Bundestag Vice President Bodo Ramelow (Die Linke) is calling for extensive amnesty provisions for Kurdish activists in Germany, linking the demand to the ongoing peace process between Turkey and the Kurdish PKK.
Ramelow told the “Rheinische Post” that the draft framework law submitted to the Turkish Parliament in Ankara is paving the way toward peace and is a response to the PKK’s voluntary dissolution last year. He argued that the German federal government should support the diplomatic aspects of this process and, mirroring Turkey’s intentions, must also implement broad and swift amnesty regulations for Kurdish activists within Germany. In Ramelow’s view, this would constitute concrete support for regional peace while also safeguarding the rights and interests of the Kurdish population.
The background to this is that the Turkish ruling party, the AKP, has submitted a legislative proposal to foster peace with the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK). This bill aims to establish legal frameworks, including those for the release of convicted PKK members. Ramelow expressed his approval, stating that the Turkish government appears ready to take concrete steps toward peace for Kurds in Turkey, emphasizing the Kurdish populace’s determination for democratic change and a definitive end to the era of conflict.
