In an interview with Today’s Zaman and the Taraf daily, Atalay, the coordinator of the government’s democratic initiative intended to solve the Kurdish issue, signaled that new PKK arrivals could happen soon, adding that their arrival will not be announced beforehand this time. “We are working on the issue. I will no longer make announcements beforehand. You will hear when they return,” he said, referring to a row that erupted following the first PKK arrivals late last year. A group of 34 people affiliated with the PKK surrendered in October at the Habur border gate, on the Turkish-Iraqi border, as the Turkish government was preparing to unveil measures to expand the democratic rights and freedoms of the country’s citizens. Eight of the group’s members came from the Kandil Mountains, where the PKK maintains a camp. The rest came from Makhmour, a refugee camp in northern Iraq. None was arrested. Some news reports have alleged that Atalay reassured the leader of the now-defunct Democratic Society Party (DTP), Ahmet Türk, that the surrendering group would not be arrested, which Atalay strenuously denied.
Atalay underlined that the government’s efforts as part of the initiative have not been halted but are continuing at full speed. Stating that solving the Kurdish issue is a multidimensional process, Atalay said democratization is one of these dimensions. Recalling that he had outlined the short-term, mid-term and long-term aims of the initiative during his speech in Parliament on Nov. 13, Atalay said the short-term plans have already been put into practice. Only two weeks ago, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) gave permission to 14 private channels to broadcast in Kurdish and Arabic, he said, and Kurdish language departments have begun to be opened at universities.
Atalay also noted that he expects that a bill aiming to prevent minors detained on charges of throwing stones at security forces during illegal demonstrations from facing trial as adults under Turkey’s Counterterrorism Law to be approved by Parliament within a few weeks. “We are currently trying to reach a compromise with the opposition on this issue. It is out of the question that this law would pave the way for the retrial of outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan.” Öcalan is serving a life sentence on İmralı Island in the Marmara Sea.
‘We don’t plan to have a general amnesty’
As for the question of whether the government plans to bring in a general amnesty, Atalay said no. “A general amnesty is not on our agenda, as the AK Party. There is Article 221 of the Turkish Penal Code [TCK]. This can be made use of. If the PKK lays down its arms and terrorism ends, we can discuss all this,” he said.
Under current Turkish law, those members of the PKK who show remorse for joining the organization are able to benefit from Article 221 of the TCK, popularly known as the Active Repentance Law. Hundreds of members of the terrorist PKK are currently in prison charged with terrorism and separatism.
