Turkey’s pro-Kurd party meets jailed PKK leader


By AFP
December 28, 2024

A delegation from Turkey's main pro-Kurdish DEM party is due to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving life on a prison island off Istanbul - Copyright AFP YASIN AKGUL

Fulya OZERKAN

A delegation from Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish DEM party on Saturday visited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving life on a prison island off Istanbul, party officials said.

The visit would be the party’s first in almost 10 years.

DEM’s predecessor, the HDP party, last met Ocalan in April 2015.

“The delegation left in the morning,” a party source told AFP, without elaborating how they would travel to the island for security reasons.

On Friday, the government approved DEM’s request to visit Ocalan, who founded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) nearly half a century ago and has languished in solitary confinement since 1999.

The PKK is regarded as a “terror” organisation by Turkey and most of its Western allies, including the United States and European Union.

The DEM party delegation is made up of two lawmakers — Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan. They are not expected to make a statement after the visit, the same source told AFP.

DEM’s co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan said he hoped the talks with Ocalan would “open a new era” for a democratic settlement to the Kurdish problem.

“While I speak here, our delegation is currently meeting with Mr Abdullah Ocalan at Imrali (island). We believe it’s important,” he told reporters in the Uludere district near the Iraqi border.



– ‘Door must be unlocked’-



He was attending a commemoration ceremony marking the anniversary of 2011 killing of 34 civilians by a Turkish airstrike, an incident which was later called “Uludere or Roboski massacre”.

“Imrali’s door must be unlocked,” Bakirhan said.

“I hope that the discussions there will enable the Kurdish issue to be resolved through democratic means and on a democratic basis.”

Detained 25 years ago in a Hollywood-style operation by Turkish security forces in Kenya after years on the run, Ocalan was sentenced to death.

He escaped the gallows when Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004 and is spending his remaining years in an isolation cell on the Imrali prison island south of Istanbul.

Saturday’s rare visit became possible after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nationalist ally Devlet Bahceli invited Ocalan to come to parliament to renounce “terror”, and to disband the militant group.

Bahceli, who heads the ultra-nationalist MHP party, is fiercely hostile to the PKK.

-‘Historic’-

Erdogan backed the unprecedented appeal as a “historic window of opportunity”.

“My dear Kurdish brothers, we expect you to firmly grasp (Bahceli’s) sincerely outstretched hand,” he said in October, urging them to join in efforts to build what he called the “century of Turkey”.

Soon after Bahceli’s call, Ocalan was allowed his first family visit since March 2020, prompting DEM to make its own request to the justice ministry to visit the 75-year-old militant.

PKK militants subsequently claimed responsibility for an attack in October on a Turkish defence firm that killed five. That delayed the government approval of DEM’s request.

For several years up to 2015, Ocalan was engaged in talks with authorities, when then-prime minister Erdogan called for a solution for what is often called Turkey’s “Kurdish problem”.

The peace process and a truce collapsed in 2015, sparking the resumption of violence, especially in the Kurdish-majority southeast.

The government’s approval of the DEM party visit comes after rebels in neighbouring Syria overthrew strongman president Bashar al-Assad on December 8.

Turkey routinely targets Kurdish fighters in northern Syria and Iraq.

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party meets jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan


By: TII team
Date:
December 28, 2024

Turkey’s jailed Kurdish leader and PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan (C) meeting with Kurdish HDP party leaders Sirri Sureyya Onder (L) and Pervin Buldan in his prison 2014. Photo: HDP/sm

ISTANBUL,— A delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Democracy and Equality Movement (DEM) visited imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan on Saturday, marking the first such meeting in nearly a decade, party officials confirmed.

Ocalan, the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been held in solitary confinement on the island prison of Imrali, south of Istanbul, since 1999.

According to a DEM source, the delegation, consisting of lawmakers Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan, departed early Saturday morning. Security concerns prevented disclosure of their travel arrangements.

The visit was approved Friday by the Turkish government, making it the first contact since April 2015, when Ocalan last met with representatives of the DEM’s predecessor, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

Ocalan established the PKK in 1978, leading an armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 to demand greater autonomy for Kurds, who make up an estimated 22.5 million of Turkey’s 84-million population.

The conflict, which has lasted for decades, has claimed more than 40,000 lives. Turkey, the United States, and the European Union classify the PKK as a “terrorist” organization.

DEM co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan expressed optimism about the meeting, calling it a potential step toward resolving Turkey’s long-standing Kurdish issue.

During a memorial ceremony in Uludere, near the Iraqi border, marking the 2011 Turkish airstrike that killed 34 civilians—an incident later referred to as the “Uludere” or “Roboski massacre“—Bakirhan called for action. “The door to Imrali must be opened,” he said. “We hope these discussions will lay the groundwork for a democratic resolution.”

Ocalan’s detention followed a dramatic 1999 operation by Turkish security forces in Kenya. Initially sentenced to death, he was spared after Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, backed by his nationalist ally Devlet Bahceli, has recently signaled a potential shift in addressing the Kurdish conflict. In October, Bahceli, leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), invited Ocalan to denounce terrorism and disband the PKK. Erdogan called this a “historic window of opportunity” for reconciliation.

The government’s approval of DEM’s visit comes amid heightened tensions. In October, PKK militants claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a Turkish defense facility, delaying the delegation’s request to meet Ocalan.

While previous peace talks between Ocalan and Turkish authorities collapsed in 2015, sparking renewed violence, Saturday’s visit raises cautious hopes for renewed dialogue. However, no immediate statement is expected from the delegation following their meeting.

Turkey continues its military operations targeting Kurdish fighters in northern Syria and Iraq, further complicating prospects for peace. Recent developments in neighboring Syria, including the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad by rebels, have added another layer of complexity to the region’s Kurdish dynamics.

Observers await further signals from both the government and Ocalan on whether this visit could lead to meaningful steps toward resolving one of Turkey’s most entrenched conflicts.

(Credit: AFP)

Copyright © 2024 The Insight International. All rights reserved

DEM Party delegation returns from İmralı

DEM Party deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan met with Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Island today.


ANF
NEWS DESK
Saturday, 28 December 2024

The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MPs Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan travelled to Imrali Prison Island to meet with Abdullah Öcalan earlier today after the Turkish Ministry of Justice granted the requested visit permit.

While the delegation returned from İmralı, DEM Party made the following statement: “Our delegation consisting of Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder held a meeting with Mr Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı today. This meeting has ended and our delegation has returned. Our delegation will share information and evaluations about the content of this meeting with the press and the public in the following hours.”

Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan were members of the İmralı Delegation during the talks between the Turkish state and Abdullah Öcalan between 2013 and 2015. On 28 February 2015, the ‘Dolmabahçe Consensus’ was declared in Istanbul. The agreement was a ten-point plan negotiated between Abdullah Öcalan and the Turkish state to resolve the Kurdish question. The peace process was terminated shortly afterwards by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The founder of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, has been held incommunicado on the prison island of Imrali since his illegal abduction from Kenya to Turkey in 1999. The last contact with him was a visit from his nephew, Ömer Öcalan, on 23 October.

Background

Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş are kept under severe isolation conditions in Imralı F Type High Security Prison in the Sea of Marmara.

The right of Abdullah Öcalan and fellow prisoners in Imralı to meet with their families and lawyers is being denied by the authorities, citing "disciplinary penalties". The reasons and file numbers of these disciplinary penalties are not shared with their lawyers despite all applications and objections.

From 27 July 2011 to date, only 5 lawyer visits were allowed between May and August 2019. The last meeting of lawyers with the Kurdish leader took place on 7 August 2019. During the last lawyer meeting 5 years ago, Öcalan stated that he could end the war completely within a week in the face of the possibility of conflict in Serekanîye and Gire Spî, saying that, otherwise, deep social wounds would be opened and the economy would not be able to bear this situation. However, his call for a solution and dialogue was left unanswered. After the meeting with Abdullah Öcalan 5 years ago, the ban on lawyer visits started to be implemented.

The last 6-month ban on lawyer visits to Öcalan and fellow prisoners in İmralı was issued by Bursa Execution Judgeship on 6 November. With this ban, the Kurdish leader has been banned from seeing his lawyer for 6 months at least 14 times in the last 8 years.

Öcalan’s last face-to-face meeting with his family took place on 3 March 2020 and his last telephone conversation on 25 March 2021.

After four years, the Kurdish leader met face to face with his nephew Ömer Öcalan on 23 October 2024. During the meeting, he stated that the isolation continued and that he would be able to move the conflict from the level of violence to a political and legal level if the necessary conditions were in place.

The meeting took place amid discussions on possible talks with Öcalan. MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) Leader Devlet Bahçeli shook hands with the DEM Party group at the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) on 1 October, starting discussions about a possible resolution process with the Kurds. In his speech at the party's group meeting in mid-October, Bahçeli further called on Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Prison to “unilaterally declare the end of terrorism and the liquidation of his organization”.

On 12 December, Asrin Law Office made a new application to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) requesting “an urgent (ad-hoc) visit to İmralı Prison in the face of the reality that the current conditions in İmralı have continued in uncertainty since your last visit on 22 September 2022 and have gradually hardened, and that the conditions have reached a new level in a period of more than 2 years.”

Lawyer Özoral: ‘Right to hope’ must be respected

Lawyer Mustafa Özoral said that the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan in Imralı should be lifted and the ‘right to hope’ respected.


ANF
VAN
Saturday, 28 December 2024

The isolation of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues. Lawyer Mustafa Özoral, a member of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), spoke to ANF about isolation in Imrali and the ‘right to hope’.

How do you define the concept of isolation?

Isolation means seclusion, isolation of people from their families, loved ones and society and not allowing them to communicate with anyone. In Turkey, isolation is particularly heavy against Mr Abdullah Öcalan. This isolation imposed on Mr Öcalan is not only limited to family meetings, because lawyer meetings are also prevented.


Looking deeper into the isolation regime in Imralı, how did this process progress?

Abdullah Öcalan's last family visit was on 23 October 2024, the previous one was on 3 March 2020. He was only able to meet with his family 6 months in the last 10 years. However, he is not only banned from seeing his family, but also from seeing his lawyers. Öcalan was able to meet with his lawyers only 5 times between 2011 and 2019. On 23 October 2023, after meeting with his nephew, he received a disciplinary penalty and was banned from seeing his lawyer for 6 months.

Is this isolation limited to Mr Öcalan or is it imposed on other prisons as well?

Isolation first started in Imrali, but soon was imposed on the whole society. The state first tried practices in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights in Imralı. Since not enough voices were raised, these practices were imposed to other prisons as well. Not only the inability to meet with family, but also the inability to express one's thoughts is a state of isolation. Abdullah Öcalan has been in prison for 25 years and during this time he has not been able to express his ideas. This is a severe form of isolation.

How do you evaluate the recent statements by MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli?

Bahçeli's statement on 22 October 2024 goes contrary to the statements made in the official discourse for years that there was no isolation. Bahçeli said that isolation would be lifted if the PKK was disbanded. This is actually an acknowledgement of all those years of isolation. Talking about a peace process without lifting the isolation, means that such a process could not be managed properly. If Abdullah Öcalan does not have the right to meet with his family and lawyers, the peace and solution process cannot function properly.

How do you evaluate the ‘right to hope’?

The right to hope does not legally exist in Turkey. Even if the President of the Republic has the sole power of pardon, this does not mean there is the right to hope. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECtHR), to which Turkey is a party, says that the conditions of life sentences should be re-evaluated. The ECtHR states that life imprisonment is contrary to the philosophy of criminal law and that the sentence should be given with the aim of rehabilitating the person. For this reason, it is stated that the conditions of the person should be reviewed at the end of 25 years in prison.

How do you evaluate Turkey's current criminal laws in this respect?

Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2002 and in parallel life imprisonment sentences, except for political offences, have increase d. However, the right to hope in line with ECtHR judgements is still not sufficiently implemented in Turkey. Fight against terrorism Law No. 3713 and Penal Execution Law No. 5275 prevent conditional release and contravene the principle of equality. Abdullah Öcalan has completed 25 years in jail, but Turkey needs to change the legislation in line with the European Union and recognise the right to hope.

How will Mr Öcalan contribute to the democratic solution and peace if proper conditions are created?

Abdullah Öcalan has been calling for years to work for peace. 11 years ago, under Öcalan's instructions, guerrillas withdrew from Turkey and Kurdistan and there was a period of no conflict. This shows that Öcalan is serious when he talks about peace. However, the current conditions of isolation constitute an obstacle instead of contributing to peace and democracy. The government is ignoring this, so that is not serving peace.

What call would you like to make regarding isolation and the right to hope?

Our call is to change the legislation by which people sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, especially political prisoners, remain in prison until death. The right to hope is crucial not only for Abdullah Öcalan, but for all political prisoners. This amendment is essential for the construction of a democratic society and for the revival of hope for peace.

Opinion

Ocalan's call for peace and the regional variable in favour of Turkiye

An Iraqi Kurdish woman waves a flag bearing the portrait of the founder of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan as people gather at Freedom Park, in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on February 27, 2025 

[SHWAN MOHAMMED/AFP via Getty Images]

by Dr Amer Al-Hazeel

March 4, 2025 

MEMO

The Kurdish issue is viewed as a thorny and multi-dimensional issue, as it includes conflicts extending across four countries: Iraq, Iran, Turkiye and Syria. In all of these countries, the Kurds are striving to fulfil their right to self-determination by establishing an independent state.

Shortly after the change of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, the Kurds were satisfied with a degree of autonomous self-rule. In Turkiye, Abdullah Ocalan and his comrades founded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in 1978, demanding the establishment of a Kurdish state. In 1984, Ocalan announced the start of the armed struggle against Ankara, which prompted Turkiye and its NATO allies to designate the party as a terrorist organisation. Turkiye arrested Ocalan in 1999 and sentenced him to death, but the sentence was commuted to life in prison.

In a surprise move last week, Ocalan took advantage of a visit by a delegation of MPs from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) to his prison and called on all armed groups to lay down their arms and dissolve the PKK. He stressed that he bears “historical responsibility for this call and decision.”

This reflects Ocalan’s deep understanding of geopolitical changes and Turkiye’s growing regional role, especially with the expansion of its influence in Syria after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. It also aligns with internal pressures, as many Kurdish factions express their desire to move from an armed to political struggle.

These developments also come at a time when the Turkish government has begun to reconsider its policies towards the Kurds, especially considering the ongoing crises in the region and the regional role that Turkiye seeks to play through its alliance with the new Syrian regime led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

The bottom line is that Ocalan realised that continuing the armed struggle under the current regional and global circumstances could destroy any chance of achieving the Kurds’ goals. As such, his call was made to confirm their readiness to participate in a serious peace process that guarantees the Kurds their civil rights.

For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his belief that “the efforts for a terror-free Turkiye… have entered a new phase.” He emphasised his chief duty to promote an inclusive climate that embraces all groups. He also expressed his willingness to consider the possibility of releasing Ocalan to be an effective partner in the national reconciliation efforts.

If this step is taken, it could play a pivotal role in changing the behaviour of the US- and Israeli-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which would contribute to facilitating the Syrian reconciliation process. Turkiye will certainly be the biggest winner if it succeeds in thwarting the Israeli desires aimed at creating a Druze-Kurdish “Salah al-Din Canton”, which would separate Syria from Jordan on the southern border. It would also prevent their unification as a strong state allied with Turkiye, which greatly worries Israel given its growing role on its northern border and in the region.

This article first appeared in Arabic in Arab28 on 3 March 2025

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

PKK declares ceasefire with Turkiye after Ocalan's calls for peace


March 2, 2025

A protester waves a flag bearing a portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) jailed in Turkey since 1999, during a demonstration calling for his release in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on February 15, 2025

 [SOULEIMAN / AFP/Getty Images]


The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group has declared a ceasefire with Turkiye, accepting the call of their imprisoned leader to lay down their arms and drop their decades-long fight against the Turkish state.

On Thursday, Abdullah Ocalan – the leader of the PKK who has been imprisoned on a Turkish island for the past 25 years – issued a statement calling for his Kurdish separatist group’s “laying down of arms, and I take on the historical responsibility of this call”.

His statement, which was made in a letter revealed by members of Turkiye’s pro-Kurdish DEM party, also expressed the leader’s desire for the PKK to hold a congress in which they formally agree to dissolve the group

Who is Abdullah Ocalan, the Kurdish militant leader urging peace with Turkiye?

Following that call by the 75-year-old Ocalan, the PKK’s executive committee on Saturday issued its own statement broadcast by its ANF news outlet, saying that “in order to pave the way for the implementation of leader Apo’s [Ocalan’s] call for peace and democratic society, we are declaring a ceasefire effective from today”. The group assured that “none of our forces will take armed action unless attacked”.

The group confirmed that “we agree with the content of the call as it is and we say that we will follow and implement it”, but added some conditions it expects to be carried out within that goal. Those include the demand for Ocalan himself to “personally direct and lead it for the success of the congress”.

The PKK also urged for the easing of Ocalan’s prison conditions, stating that he “must be able to live and work in physical freedom and be able to establish unhindered relationships with anyone he wants, including his friends.”

Ocalan: PKK chief held in solitary on Turkish prison island

Istanbul (AFP) –
Issued on: 31/12/2024 - 

Abdullah Ocalan, seen here in 1993, set up the Marxist-inspired Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the late 1970s © JOSEPH BARRAK / AFP/File

The move came two months after the leader of the far-right MHP, a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, offered Ocalan an unprecedented olive branch if he would publicly renounce terror.

In a message sent back with his visitors, two lawmakers from the pro-Kurd opposition DEM party, Ocalan -- the man who embodies the decades-long Kurdish rebellion against the Turkish government -- said he was "ready" to embrace efforts to end the conflict.

"I am ready to take the necessary positive steps and make the call," said the 75-year-old former guerrilla, who also received his first family visit in four years on October 23.

During that visit, Ocalan said he had the necessary clout to shift the Kurdish question "from an arena of conflict and violence to one of law and politics".

Ankara's tentative bid to reopen dialogue nearly a decade after peace efforts collapsed comes amid a major regional adjustment following the ouster of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
PKK: a Marxist-inspired group

Ocalan founded the PKK -- the Kurdistan Workers' Party -- in 1978. It spearheaded a brutal insurgency that has killed tens of thousands in its fight for independence and, more recently, broader autonomy in Turkey's mostly Kurdish southeast.

A Marxist-inspired group, the PKK is considered a terror organisation by Turkey, the United States, the European Union and most of Turkey's Western allies.

After years on the run, Ocalan was arrested on February 15, 1999 in Kenya following a Hollywood-style operation by Turkish security forces.

He was sentenced to death, but escaped the gallows when Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004. He has since been held in an isolation cell on Imrali island in the Sea of Marmara.

For many Kurds, he is hero they call "Apo" (uncle). But Turks often call him "bebek katili" (baby killer) for his ruthless tactics, including the bombing of civilian targets.
Involvement in peace talks

Tentative moves to resolve Turkey's "Kurdish problem" began in 2008. Several years later, Ocalan got involved in the first unofficial peace talks, approved when Erdogan was premier.

Ocalan led indirect peace talks with Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government from jail until 2015 © YASIN AKGUL / AFP

Seen as the world's largest stateless people, Kurds were left without a country when the Ottoman Empire collapsed after World War I.

Although most live in Turkey, where they make up around a fifth of the population, the Kurds are also spread across Syria, Iraq and Iran.

For hardline nationalists who support the post-Ottoman idea of "Turkishness", the Kurds simply do not exist.

And not all Kurds back the ideas, let alone the methods, of the PKK.

Led by Hakan Fidan, Erdogan's spy chief turned foreign minister, the talks raised hopes of ending the insurgency in favour of an equitable solution for Kurdish rights within Turkey's borders.

But they collapsed in July 2015, reigniting one of the deadliest chapters in the conflict.

After a suicide attack on pro-Kurdish demonstrators attributed to Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in October 2015, the PKK accused Ankara of collaborating with IS and resumed its violence with a vengeance.

Turkey's campaign against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq has caused diplomatic strains with Western allies © Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

Turkey's widescale use of combat drones has pushed most Kurdish fighters into Iraq and Syria, where Ankara has continued raids.

The government has defended its de facto silencing of Ocalan by saying he failed to convince the PKK of the need for peace, raising doubts about how much sway he has over the group.
Captured in exile

Ocalan was born on April 4, 1948, one of six siblings in a mixed Turkish-Kurdish peasant family in Omerli village, in Turkey's southeast. His mother tongue is Turkish.

Ocalan's capture in exile 25 years ago shocked his supporters © THOMAS COEX / AFP

He became a left-wing activist while studying politics at university in Ankara, and did his first stint in prison in 1972.

He set up the PKK six years later, then spent years on the run, launching the movement's armed struggle in 1984.

Taking refuge in Syria, he led the fight from there, causing friction between Damascus and Ankara.

Forced out in 1998 and with the net closing in, Ocalan raced from Russia to Italy to Greece in search of a haven, ending up at the Greek consulate in Kenya, where US agents got wind of his presence and tipped off ally Ankara.

Lured into a vehicle and told he would be flown to the Netherlands, Ocalan was instead handed over to Turkish military commandos and flown home on a private plane to face trial.

© 2024 AFP

TURKISH PROPAGANDA

Jailed PKK ringleader Ocalan calls for terror group’s dissolution

PKK terror group's ringleader Ocalan calls for all groups to lay down their arms and for the PKK to dissolve itself.



Others

In its 40-year terror campaign, the PKK – recognised as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has caused over 40,000 deaths, including women, children, and the elderly. / Photo: Reuters


PKK terror group's jailed ringleader Abdullah Ocalan has called for the dissolution of all groups under the terrorist organisation and urged an end to its more than 40-year-long terror campaign.

In a letter from prison, Ocalan said: "All groups should lay down their arms, and the PKK should dissolve itself."

The jailed PKK terror group ringleader Ocalan said in the statement "the call made by Mr. Devlet Bahceli, along with the will expressed by Mr. President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan), and the positive responses from the other political parties towards the known call, has created an environment in which I am making a call for the laying down of arms, and I take on the historical responsibility of this call."

“...All groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself."

Efkan Ala, deputy chair of Türkiye’s governing Justice and Development (AK) Party, acknowledged the statement but emphasised the need to wait for concrete action.

“We will look at the result,” Ala said when asked about Ocalan’s call. He added that if the PKK follows through, Türkiye would “be freed from its shackles.”

In its 40-year terror campaign, the PKK terror group – recognised as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has caused over 40,000 deaths, including women, children, and the elderly.

A timeline of the PKK's war on Turkey: 1974-2019

The PKK has launched a terror campaign against Turkey for four decades, targeting both civilians and security forces. Here's how the terror group became a menacing force.




Getty Images




1974: PKK was established in Ankara as a Marxist-Leninist organisation by mostly left-leaning Kurdish students led by Abdullah Ocalan.

1978: PKK held its first congress at a tea house in a village near Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

The group initially sought to establish a joint independent entity in Kurdish-dominated areas of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. They named it as Kurdistan.

November 1980: PKK bombed the Turkish consulate in Strasbourg in what many described as a “fruitful collaboration” with the Armenian armed group ASALA, which targeted Turkey’s diplomatic missions and other assets in mid 1970s.

1982: PKK established its first militant training camp in the Bekaa Valley of Syria under the protection of Hafez Assad's regime and with support of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).



Getty Images

Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the PKK, at a terror camp in Bekaa Valley in 1980s.


1984: PKK launched its first terror attacks against Turkish security posts in Eruh, which is located in eastern province of Siirt, and Semdinli in Hakkari which borders Iran.

1985: Turkey established a paramilitary group of Village Guards, who were recruited from mostly Kurdish tribes, as a counter-measure against the PKK attacks.

June 1987: The PKK attacked the Pinarcik village in Turkey's southeastern province of Mardin, killing 30 civilians, mostly women and children.

August 1987: The PKK attacked a village called Milan in the Siirt province in Turkey's eastern region, killing 27 civilians, including women, senior citizens and children.

1990s: The PKK increased its attacks against security forces and civilians in the entire decade of the 90s. Fierce clashes left thousands dead and caused a great damage to property.

The PKK actions and tactics have been heavily criticised by many human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch blaming the group of war crimes and various atrocities.



AA

A funeral ceremony held for a newborn baby who was killed in a YPG/PKK attack in the last week on October 11, 2019


On the political front, the first Kurdish-dominated parties, which were allegedly PKK-influenced, have successively began to emerge in Turkish political spectrum.

Until current Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), there have been at least seven parties established by this political movement. Five of them were active during the 1990s.

These parties were successively closed by the Turkish Supreme Court on the grounds that they had been involved in separatist terrorist activities connected to the PKK, violating the constitution.

June 1990: The PKK attacked a Kurdish-populated village, Cevrimli, in Sirnak province, killing 27 civilians on the spot.



AFP

Sister of Ferhat Kanat, one of the seven victims of a PKK suicide attack in Ankara, mourns the killing of her brother during the funeral ceremony in 2007.


May 1993: The PKK killed 33 unarmed Turkish soldiers, who were being transported by shuttles into their respective units, after ambushing the shuttles on Elazig-Bingol highway.

July 1993: The PKK brutally massacred 33 peasants in Erzincan’s Basbaglar village. They burned the village after the massacre.



AA

A commemorative ceremony of civilian victims murdered by the PKK terrorists in 1993 was recently held in Basbaglar village located in Turkey's eastern province of Erzincan.


October 1998: Ocalan was expelled from Syria after Ankara threatened the Assad regime for a ground invasion. PKK's main headquarters were also moved to the Qandil mountains of northern Iraq allowed by Iraqi Kurdish group Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) following Ocalan’s departure from Syria.

February 1999: PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was captured in Nairobi, Kenya and brought to Turkey by Turkish special forces following his expelling from Syria.

June 1999: Ocalan was sentenced to death by a Turkish court following his high-profile trial. It was later altered to life imprisonment after Turkish parliament changed its criminal law abolishing death penalty in a bid to get a full European Union membership.

During his trial, Ocalan reportedly said, “I am ready to serve the Turkish state.”



AA

Members of Turkish special forces captured the PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya and flown to Turkey in 1999.


August 1999: Ocalan called his “comrades” to declare a unilateral ceasefire and pull out from Turkish territory. The PKK followed Ocalan's instructions, announcing a ceasefire the same year, which more or less was observed until 2004.

2003: The year was quite turbulent as the PKK marked crucial developments for the group.

After changing its name several times since 1999, PKK declared in November 2003 it will not pursue a separatist agenda anymore stating that the organisation is willing to stay in the existing nation-states of the Middle East.

During this year, more than a thousand members of the group left the organisation in a protest after an internal infighting among the leading figures including Ocalan’s younger brother Osman Ocalan, who claimed to be a reformist.

2004: PKK announced in early summer that the group was abandoning the ceasefire and restarting its armed campaign against Turkey. In June, several thousand PKK members crossed into Turkish territories, according to Ankara.

That marked the second violent phase of PKK’s terror campaign after the period of 1984-1999.

2004: In April, the EU resolved to put the group into its terrorist organisation list. The US followed suit later in the year deciding to freeze worldwide assets of the organisation.

2005: PKK decided to go back to its original name in this year.

Ocalan also made an important announcement in March that Kurds no longer needed a nation-state but a structure of democratic confederalism within the existing nation-states.

May 2005: His views were adopted by the PKK during its annual congress which created a new umbrella organisation called KCK.

2007: HDP’s predecessor Democratic Society Party (DTP) was described to have an affiliation with PKK by a prominent EU-funded think-tank in a June report.

"It is an obvious secret that DTP is connected to PKK in a way and PKK is a terrorist group,” EU Institute for Security Studies said in the report.



AA

Figen Yuksekdag, an MP of People's Democratic Party, which is linked to the PKK, attends the funeral of two YPG terrorists' who were gunned down by the Turkish forces a few years ago.


2009: In late July, Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) declared a “Solution Process” that was regarded as a major political development concerning the Kurdish question.

During the “opening," the Turkish government expressed that it has a sincere desire to resolve Kurdish question not only by taking security measures but also through peaceful means.

This year had also seen the designation of senior PKK leaders including Murat Karayilan and Zubeyir Aydar as foreign narcotics traffickers by the US.

2010: AK Party moved to remove obstacles concerning Kurdish language and rights under a legal program called “Human Rights Package.”

Private TV channels were allowed to broadcast in Kurdish and other languages.

The number of security checkpoints were decreased in southeastern and eastern regions.

Also universities were allowed to establish institutions, and research centers under languages other than Turkish.

2011: Many important developments happened this year regarding PKK and Turkey relations.

First of all, PKK had incrementally increased its attacks against security forces which damaged the trust between the parties undermining the “Solution Process."

In April, US also designated Cemil Bayik and Duran Kalkan, who were two of PKK founders, as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers.

2012: The year marked the most violent period of the PKK since 1999, leading to the deaths of hundreds.

An important factor of the PKK’s actions against the Turkish state was the Syrian civil war which enabled PKK’s Syrian extension PYD/YPG to establish control over a swath of territory in northern Syria.

PYD declared “cantons” in its controlled regions which was seen as a Syrian implementation of Ocalan’s proposed democratic confederalism model. That perception further emboldened PKK leadership to take on Turkey.



AA

The US carved out SDF out of the YPG on the pretext of fighting Daesh but the move angered Ankara. For Turkey fighting one terror group with another wasn't a right policy.


December 2012: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed the secret talks held with Ocalan in the island of Imrali in the Marmara Sea.

Erdogan signaled that the peace process started with the democratic opening will continue anyway though all sabotages.

2013: It was the first year of the peace process which was named by the Turkish government as “Resolution Process.”

During the March 2013 Newroz celebrations, Ocalan called PKK to withdraw its terrorists from Turkish territory.

PKK reacted to the call and the withdrawal began which was even broadcasted by Turkish TV channels.

However, it is widely reported and also accepted by the PKK leadership itself that the group has not withdrawn from Turkey completely.

Later on, the issue of disarmament and withdrawal will be the most important issue on which the parties could not establish a common understanding.

October 2014: Though several good developments in Turkey concerning the peace process, there was increasing tension between the parties regarding PYD’s “cantons” in northern Syria, particularly following the clashes between DAESH and YPG, which is the militant wing of PYD.

In early October, HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas called the party’s supporters to the streets to rally in support of the northern Syrian city Ayn al Arab which was besieged by DEASH militants at the time.

Ayn al Arab has been controlled by YPG since July 2012.

On Oct. 6-8, 2014, the protests triggered a bloody fight between Free Cause Party (Huda-Par) supporters and the YDG-H, a PKK affiliate, which is blamed for the attacks and deaths of more than 40 people.



AA

Yasin Boru, a 16-year-old Kurdish teenager, was murdered by the PKK supporters in Diyarbakir in 2014. The mob that killed Boru was part of the crowd that responded to the protest call of Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of HDP. During the second court trial, people protested against the PKK in Ankara in 2015.


The Huda-Par is considered as a conservative successor to a Kurdish armed group named Hizbullah, distinct from the Lebanese Shia group with the same name.

The incidents were a huge blow to the peace process which was seen by the AK Party as an indication of both HDP and PKK insincerity toward the peace process.

PKK’s Bayik announced that the group sent back its armed terrorists to Turkey after the Ayn al Arab incident.

Turkey accused the PKK of escalating the Ayn al Arab conflict and extend it in Turkish territories through Ayn Al Arab riots.

March 2015: Despite many differences, Ocalan’s letter to PKK leadership and others were read during March Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakir. The letter asked PKK leadership to disarm and end its 40 years old of terror campaign against Turkey.

Ocalan said PKK should immediately convene a disarmament congress which needs to be overseen by a monitoring committee.

Later, the Qandil leadership stated that they were not considering to convene the disarmament congress.

June 2015: Turkey held a crucial general election on June 7, when as a first the HDP surpassed Turkey’s 10 percent electoral threshold to be represented at the Parliament.

A week after, PKK’s other Syrian extension PYD took over Tal Abyad, a strategic district in northern Syria, joining two of its “cantons” next to the Turkish border.

July 2015: At the end, the PKK’s umbrella organisation, KCK, unilaterally ended more than two years of ceasefire with the government on July 11 and further threatened Turkey with attacks.

After the threats, the PKK has launched various attacks on both police and the Turkish Armed Forces.

July 2015- March 2016: Since the renewed PKK terror campaign, the attacks led to the deaths of 400 Turkish security officials.

In response to the PKK attacks, Turkish security forces have launched a large-scale operation against PKK groups and killed nearly four thousand PKK members, according to Ankara.

2017: Turkish top officials have repeatedly warned the US and its Western partners not to ally with the YPG in their fighting against Daesh, but Ankara’s warnings have not been heard by Washington, which continued to heavily arm and train the PKK’s Syrian wing.

Ankara has also indicated that it will send its armed forces to clean up YPG forces from its border with Syria if necessary.



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US troops patrolling with YPG (Syrian branch of PKK) around Turkish Border in 2019.


2018: Turkey has launched the Operation Olive Branch to eliminate YPG forces from Afrin in northwestern Syria. The operation successfully forced the YPG/PKK to leave the city, enabling Turkey and its allied forces to take over the city.

October 2019: Turkey has launched another big operation, Operation Peace Spring, against the YPG in northeastern Syria, taking over crucial border cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al Ayn in several days.

SOURCE: TRT World

HISTORIC

What does Öcalan's call for the PKK to lay down arms mean for Turkey and Syria?

Copyright AP Photo

By Mohammed Saifeddine

EURONEWS
Published on 28/02/2025 - 

In a historic move, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party has called for the group to disarm, paving the way for a new peace process in Turkey and a reshaping of alliances in Syria.

In a radical new turn in the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, Abdullah Öcalan, the long-imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has called on his party to lay down its arms and disband.

He issued his instruction today via an emotional and surprising letter read at a press conference by Ahmet Turk, a leader of the Peoples' Democracy and Equality Party.

Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999 in Imrali Island prison, put his message in the starkest terms.

"Hold your conference and make a decision," he wrote. "All groups must lay down their weapons, and the PKK must disband."

Not only that, the Kurdish leader took historical responsibility for this call, reflecting a radical shift in his stance after decades of armed struggle against the Turkish state.

Öcalan's letter marks a major turning point in the conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions since the 1980s.

The PKK is classified as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU, and has been the target of widespread military operations and security crackdowns for decades.

However, Öcalan's call to lay down arms carries deep political and security implications, coming as it does at a time when the region is witnessing rapid geopolitical transformations — especially with the ongoing developments in Syria and Iraq, and the escalating tensions between Ankara and its Western allies over the Kurdish issue.

A new chapter of peace?

Within Turkey, Öcalan's invitation is expected to open the door to a new peace process between the Turkish government and the Kurdish minority, which is estimated at 20% of the country's population.

Disarmament may help reduce domestic tensions, especially in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeastern regions, which for decades have witnessed violent confrontations between the army and PKK militants. Political and social stability could help Kurds better integrate into Turkish political and social life, which may strengthen national unity and reduce ethnic and political polarisation.

The change in the conflict could also help improve international relations, with Ankara potentially leveraging it to improve its relations with Washington and the EU, both of which have repeatedly criticised its policies towards the Kurds.

صورة لأوجلان خلال إحدى جلسات المحاكمة عام 1999.AP Photo

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling party have long adopted a hardline stance toward the PKK, and may see this invitation as an opportunity to end the armed insurgency on the state's terms.

On the other hand, it is too soon to say whether the PKK will respond fully to Ocalan's call, especially given the complexity of Turkish-Kurdish relations and the changes taking place in the region, which many will see as an opportunity to strengthen their negotiating hand.
Reshaping alliances and balances

The effects of Öcalan's call extend to Syria, where the PKK and its allies, such as the Kurdish People's Protection Units, are key players in the north of the country. With the support of the US, these factions control large areas and play a pivotal role in the war against the so-called Islamic State group.

There, Öcalan's call may reshape alliances and balances, especially in light of the complexity of the Syrian conflict and the overlapping regional and international interests, including Turkey, the US, Russia, and Iran.

It may also encourage Kurdish factions to enter into negotiations with either the new de facto Syrian government or other regional powers, with the aim of achieving a political settlement that guarantees Kurdish rights and contributes to the overall stability of the region.

In addition, Turkey's interventions in northern Syria may yet be toned down. Ankara has always justified its military operations in the area as part of a fight against what it calls "Kurdish terrorism," but it may now be obliged to reconsider its security and political strategies.

The call comes at a time of unprecedented political and security turmoil in the Middle East, making it a rare historic opportunity to end a decades-long conflict.

But as in Turkey, the response of the Kurds in Syria to Öcalan's call is far from a foregone conclusion. Regionally, the move could redraw the map of alliances, especially if it succeeds in achieving a Turkish-Kurdish rapprochement that leads to de-escalation in Syria and Iraq.

Related

Turkey detains nearly 300 suspects in nationwide operation on banned Kurdish group

For all the hopes that Öcalan's letter might raise, there are many challenges that could stand in the way of a lasting peace, including the PKK's own internal politics. The notion of disarmament may yet be rejected by hardliners, especially those who see armed struggle as the only option for achieving Kurdish rights.

The prospect of peace also depends on Ankara's willingness to make political concessions, such as promoting Kurdish cultural and political rights.

Jailed Kurdish militant leader calls for end to conflict with Turkiye

February 27, 2025 at 3:42 pm

Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, 75, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey, on February 27, 2025.

 [Yasin AKGUL / AFP/ Getty Images]

Turkiye’s jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan today called on his Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down its arms, a move that could end its 40-year conflict with Ankara and have far-reaching political and security consequences for the region, Reuters reports.

A delegation of Turkiye’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party visited Ocalan today in his island prison and later delivered his statement in nearby Istanbul.

“I am making a call for the laying down of arms, and I take on the historical responsibility of this call,” Ocalan said in a letter made public by DEM party members.

Ocalan wants his party to hold a congress and to formally agree to dissolve itself, they quoted him as saying.

The PKK is deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkiye, the US, EU and others.

More than 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK launched its fight in 1984 with the aim of carving out an ethnic homeland for Kurds. It has since moved away from its separatist goals and instead sought more autonomy in southeast Turkiye and greater Kurdish rights.

The appeal from Ocalan could have implications for the major oil-exporting region of northern Iraq, where the PKK is based, and for neighbouring Syria, which is emerging after 13 years of civil war and the ouster in December of Bashar Al-Assad.

Jailed Kurdish leader Ocalan urges PKK to lay down arms and disband

By: TII team
Date:
February 27, 2025

Turkey’s jailed Kurdish leader and PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, February 27, 2025. Photo: ANF

ISTANBUL,— Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has called on his group to lay down its arms and dissolve, a potential step toward ending a conflict with Turkey that has lasted four decades.

In a message relayed by members of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party on Thursday, Ocalan urged PKK leaders to convene a congress and formally dissolve the organization. The appeal, if accepted, could have major political and security ramifications for Turkey and neighboring regions.

“I am making a call for the laying down of arms, and I take on the historical responsibility of this call,” Ocalan wrote in a letter made public by the DEM Party.

His statement follows a visit from a DEM delegation to Imrali Island, where Ocalan, 75, has been imprisoned since 1999. The party members later announced his remarks in Istanbul.

There was no immediate response from PKK

There was no immediate response from PKK leaders based in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. The group, designated a “terrorist” organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in armed conflict with Ankara since 1984, initially seeking an independent Kurdish state before shifting toward demands for greater autonomy and cultural rights.

Erdogan’s Government Reacts

Turkish officials were quick to comment on Ocalan’s message. Efkan Ala, deputy chairman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, said Turkey would be “free of its shackles” if the PKK truly laid down its weapons and disbanded.

A previous peace process between Turkey and the PKK collapsed in 2015, leading to renewed violence in southeastern Turkey. Ocalan’s latest appeal could reopen discussions on resolving the conflict, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives and affected millions across the region.

Regional Implications

An end to hostilities could bring significant changes to the region. In Syria, where Kurdish-led groups hold territory, Ankara could seek stronger influence. In Iraq’s Kurdish-run north, where the PKK has long maintained bases, tensions between the group and local authorities could ease.

Ocalan also called for broader political and civil rights for Kurds, urging Turkish authorities to respect ethnic diversity and freedom of expression.

“The language of peace and democratic society must be developed in line with this reality,” his letter stated.

The DEM Party’s delegation was making its third visit to Ocalan since December, with increasing speculation that he might push for an end to armed resistance.

It remains unclear whether PKK commanders will act on his call, but the statement signals a potential shift in one of the region’s longest-running conflicts.

(Credit: Reuters)

Copyright © 2025 The Insight International. All rights reserved

Abdullah Öcalan: ‘The PKK has reached the end of its life cycle and should be dissolved’

By Abdullah Öcalan

28 February, 2025

Email

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was born in the 20th century, the most violent century in history. The political and ideological landscape in which the PKK emerged was shaped by two World Wars, real existing socialism, and the Cold War. The denial of the Kurdish reality, especially regarding freedom of expression and restrictions on liberties, created the foundation for its emergence.

The PKK’s theory, program, strategy, and tactics were heavily influenced by the ideological and strategic framework of twentieth century real socialism. However, the collapse of real socialism in the 1990s due to internal and external factors, the gradual acceptance of identity policies, and developments in freedom of thought led to the PKK gradually losing its original meaning and beginning to stagnate. Like many other historical movements, it has now reached the end of its life cycle and therefore needs to be dissolved.

For over a millennium, Turks and Kurds have seen the need to remain in an alliance, with the desire to survive and resist hegemonic powers being the dominant driving force. This alliance was built on mutual voluntarism in order to maintain their existence.

However, for the past 200 years, capitalist modernity has sought to undermine this alliance. The socio-political forces affected by this transformation have contributed to its deterioration, particularly through the unilateral interpretations imposed by the Republic. The fundamental task today is to restore and reorganise this historic relationship in a spirit of fraternity and unity, without neglecting shared beliefs and values.

The need for a democratic society is inevitable. The PKK, which is the longest and most comprehensive insurgency in the history of the Republic, found support due to the closure of democratic political channels.

Yet, the solutions proposed by the PKK in its various forms — whether through nation-states, federal unions, administrative autonomy, or purely cultural solutions — cannot adequately address the deep-rooted historical and social realities of this region as a necessary result of their extreme nationalist drift.

Respect for identities, the right to free expression, and the ability to organise democratically — allowing every segment of society to shape its own socio-economic and political structures — can only be realised through the existence of a democratic society and political space.

The second century of the [Turkish] Republic can only achieve unity and permanence if it is crowned with democracy. There is no viable alternative to democracy as a means of governance and societal organisation. There cannot be another way. Democratic reconciliation is the fundamental principle that must guide this process. Accordingly, the language of peace and democratic co-existence must be cultivated in alignment with this reality.

In light of the current atmosphere shaped by the call made by [Nationalist Movement Party politician] Devlet Bahçeli, the will expressed by the President [Tayyip Recep Erdogan], and the positive approaches of other political parties towards this call, I am making a call for disarmament and assuming its historic responsibility.

Just as every contemporary organisation and party whose existence has not been forcibly ended would voluntarily do, gather your congress and take the decision to integrate into the state and society: all groups must lay down their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself.

I extend my greetings to all those who believe in coexistence and who heed my call.

Öcalan’s call echoes in global media

The international press welcomed Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call, stating that it could end a decades-long conflict.


ANF
NEWS DESK
Friday, 28 February 2025

The historic call of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan has received significant coverage in the international press. The UK-based Reuters news agency described his call as "a move that could have far-reaching political and security consequences for the region." France-based Euronews emphasized Öcalan’s influence over the PKK, while Al Monitor highlighted that "many challenges still remain."

The Guardian

The UK-based newspaper The Guardian covered Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call with the headline: "PKK leader calls on Kurdish militant group to disarm, signaling the beginning of a fragile peace with Turkey."

The report included the following analysis: "Öcalan’s message will also impact Kurdish armed groups linked to the PKK, particularly the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are fighting ISIS militants and control a vast area, including two major cities in eastern Syria. His statement appears to further pressure and isolate the SDF, which has long been a target of Turkish attacks and is engaged in clashes with Turkey-backed militias in Syria."

Reuters

The UK-based news agency Reuters described Abdullah Öcalan’s call as "a move that could have far-reaching political and security consequences for the region." The report further stated: 'Öcalan’s call could also have implications for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where the PKK is based, as well as for neighboring Syria, which entered a new phase following Bashar al-Assad's ousting in December after 13 years of civil war.' The region is also a major oil-producing area, adding another layer of complexity to the situation."

The New York Times

The U.S.-based newspaper The New York Times highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the response to Abdullah Öcalan’s call. The report stated: "There are few indications of what will happen next. It remains unclear who will oversee compliance with Mr. Öcalan’s call, what will happen to the fighters who heed it, or what, if anything, the government has offered in return for disarmament, as these issues have not been widely discussed in public."

Euronews

The France-based news outlet Euronews reported on Abdullah Öcalan’s call, stating: "This call has the potential to end a conflict that has lasted for over 40 years and claimed tens of thousands of lives. The organization is expected to heed Öcalan’s call, but some factions within the group have indicated that they might resist it."

The Middle East Eye

The UK-based newspaper The Middle East Eye highlighted that senior PKK figures had previously stated they would heed Abdullah Öcalan’s message and act accordingly. The report added: "Throughout this process, Erdoğan has remained in the background, allowing Bahçeli to take on the political risks. Many officials in Ankara believe that the government’s motivation for engaging in talks with Öcalan is linked to the escalating regional tensions between Israel and Iran."

Al Monitor

The Washington-based Al Monitor, in a report by Amberin Zaman, stated: "Öcalan’s statement, eagerly awaited by Kurds in the region, signals the beginning of a process that many hope will include the release of high-profile political prisoners, including the country’s most popular Kurdish leader, Selahattin Demirtaş, as well as amnesty for PKK fighters. However, many challenges remain."

Ebru Günay (DEM Party, Turkey): ‘Abdullah Öcalan remains a key figure for peace and dialogue in the Middle East region’

By Ebru Günay & Peter Boyle

28 February, 2025

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Ebru Günay was arrested in 2009 while acting as a lawyer for imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. She then spent the next five years in a Turkish prison, despite never being convicted of a crime.

Elected as a Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP for Mardin in 2018, Günay is today a deputy co-chair and co-spokesperson of foreign affairs for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which replaced the HDP after the Turkish government threatened to ban it. The progressive and pro-Kurdish rights DEM Party is the third largest party in the Turkish parliament.

Peter Boyle interviewed Günay for LINKS International Journal of Socialist Renewal during her visit as part of a DEM Party delegation to Australia in mid-February.

We have seen dramatic videos of demonstrations in Van opposing the imprisonment of an elected DEM Party co-mayor. Why is the Turkish state, under the right-wing Justice and Development Party (AKP), continuing to remove popularly-elected officials in the Kurdish-majority regions? What has been the people’s response? How can peace negotiations restart if such anti-democratic actions continue to occur?

The Turkish government has been continuing these unlawful policies towards our municipalities and elected co-mayors since 2016. The main reason is that racism and Turkish nationalism is the main ideology of this government. It does not respect the rights of the Kurdish population, even though they are protected under the constitution.

The majority of Van province’s people voted for the DEM Party in the March 31 local elections last year. The DEM Party won in every municipality.

The very next day after, the government tried to seize the municipality of Van. But when they saw peoples’ reactions, that decision was withdrawn. The government has again faced similar resistance to this second attempt, with security forces attacking the people of Van into the early morning hours.

While AKP governments seek to remove our elected co-mayors, there cannot be a process of so-called “peace negotiations”. That is because peace is all about protecting and acknowledging the fundamental and democratic rights of Kurds, including the right to elect and to be elected.

Even as I am answering this question, yet another democratically elected DEM Party co-mayor, this time in Kağızman Municipality (Kars city), has been replaced by a government-appointed trustee. [This brings the total number of municipalities taken over by trustees since the local elections to 12.]

What can you tell us about the recent meetings that the DEM Party had with Öcalan?

As the DEM Party, we believe that the recent meetings with Öcalan mark a historic turning point for Turkey’s democratisation and the resolution of the Kurdish issue. After nearly ten years of absolute isolation, these two meetings have once again highlighted Öcalan’s decisive role in the process.

The first meeting took place on December 28 last year. In this meeting Öcalan emphasised the need to strengthen peace among peoples and underlined the importance of dialogue for the democratic and political resolution of the Kurdish issue. He shared his assessments on how a new negotiation process should be shaped in light of past experiences. Öcalan stated that ensuring social peace is not solely the responsibility of the state but requires all segments of society to take part in the process.

The second meeting was held on January 22. In this discussion Öcalan provided a comprehensive analysis of political developments in Turkey and the region, highlighting the steps needed to secure the democratic rights of Kurdish people and achieve a peaceful resolution. He also evaluated the shortcoming of previous negotiation processes and discussed how a new process could be built on more solid foundations.

Öcalan once again reaffirmed his role in the resolution process, demonstrating that he remains a key figure for peace and dialogue. He emphasised that the resolution of the Kurdish issue is not only crucial for the Kurdish people but for the shared future of all peoples in Turkey.

As the DEM Party, we reiterate that Öcalan’s role in this process cannot be ignored and that a democratic resolution can only be achieved through dialogue and negotiation. These meetings are not only significant for the Kurdish issue but form a crucial part of Turkey’s broader democratisation process.

What can the experiences of democratic confederalism and women’s empowerment that have been central to the Rojava revolution in north and east Syria offer a post-Assad Syria? Is it possible for the various forces controlling different parts of Syria to agree to some form of democratic and peaceful arrangement?

The experience of the Rojava Revolution, based on democratic confederalism and women’s empowerment, offers a comprehensive and inclusive alternative for a post-Assad Syria. This model envisions a system where people govern themselves at the local level through direct democracy, rather than a centralised state.

The active participation of women in all spheres, from politics to the economy, security and diplomacy, also presents a transformative potential for Syria‘s future.

Democratic confederalism provides a framework in which different ethnic and religious communities can coexist, with their cultural and political rights constitutionally protected. Rojava’s experience serves as a concrete example of how Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Armenians and Turkmens can share governance through common administrative structures.

For Syria to achieve stability after Assad, such an inclusive governance model could be a fundamental pillar of a peaceful solution, replacing centralised and authoritarian structures.

However, reaching a democratic and peaceful agreement among the various forces controlling different parts of Syria remains highly challenging given current political and military dynamics. Turkey’s ongoing attacks against the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (also known as Rojava), the alliance between Iran, Russia and the Assad regime, as well as the uncertain policies of the United States in the region, represent major obstacles to democratic resolution.

Furthermore, some factions of the Syrian opposition continue to advocate for a centralised and Islamist-leaning government, making it difficult for them to accept Rojava’s multicultural and democratic model.

Nevertheless, for Syria to achieve long term peace, regional powers and the international community must support solutions such as the local governance model offered by democratic confederalism. The self-administration experience in Rojava is not solely built on the balance of military power but on the political will of people to coexist. In the long run, it could play a critical role in rebuilding Syria. 

If a peace process is to be initiated among different actors, it must be centred around the Rojava model, which upholds the political will of the people and recognises women’s freedom as a fundamental principle.

Will the Turkish state allow a peaceful settlement in Syria?

The Turkish state has demonstrated through its recent actions that the AKP government pursues the most aggressive policies, which do not contribute to lasting peace in Syria. While all other groups called for peaceful negotiations following the fall of the Assad regime, the AKP government and its local ally, the so-called Syrian National Army (SNA), launched a military operation targeting Manbij and Tishrin Dam. 

It is nearly impossible to achieve a peaceful settlement for all of Syria as long as the Turkish government persists with military operations. This issue must be addressed through an international response. If AKP’s aggression towards Rojava continues, lasting peace will remain out of reach for a long time, similar to the ongoing situation in Libya.

The DEM Party sent a delegation to the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. What does the DEM hope to achieve from this?

The DEM Party’s visit to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq was also an İmralı Delegation visit, carried out in accordance with Öcalan’s request. This meeting took place following recent discussions with Öcalan, aiming to observe and assess how different Kurdish political actors approach the ongoing dialogue process.

The delegation held various meetings in the KRG to strengthen intra-Kurdish dialogue and discuss regional developments from a peaceful resolution perspective. These engagements represent a significant step in evaluating regional political dynamics and developing a common approach.

The delegation is planning to hold another meeting with Öcalan in the coming days to convey the insights gained from the KRG visit. Advancing this process requires gathering perspectives from different actors, understanding regional powers’ positions and proceeding with a solution-oriented approach.

As the DEM Party, we believe that dialogue and negotiation are the most effective methods for securing the political, cultural and democratic rights of the Kurdish people. All parties should prioritise peaceful resolution processes over military and confrontational approaches. In this regard, strengthening dialogue and establishing common solution mechanisms are of vital importance for the future of the Kurdish people.

How do you see the Kurdish struggle intersecting with other liberation struggles in the Middle East, including the Palestinian struggle?

National liberation movements have different historical backgrounds and none of them can be solved by the same methodologies. Of course, every experience from the conflict resolution processes may contribute to overcoming deadlocks for another one. 

It is clear that Syrian Kurds, Iraqi Kurds, Iran’s Kurds and Turkey’s Kurds struggle under different conditions and with different regional actors. However, any developments in a part of Kurdistan undoubtedly directly affects other parts of Kurdistan and the related states as well.

That is why the situation in Palestine and Kurdistan have to be evaluated in their specific conditions. Of course, critical principles based on fundamental rights and successfully experienced methodologies can allow actors involved in the regional crises to avoid mistakes.

Finally, what would you urge the Australian government to do to help advance the search for peace and justice in the Middle East?

The Australian government has been part of the Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS for nearly a decade. While the threat of ISIS continues to loom in the region, the people of Syria are striving for lasting peace, to return of their homes, and to establish a new country that will not make the same mistakes that the Assad regime committed for decades.

In this context, the international community and states have a crucial role and responsibility. First, all states, including neighbouring countries, must respect the decisions and will of the people of Syria. Secondly, these states have a responsibility to hold accountable those countries that have directly or indirectly intervened in Syria and its people.

Therefore, Australia, as a member of the Global Coalition and as a country that fully supports democratisation, should play an active role in helping the people of Syria achieve lasting peace, which will contribute to stability in the region and the world.

Historic call and our responsibilities

Abdullah Öcalan’s call marks a turning point for the Freedom Movement and the Middle East, requiring full readiness.


HAKKI TEKIN
ANF NEWS DESK
Thursday, 27 February 2025


Abdullah Öcalan’s forthcoming historic statement is awaited with great anticipation. According to reports in the media, unless significant obstacles arise, it is expected to take place today, Thursday. This announcement is being closely followed not only by the Kurdish people but also by their allies and states in the region, as the Kurdish geopolitical strategy has become a key factor in the Middle Eastern equation. For this reason, the statement is expected to serve as an intervention in favor of the peoples of the region, countering the forces that seek to reshape it according to their hegemonic interests.

This call will undoubtedly constitute a strategic move in the Middle East. Those who have read Öcalan’s writings and seek to understand his new paradigm will grasp the depth and scope of this call, welcoming it with great enthusiasm. However, for those who have not studied the paradigm or approach it with a superficial understanding, it may be challenging. This is because the call aims to lay the foundations, tools, and framework for a profound historical, philosophical, sociological, and political transformation.

Determination and courage are essential

The delepening crises on a global and Middle Eastern scale also contain significant opportunities. However, these opportunities do not exist inherently within the crises themselves; they must be seized and transformed. Öcalan’s call aims to turn this atmosphere of crisis into an advantage for the peoples of the region. The fundamental requirement for this is to be fearless and, even when everything seems unfavorable, to remain determined and courageous in doing what is right. This is the core of Mr. Öcalan’s persistent approach.

A process based on mutual steps

Reports suggest that the anticipated process will not resemble previous ones. It is well known that past experiences have led to significant knowledge and lessons. In this context, what is usually said at the end must now be stated from the outset: Contrary to the political and psychological calculations of Turkey’s special warfare strategy, statements from the Imrali delegation indicate that the progress of this process will rely on mutual steps taken by both sides. For this reason, if the necessary steps are not taken, the process could quickly collapse. Past experiences serve as guiding lessons for the new period. At this stage, it is crucial to analyze the process from this perspective, to be prepared for all possibilities, and to develop the necessary measures accordingly.

A more conscious approach to the process is essential

This process will differ from the 2013 negotiation period. While that period brought certain gains for the Freedom Movement, it was not sufficiently prepared and failed to evolve into a comprehensive transformation initiative. At the time, the necessary level of military, political, and diplomatic preparedness was not fully achieved. The struggle aspect of the process was not deepened, nor were adequate measures developed for different scenarios. This time, it is imperative to approach the process with greater awareness, drawing lessons from past experiences.

Öcalan is resolute and clear

In this new period, both internal and external conditions for the process are more favorable compared to 2013. Across the Middle East, state systems are unraveling, creating new opportunities for revolutionary struggle. While many states and political movements are either collapsing or experiencing a period of decline, the Freedom Movement, despite facing various challenges, has continued to develop in all areas, maintaining its military, political, and diplomatic strength. Mr. Öcalan is fully aware of this new era. Believing in the influence of the existing organized power, he is taking timely initiative to actively intervene in this process, driving change and transformation. In this regard, he is unwavering and clear in his stance.

Primarily an intervention for restructuring

This process aims to complete the transformation and change that the Freedom Movement began but was disrupted in 2002. At its core, this is first and foremost an intervention within the Freedom Movement itself. Change and transformation represent a restructuring effort. So far, the Freedom Movement has cultivated immense knowledge, consciousness, and powerful dynamics that extend beyond the Kurdish people. Wherever Kurdish communities exist, significant advancements have been made in awareness, culture, art, literature, media, and politics. The movement has established an international foundation, evolving into a structure that leads the common struggle of the peoples.

A paradigmatic move

This immense accumulation of knowledge and dynamic forces now necessitates the transformation of the Freedom Movement itself. The momentum for change, which has already surpassed the movement’s previous framework, has reached a stage where the actor itself must also evolve. In the Middle Eastern equation, this internal transformation means that the movement will have the capacity to influence the strategic and political shifts of all internal and external actors. For this reason, Öcalan’s historic call underscores that this transformation is inevitable and that the organization must undergo restructuring. This process will serve as a paradigmatic move that will make the Freedom Movement stronger and more effective. The transformation and restructuring that began in the 2000s has now produced 26 years of accumulated experience and knowledge. Rather than creating a void, this accumulated experience will generate a new dynamism that will shape politics and accelerate developments in the Middle East.

Readiness for possible scenarios

Being prepared for this transformation process and potential scenarios requires drawing lessons from past experiences while avoiding narrow, superficial, dogmatic, liberal, individualistic, and self-serving interpretations. Additionally, it will be essential to develop an ideological, propaganda, and political struggle against both internal and external influences, as well as the manipulative narratives of special warfare propaganda.

The process should be transformed into an opportunity

The Kurdish people have demonstrated a cautious and calculated approach in this process by utilizing their political awareness and experience. This is a positive stance; however, caution should not translate into a restrictive or defensive position that narrows the scope of the process. On the contrary, this period should be seen as a strategic move, an opportunity to expand and accelerate momentum. It must be understood that this initiative is being developed as a means to shape politics in the Middle East and drive mass-scale transformation and growth.

Those who have not read should study the defenses

Those who have read Öcalan’s defenses will better understand the process, while those who have not should read and strive to comprehend them. With this move, Öcalan aims to transform the paradigm into concrete organizational tools, activating social dynamism and political engagement.

The guiding force is Öcalan

The Imrali delegation, political structures, and civil society organizations have undertaken responsibilities and conducted visits to contribute to the socialization of this process. The Kurdish people and their allies must understand these steps correctly. It is evident that discussions and negotiations should take place with various parties. However, meeting with certain groups does not mean that their sinister stances will change. At the very least, it should be understood that such meetings aim to remove obstacles posed by some parties. The true force behind solutions and political direction is Mr. Öcalan, and no one else. Engaging in dialogue does not imply that these forces have abandoned their harmful positions or deceptive facades. This must be clearly recognized to prevent misinterpretations and to stop certain groups from manipulating the process to their advantage.

This call is a turning point

This historic call is not only a pivotal moment for the Freedom Movement but also for all the peoples of the Middle East. The responsibility now is to grasp the essence of this call correctly, strengthen the arenas of struggle, and deepen societal transformation while being prepared for all possible scenarios.