A German politician, Berivan Aymaz, has expressed optimism regarding the call by Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan for the disbandment of the PKK, a Kurdish militant group. As the vice-president of the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament and a member of the Green party, Aymaz has emphasized the significance of resolving the “Kurdish question” in Turkey, which has been a longstanding issue for decades.
According to Aymaz, if the conflict is resolved peacefully, it could pave the way for democratic progress in other areas. She noted that the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is home to the largest Kurdish community in Germany, with over 900,000 people having a Turkish background.
Aymaz has personal experience with the issue, as she has Kurdish roots and has previously witnessed the impact of political developments in Turkey on the local community. She mentioned that in the past, conflicts in Turkey have led to emotional reactions and security concerns in North Rhine-Westphalia, with demonstrations and arrests of individuals with Turkish connections.
Aymaz has taken a particular interest in the case of Selahattin Demirtas, a Turkish politician who is currently imprisoned and has adopted him as a “Demokratie-Brücken” patron. She is also a candidate for the position of mayor of Cologne in the upcoming municipal elections.