the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). 'Thanks to the prudent, calm, and consistent messages of the DEM Party, along with its commitment to maintaining stable steps, it will open the way for it to become a party of Turkey,' he said. The MHP leader, who is known for his nationalist remarks and is Erdogan's main ally in government, also stressed that the PKK must dissolve unconditionally. 'The separatist terrorist organization must act in line with the February 27th call of the founding leader and separate from weapons without any conditions, ending its organizational existence,' he explained, adding that 'the terrorist organization has called for its own dissolution.'
Al Arabiya
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Erdogan ally warns of PKK ‘affiliated groups' must disarm as well
A key ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that all 'affiliated groups' of the Kurdish militant group PKK must disarm as well, as part of a historic ceasefire deal with Ankara. Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), last month called on his group to disband and end more than four decades of armed struggle against Turkey. But Ankara also wants all PKK fighters disarmed wherever they are, notably those in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces - the bulk of which is made up of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). The SDF leadership welcomed Ocalan's call on February 27 to disband but said it did not apply to its forces. 'The PKK terrorist organization and its affiliated groups must immediately and without preconditions lay down their weapons,' said Devlet Bahceli, head of the hardline nationalist MHP party. Bahceli is considered the key sponsor of the talks between Ankara and the PKK, after he offered a surprise peace gesture if Ocalan rejected violence. 'The fact that the YPG and other similar terrorist groups claim to be exempt from this call... is completely contradictory to the leadership of the organization,' Bahceli said in a statement. The PKK announced a ceasefire after the call by Ocalan, who has been imprisoned for the past 26 years, saying that 'none of our forces will carry out any armed operation unless they are attacked.' Since 2016, Turkey has carried out three major military operations in northern Syria targeting PKK militants, which it sees as a strategic threat along its southern border. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has waged an insurgency since 1984. Its original aim was to carve out a homeland for Kurds, who make up about 20 percent of Turkey's 85 million people. Since Ocalan was jailed in 1999 there have been various attempts to end the bloodshed, which has cost more than 40,000 lives.
Rudaw Net
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Turkey's nationalist leader welcomes Ocalan's call for disarmament
Also in Turkey Erdogan ready for dialogue, but threatens 'iron fist' if PKK disarmament fails DEM Party hopes Ramadan brings peace to Turkey PKK declares ceasefire, says committed to Ocalan's call to disarm PKK umbrella group says Ocalan's message has their 'full support' A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) who initiated peace talks between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), on Saturday welcomed Abdullah Ocalan's call for the PKK to disarm and disband. 'The statement read to the public by the DEM delegation on February 27, 2025 and written in Imrali is valuable and important from beginning to end,' Bahceli said in a post on X. A delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) on Thursday shared with the public a letter from Ocalan, the leader of the PKK who is imprisoned on Imrali island. In the letter, he urged the group to disarm and disband. His message has sparked hope for an end to four decades of a conflict that has taken 40,000 lives. The PKK announced a unilateral ceasefire on Saturday. Ocalan's message was the culmination of weeks of talks between him and Turkish political parties mediated by the DEM Party and initiated by Bahceli who last year proposed that Ocalan should address the Turkish parliament and announce the dissolution of the PKK. 'The PKK terrorist organization, which held its first congress in Fis Village of Lice District of Diyarbakır on November 27, 1978 and aimed to establish a Great Kurdistan within the Marxist-Leninist framework, was called to dissolve its organizational structure by its founding leader after 47 years,' Bahceli said. 'It is now impossible to tolerate the arson and tampering with the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, and it is futile to pursue such a mistake,' he added. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Ankara is open to compromise and dialogue, but threatened to continue military operations 'if the promises given are not kept.'
