PKK executive says Öcalan must oversee disarmament process

A senior Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) figure, Cemil Bayık, has responded to remarks by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, saying that any decision on the group’s disbandment can only be made under the supervision of its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan.

Speaking on Stêrk TV on Mar 13, Bayık, a co-chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council, said the conditions for holding a PKK congress, as called for by Öcalan, were not yet in place. He claimed that despite the PKK’s declaration of a ceasefire, Turkish reconnaissance aircraft continued to operate over PKK-controlled areas, making it "impossible and dangerous" to convene a congress.

"Everyone knows that under these conditions, holding a congress is not possible and would be extremely risky," Bayık said. "Since the Turkish state requested it and Öcalan made the call, saying ‘Let the congress convene and make a decision,’ and since the PKK responded positively, the necessary conditions must be met. If those conditions are ensured, the congress will be held and decisions will be made."

Bahçeli, the key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who initiated the new Kurdish initiative, has insisted that the PKK move forward with disarmament. In a written statement on Mar 16, the he reiterated his call, saying, "The PKK must convene its congress immediately, without preconditions, and formally declare its dissolution in line with the Feb 27 call. The handover of weapons must take place as soon as possible—this is an issue that cannot be postponed or delayed."

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Bayık, however, argued that only Öcalan could oversee such a process, emphasizing that the legal and political framework needed to be established for the congress to proceed. "This must be clearly understood by all," he said. "It was Öcalan who founded and developed this movement. Only he can convene the congress, guide its decisions, and determine its course. This historic opportunity should not be wasted."

While acknowledging some "constructive" statements on the matter, Bayık also warned against what he described as "negative rhetoric" that could undermine the process. "Some of the language being used is sabotaging the process," he said. "This must be addressed." (Mİ/VK)