"The historical process we are experiencing now needs a deep social consensus. When resolving issues, we have to stay away from any sort of polarization and conflict as there is a strong need for democratic negotiation. We can resolve the issues of Turkey – and even the region – through soft power. I mean intellectual, political, and cultural powers – not through physical violence,” read the statement from Ocalan and three other PKK leaders also held at the island Imrali prison: Hamili Yildirim, Omer Hayri Konar, and Veysi Aktas.
The PKK has waged a four-decade-long, sometimes armed, struggle against the Turkish state, seeking greater cultural, political and minority rights in the country. Ocalan, 71, has been imprisoned since 1999 on Imrali Island after an international manhunt that concluded in Nairobi, Kenya. From 1979 to 1998, he sheltered in Syria until being expelled by Damascus.
Despite being in prison with limited access to his lawyers and family, he remains an influential figure for Kurds, especially in Turkey and Syria.
The PKK and Turkish government began peace talks in 2013. On Newroz that year, Ocalan released a letter from jail calling for a ceasefire. “This is a new period. Instead of arms, we have ideas,” he said at the time. His words were read out to a large crowd celebrating Newroz in Diyarbakir.
In his new statement, Ocalan recalled the 2013 proclamation. “We are determined to continue and further deepen and clarify our stance from Imrali back in Newroz 2013,” he wrote. “For us, an honorable peace and democratic, political solution is essential.”
Peace talks between the PKK and the Turkish government made some progress in 2013. Former co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was one of negotiators, meeting Ocalan in his island prison as part of discussions with Ankara.
The peace process, however, fell apart in July 2015 and the conflict “entered one of its deadliest chapters in nearly four decades,” according to the International Crisis Group (ICG), which is monitoring the conflict. The renewed conflict was brought into populated areas, devastating cities in Turkey’s Kurdish-populated southeast. Between July 20, 2015 and April 5, 2019 at least 4,330 people have been killed, according to ICG.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cracked down on the Kurdish rebels. The state restricted access to Ocalan, denying requests from his lawyers and giving his family infrequent permission to visit. Demirtas is now also in jail on alleged terrorism charges stemming from accusation of ties to the PKK. Thousands of HDP members and supporters have been arrested.
Some 3,000 Kurdish prisoners are on hunger strike, according to AFP, protesting prison conditions in general and the treatment of Ocalan specifically. Eight people have died, according to HDP. Demirtas has called for the people to end their hunger strikes, but to no avail.
On Thursday, Ocalan’s legal team was able to meet with him on May 2 for the first time since 2011. “The meeting lasted approximately one hour,” said lawyer Rezan Sarica at a press conference in Istanbul on Monday.
A part of Ocalan’s message delivered through the lawyers was directed at the hunger strikers.
“Although we respect the resistance of our friends inside and outside prison, they should not take it to the point where it will endanger their health and lead to their death,” read his statement. “For us, their mental, physical and spiritual health is above everything. Additionally, the most meaningful approach is related to mental and spiritual development.”
Ocalan also addressed the situation in Syria where he has a lot of popular support. Kurdish political parties, led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in northern Syria, have carved out a region of self-rule that spans a third of the country. They have instituted an administration based on the political ideology of Ocalan, though they deny any connections with the PKK.
Turkey accuses the PYD, its armed force the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and their umbrella Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of being branches of the PKK and has threatened a military offensive in northern Syria.
“We believe that Syrian crises – in their current state – should be resolved in the framework of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by staying away from the culture of conflict in the perspective of local democracy, guaranteed through a Syrian constitution in light of Syrian [territorial] integrity,” Ocalan wrote.
“In this regard, Turkish sensitivity should be taken into consideration,” he said.
HDP’s current leaders, co-chairs Sezai Temelli and Pervin Buldan, welcomed the visit as a “late yet positive, legal step.”
"Our country is experiencing a very critical period,” they said. “We have to resolve our political and cultural issues in the framework of universal law and human rights. This is the foundation of this parliament and political democracy."
The lawyers are not sure if this meeting with Ocalan was an exceptional event or a change in government policy. “It is not yet clear if the meetings with lawyers will continue periodically," added Sarica.
Ocalan’s brother, Mehmet, last visited him on January 12 and said his sibling was in good health.
Mehmet’s son, Omer, told Rudaw English on Monday that his uncle’s team should be allowed to visit their client regularly because his uncle's thoughts and words carry a lot of weight among Kurds in Turkey and he can help resolve the PKK-Turkey conflict.
"This meeting is a good step for Kurdish relations with Turkey, bringing about peace between Kurds and Turks,” he said.
Ocalan is “not a simple man but has influence over Kurds in Turkey” and his words are important messages for not only his family but all Kurds, said Omer. The Turkish government should start to see Ocalan “as a politician.”
"Whenever Mr. Ocalan is approached, it leads to stability,” he said. "Mr Ocalan, my uncle, is not the guardian of a family but is responsible for the Kurdish nation."
On the same day the lawyers visited Ocalan, the HDP called on the international community to pressure Ankara to end Ocalan's isolation.
"We call upon the international community to take initiative for overcoming the aggravating situation. Ending the isolation imposed on Ocalan will contribute to normalization of Turkey, re-initiate democratic dialogue, and hopefully resume the peace process," a HDP tweet read.
The PKK's headquarters is located in the mountainous border area, Qandil, in the Kurdistan Region on the border with Turkey and Iran.
Updated at 9:29 pm
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