A draft framework law resulting from more than two years of negotiations between the Turkish state and the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was submitted to the parliament’s Justice Committee on Wednesday in what some call a historic milestone and others a humiliating capitulation by the Kurdish-led resistance movement.

Either way, it marks the first time the Turkish state has introduced legislation in parliament following direct talks with Abdullah Ocalan, a man who was long vilified as a "baby killer" and terrorist and was sentenced to death in a courtroom trial in 1999 following his capture by Turkish special forces in Nairobi earlier that year. It is also the first time any Turkish government has pursued a political solution rather than a military one to end the four-decade-long war between the Turkish army and the PKK, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives, most of them Kurdish.

The law, titled the "Bill on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration," is expected to be voted on in a plenary session as early as Friday.

It consists of 12 articles and establishes a staggered legal mechanism covering PKK rebels and others linked to the organization who qualify for full or partial amnesty under its terms. Offenses covered by the bill include membership in or leadership of the organization, as well as engaging in propaganda and raising funds on its behalf. A board — overseen by the president and consisting of Turkish diplomatic, military and intelligence officials along with representatives from the Interior and Justice ministries — will coordinate and supervise the PKK's disarmament and dissolution. A 17-member monitoring committee will follow up with further laws in the parliament.

As of the time of publication, at least 360 lawmakers in the 600-member Turkish legislature had signed the bill.

Its passage has as much bearing on the Kurds’ decades-long struggle for political equality as it does on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political future.

Under the current constitution, Erdogan cannot run for a third term when his current mandate expires in May 2028. A referendum on constitutional amendments to change the relevant article requires at least 360 votes. Wednesday’s support for the bill suggests that Erdogan could corral enough votes to secure such a referendum. Friday’s session may also show that he may not even need one if 400 lawmakers vote in favor of the bill.

Quite a bit will hinge on Ocalan and the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), which holds 56 seats in parliament. Erdogan’s ruling........

© Al Monitor