Turkey unveils draft law to reintegrate PKK militants, achieve peace
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FILE PHOTO: A fighter with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) stands guard during a disarmament process marking a significant step toward ending the decades-long conflict between Turkey and the outlawed group, in the Qandil mountains, Iraq, October 26, 20
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By Nevzat Devranoglu and Huseyin Hayatsever
ANKARA, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Turkey's ruling alliance submitted a draft law to parliament on Wednesday meant to achieve peace with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in part by protecting many former militants from prosecution and suspending prison sentences for some others.
The draft law marks a leap towards ending an insurgency that has killed more than 40,000 people since 1984, sown deep discord at home and fuelled violence across borders in Iraq and Syria.
It aims to end the decades-old conflict in part by facilitating the return to Turkey of potentially thousands of former PKK militants and civilians from hideouts in northern Iraq.
It is backed by a majority of lawmakers and is expected to pass the assembly later this week, but polls show some scepticism that it will bring lasting peace.
Turkey's national security council would verify the group's disarmament and a committee including the vice president, some ministers and the head of the MIT intelligence agency would oversee the militants' surrender and disarmament under the bill.
The committee would inform a parliamentary commission on the proceedings of the process.
The bill would suspend prison sentences for those convicted of PKK membership or aiding the group, according to the text seen by Reuters. It also legally protects militants who were not involved in killings and who return to Turkey within six months of the law passing parliament.
PKK officials convicted of serious crimes including leading a terrorist organisation and aggravated life sentences before 2005 would not benefit from legal protections or suspended sentences.
This means PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, jailed since 1999 with an aggravated life sentence, would remain in prison. Ocalan called on the PKK to disarm and disband last year and the group agreed.
President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party, its nationalist MHP allies and the pro-Kurdish DEM Party backed the "national solidarity and social integration" bill. Most other parties, including the main opposition, have voiced support for it.
"Today we are taking the first step. Hopefully, we will continue all the way through in a positive manner," said DEM co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan.
The peace process between Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army, and the PKK began in late 2024, but came to a near standstill earlier this year due to the Iran war and concerns about regional instability.
The PKK is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. It launched its insurgency in 1984 and initially sought an independent Kurdish state in southeast Turkey, but later refocused on seeking autonomy and Kurdish political rights.
(Reporting by Nevzat Devranoglu and Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, Alex Richardson and Janet Lawrence)
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