Turkey's main opposition under fire for opposing Ocalan-parliament meeting

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey’s main opposition faces criticism for opposing a parliamentary meeting with jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

A 51-member parliamentary commission, formed earlier this year to provide a legal framework for the ongoing peace talks between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to end four decades of a deadly conflict, met on Friday to decide if a delegation from the body should visit jailed PKK leader Ocalan at Imrali prison.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), its far-right ally, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and two other smaller parties voted in favor of the visit while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) boycotted the session.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel later clarified that his party is not against the peace process between the PKK and Ankara, officially launched a year ago, but emphasized that no one can impose opinions on them. He also indirectly criticized the AKP and MHP for previously condemning his party’s engagement with the DEM Party, while now joining forces with the pro-Kurdish party in parliament.

Many Kurds took to social media to criticize the CHP for its position.

DEM Party Co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan said the CHP, which was in an unofficial alliance with his party in the latest local elections, hurt the feelings of Kurds by opposing the visit to Imrali.

The CHP's "has hurt and offended the Kurds. If we're not going to take responsibility now to heal a century-old wound, when will we? Who would believe it? We have taken note of this failure to take responsibility at such a time when this century-old wound could be healed," said Bakirhan during a party meeting in Erzurum late Friday.

The CHP, which has members in the parliamentary commission, has not opposed the peace process between the state and the PKK, but has approached it cautiously.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, former leader of the CHP who is at odds with the current leadership of the party, criticized the party's decision.

"The CHP must be involved in the [peace] process to eliminate the scourge of Israel and America who are waiting for us to stumble in the Middle East and for the supreme interests of the state," he said in a video message.

"It must take risks and put its hand under the stone by looking at the issue above politics. Our nation's expectation from CHP is to be a pioneer in the brotherhood process and to set the direction for the process. Being on the right side of history often requires courage and determination. We continue our march for rights, law and justice with our beloved nation before history," he added.

It is unclear when the delegation will visit Ocalan, but Turkish media has reported that the trip is expected to take place midweek.

Zekeriya Yapicioglu, leader of the Kurdish Islamist Free Cause Party (Huda Par), which opposed the visit, told Rudaw on Friday that their opposition is due to the fact that only a few people are taking place in the delegation. He suggested that all 51 members of the commission visit Ocalan.

"We're not saying Abdullah Ocalan shouldn't be included in the process and shouldn't be heard, on the contrary, we're saying since the issue is about laying down arms and dissolving the PKK, the person who has weapons in their hands needs to speak, but not just with four or five commission members," he elaborated.

Huda Par and the PKK have had thorny ties for decades.

In February, Ocalan issued a historic call for his followers to lay down their arms and dissolve the party he founded in 1978. By May, the PKK had carried out both directives. The group has since taken additional measures to facilitate the process, the most recent being the withdrawal of its fighters from the strategic Mount Zap — a territory Ankara has been unable to control despite years of intense military operations.

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