Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has called on the militant group to lay down arms.
Öcalan's message was read out today at an İstanbul hotel by a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, which visited the PKK leader at the İmralı island prison earlier in the day.
In his message, Öcalan stated that the only solution to the Kurdish question is through democratic means and called on the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve itself.
"Respect for identities, free self-expression, democratic self-organization of each segment of society based on their own socio-economic and political structures, are only possible through the existence of a democratic society and political space," reads the letter. "Convene your congress and make a decision; all groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself."
It remains unclear how the PKK, which has engaged in armed struggle for 40 years, will respond to this call.
Following the statement, DEM Party MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder read an additional note from Öcalan that was not included in his letter: "Undoubtedly, for the practical implementation of disarmament and the dissolution of the PKK, the recognition of democratic politics and a legal framework is necessary."
This remark suggests that the group could wait for certain legal arrangements before taking steps toward disarmament.
Full text of Öcalan's statement
Call for Peace and Democratic Society
The PKK was born in the 20th century, in the most violent epoch of the history of humanity, amidst the two World wars, under the shadow of the experience of real socialism and the cold war around the World. The outright denial of Kurdish reality, restrictions on basic rights and freedoms - especially freedom of expression - played a significant role in its emergence and development.
The PKK has been under the heavy realities of the century and the system of real socialism in terms of its adopted theory, program, strategy and tactics. In the 1990s, with the collapse of real socialism due to internal dynamics, the dissolution of the denial of Kurdish identity in the country, and improvements in freedom of expression, led to weakening of the PKK´s foundational meaningfulness and resulted in excessive repetition.
Throughout the history of more than 1000 years, Turkish and Kurdish relations were defined in terms of mutual cooperation and alliance, and Turks and Kurds have found it essential to remain in this voluntary alliance to maintain their existence and survive against hegemonic Powers.
The last 200 years of capitalist modernity have been marked by primarily with the aim to break this alliance. The forces involved, in line with their class-based interests, have played a key role in furthering this objective. With monist interpretations of the Republic, this process has accelerated. Today, the main task is to restructure the historical relationship, which has become extremely fragile, without excluding consideration for beliefs with the spirit of fraternity.
The need for a democratic society is inevitable. The PKK, the longest and most extensive insurgency and armed movement in the history of the Republic, found social base and support, and was primarily inspired by the fact that the channels of democratic politics were closed.
The inevitable outcome of the extreme nationalist deviations - such as a separate nation-state, federation, administrative autonomy, or culturalist solutions - fails to answer the historical sociology of the society.
Respect for identities, free self-expression, democratic self-organization of each segment of society based on their own socio-economic and political structures, are only possible through the existence of a democratic society and political space.
The second century of the Republic can achieve and assure permanent and fraternal continuity only if it is crowned with democracy. There is no alternative to democracy in the pursuit and realization of a political system. Democratic consensus is the fundamental way.
The language of the epoch of peace and democratic society needs to be developed in accordance with this reality.
The call made by Mr. Devlet Bahceli, along with the will expressed by Mr. President, 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.
As in the case with any modern community and party whose existence has not been abolished by force, would voluntarily do, convene your congress and make a decision; all groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself.
I convey my greetings to all those who believe in co-existence and who look forward to my call.
February 25, 2025
Abdullah Öcalan
The new peace process
Since October 2024, Turkey has seen renewed discussions around the Kurdish issue following remarks by Erdoğan's main ally Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
Bahçeli proposed that Öcalan could declare the disbandment of the PKK in exchange for benefiting from a "right to hope" policy. This initiative led to two visits by DEM Party officials to İmralı Island, marking the first time in four years that Öcalan was allowed external contact.
During his party's group meeting on Nov 26, Bahçeli said, "We expect face-to-face contact to be established between İmralı and the DEM group." The same day, the DEM Party submitted an application to the Justice Ministry requesting a meeting with Öcalan. One month later, the ministry approved DEM Party's request, and Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder met with Öcalan on İmralı Island on Dec 28. On Jan 22, the DEM delegation met Öcalan for the second time.
Founded in 1978, the PKK has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984. A previous peace process initiated by the then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government failed in 2015, leading to widespread crackdown on the pro-Kurdish political movement in Turkey.
(TY/VK)
