Plaid Cymru’s Arfon MP Hywel Williams has today welcomed reports that Turkey is to hold ‘comprehensive talks’ with the jailed leader of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, and congratulated the country on moves towards peace talks.
Mr Williams has long been an active campaigner for the rights of the Kurdish people in parliament and has taken steps to raise international awareness of the situation.
Recently, Mr Williams has campaigned for an intervention into Turkey’s widespread practise of detaining children in prisons which only worsens the grievances felt by oppressed Kurds in Turkey.
In the last parliament, Mr Williams tabled an Early Day Motion to highlight the inhumane treatment of the Kurdish leader held in a Turkish prison and calling on the UK government to request the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to intervene.
Welcoming the news, Mr Williams said:
“This is exceptional news and an important step by the Turkish government which, while it has been a long time coming, must be congratulated.
“This is the first time that a civilian team from the Turkish government has held talks with the Abdullah Ocalan. Mr Ocalan has been in confinement for many years and there have been widespread reports of his failing health and the inhumane treatment he has received whilst in prison.
“I hope that this is the start of a constructive period of negotiation. The struggle of the Kurdish people cannot be ignored.
“I recently tabled an EDM deploring the Turkish government’s policy of detaining children under counter-terrorism laws. There are around 4,000 Kurdish children being held in prison charged with such offences. Some of these are only there because they attended demonstrations.
“The practice of imprisoning children under counter-terrorism laws also exacerbates the grievances and sense of injustice felt by Kurds in Turkey and contributes towards prolonging the conflict.
“I hope the Turkish and Kurdish peoples can now look forward to constructive negotiations towards a just and sustainable peace.”
