Pro-Kurdish lawmakers in Turkey visit Ocalan as PKK prepares to disarm
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Lawmakers from the DEM party visit Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali prison as Kurdistan Workers' Party militants prepare to begin disarmament.
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A group of armed Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) enter northern Iraq in the Heror area, northeast of Dahuk, northwest of Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2013 (AP)
A delegation from the pro-Kurdish DEM party in Turkey visited imprisoned PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan on Sunday as Kurdish militants get ready to start the process of dismantling their weapons, according to the party.
The statement mentioned that lawmakers Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, accompanied by lawyer Ozgur Faik Erol, traveled to Imrali prison island near Istanbul, where Ocalan, who has been serving a life sentence in solitary confinement since 1999, is held.
The discussions took place before a scheduled ceremony by PKK militants in Iraqi Kurdistan, where they announced their intention to start dismantling an initial batch of weapons, with the event expected to occur on or around July 10-12.
On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that this development could provide new momentum for peace efforts with the Kurds, while also telling reporters about his planned meeting with the DEM delegation, which is expected to take place next week.
Disarming marks a new phase
In February, Ocalan called on the PKK to cease its armed campaign and dissolve, leading the group to officially announce its disbandment in May, marking a potential turning point in a conflict spanning decades that has resulted in over 40,000 casualties. The gradual disarmament process is anticipated to progress over the following months.
An initial group of 20 to 30 fighters from PKK is set to surrender their weapons in Iraq's Sulaymaniyah province between July 3 and July 10 as part of the ongoing disarmament process, according to reports from the Rudaw broadcaster, citing unnamed sources.
The report stated that a fresh message from PKK leader Ocalan to party members would be released shortly, with the disarmament process commencing afterward, according to Rudaw.
