‘Öcalan aims for DTP's closure' says former PKK leader

A closure case was filed against the DTP in 2007 over charges of being a focal point of separatist activities. The case is still in progress.

Former PKK leader Şükrü Gümüş said: “Öcalan encourages the DTP to commit legal offenses to pave the way for the party's closure. Later, he will push the button for the establishment of another party with the name ‘Democratic Republic Party' [DCP]. In this way, he will eliminate his opponents from the party organization. This will result in the elimination of the DTP members from the party who do not want a solution to the Kurdish problem to come from Öcalan.”

The DTP drew the ire of many when its members enthusiastically welcomed a group of PKK terrorists who surrendered to security forces at the Habur border gate last week upon an order from Öcalan. Öcalan's instruction came as a show of support for the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) Kurdish initiative, which aims to solve Turkey's long-standing Kurdish problem.

Gümüş, who said he was pleased with the AK Party's Kurdish initiative, claimed that Öcalan wants to show himself at the center of a solution and to look as if he is pushing the peace process rather than the AK Party. Gümüş, who served 11 years in jail after parting ways with the PKK, now lives in Germany.