Critique Of Secrecy: Chp Opposes Presenting The Visit As The Sole Option While Trustee Appointments And Political Imprisonment Continue
ANKARA, Turkey – The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has announced its definitive decision regarding the delegation set to visit Imralı Island (where PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is imprisoned) as part of the Parliamentary “National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission.” CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir stated that the party refuses to send a representative to the Imralı delegation.
🏛️ CRITIQUE OF SECRECY AND TRANSPARENCY
The request for the Commission meeting, chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, to be held behind closed doors drew immediate opposition from the CHP.
- Murat Emir’s Statement: CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir criticized the closed-door request: “I must state that holding a meeting where the trip to Imralı will be discussed, concealed from our nation, is not right.” Emir stressed that every political party’s position should be openly declared.
- CHP’s Stance: Emir submitted the party’s final decision to the Commission’s attention: “As the CHP, we do not deem it correct to assign a member to the Commission’s delegation.”
⚖️ POLITICAL REASONS BEHIND THE REFUSAL
The sharp CHP Imralı Decision stems from a strong objection to the strategy of reducing the complexity of the Kurdish issue to a single point:
- Trustee Administrations (Kayyım): Emir pointed out that trustee appointments, which hijack the national will, are still continuing.
- Political Imprisonment: He noted that sixteen elected mayors and a presidential candidate have been imprisoned for months. Therefore, democratic politics are being further blocked by political lawsuits rather than being enabled.
- Narrowing Options: The CHP argued that the nation does not consent to having all discussions narrowed down to the Imralı visit while these fundamental problems remain unresolved.
Emir stressed that offering the Imralı visit as the sole solution while neglecting steps like lifting the trustee system and enabling democratic politics is incorrect.
🕊️ THE PARTY’S CORE PRINCIPLE AND FUTURE STANCE
Despite refusing to join the delegation, Murat Emir reaffirmed the CHP’s commitment to the democratic resolution of the Kurdish issue.
- Emphasis on Transparency: “We hold the view that peace and a solution must be discussed with transparency,” Emir said, underscoring the party’s adherence to principle.
- Remaining in the Commission: The CHP Imralı Decision is only against joining the delegation. The party announced it will continue to participate in the general commission meetings. Emir concluded, “If the peace hopes of this nation are once again attempted to be sacrificed for personal ambitions, the CHP will stand against it.”
This decision indicates that the Imralı process will not be accepted as a sufficient resolution method while political imprisonment and trustee appointments persist.
