As the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) prepares to hold a symbolic disarmament ceremony in the coming days, the group’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan has released a video message in what was his first such appearance in 26 years.
The seven-minute video, published by the pro-PKK Fırat News Agency (ANF), Öcalan voiced support for shifting away from armed struggle and emphasized a political and societal approach to peace.
Detained on İmralı Island since 1999, Öcalan appeared in the video alongside other prisoners held at the same facility. Seated to his right was Hamili Yıldırım and to his left, Veysi Aktaş. Standing behind him from left to right were Ergin Atabey, Mahmut Yamalak, Zeki Bayhan, and Ömer Hayri Konar.
Full transcription of the message:
Dear Comrades,
Ethically, I feel duty-bound to provide, via an – albeit repetitive – comprehensive letter, explanatory and creative responses for the problems, solutions, the achieved levels, and the concrete situation of our Communalist Camaraderie Movement.
1. I continue to defend the call for “Peace and Democratic Society”, [declared on] February 27, 2025.
2. By convening PKK’s 12th Dissolution Congress, you provided, with the right substance, a comprehensive positive response to my call. I attach historical value to your response.
3. The level that has been achieved is highly valuable and historically significant. The efforts of the comrades who bridged this communication is equally valuable and praiseworthy.
4. At the end of this process, I prepared a “Manifesto for Democratic Society”, which has to be evaluated as a historical transformation. This Manifesto has the necessary attributes to successfully substitute the 50-years-old Manifesto of “The Road to Kurdistan Revolution”. I believe that the last Manifesto carries a historical and social substance not only for the historical Kurdish society but also for the regional and global society. I have no doubt that it will epitomize the historical tradition of manifestos.
5. I should clearly state that all these developments have resulted from the meetings I have held in Imrali. Great care has been taken to ensure that these meetings are held on the basis of free will.
6. The achieved level necessitates new steps for implementation. Making progress inevitably depends on emphasizing and understanding the historical nature of this level and adhering to the necessities of it.
a. The PKK movement and its “National Liberation Strategy” which emerged as a reaction to the denial of the existence [of the Kurds] and thus aimed at setting up a separate state has been dissolved. The existence [of the Kurds] has been recognized; therefore, the basic aim has been achieved. In this sense, it has had its day. The rest has been regarded as excessive repetition and stalemate. This will constitute the basis for comprehensive critique and self-critique.
b. Politics know no vacuum; therefore, the vacuum should be filled with the program of “Democratic Society”, the strategy of “Democratic Politics” and the basic tactic of “holistic law”. What we refer to is a determining process characterized by historical significance.
c. As a necessity of the process it is important to voluntarily take the weapons away and to ensure the comprehensive activities of a legally authorized commission established in TBMM [Turkish Grand National Assembly]. While being wary of descending into illogical “you first, then me” approaches, the necessary step should inexorably be taken. I know that these step will not go spare. I see the sincerity and have trust.
d. Therefore, there are efforts to make breakthroughs via taking more practical step. The following are the principal theses I suggest:
1) A positive integrationist perspective would enable the Movement to shoulder its mantles and achieve its aim of “Peace and Democratic Society”. The aforementioned arguments take us to the following conclusion: the PKK has renounced its nation-statist aim; renouncing its basic aim implies renouncement of its military strategy and thus leads to its dissolution. This historical points awaits being taken to a further level.
2) You should take it in your stride that your ensuring of the laying down of arms, before the witness of the public and related circles, would not only count with the TBMM [Turkish Grand National Assembly] and the Commission, but also reassure the public and honor our promises. The establishment of a mechanism to lay down the arms will take the process forward. What has been done is a voluntary transition from the phase of Armed Struggle to the phase of Democratic Politics and Law. This is not a loss, but has to be regarded as a historical gain. The details of the laying down of the arms will be specified and expeditiously implemented.
3) DEM [Party], which is under the umbrella of the parliament, will do its share and will work with other parties to ensure the success of the process.
4) As for “My Freedom Situation” which, you have put forward, as an indispensable provision, in your [12th] Congress’s resolution texts, I should say that I have never regarded my freedom as a personal issue. Philosophically, the freedom of the individual cannot be abstracted from the [freedom of] society. The freedom of the individual is a measure of the freedom of society; and the freedom of society is a measure of the freedom of the individual. The necessities of the inclination will be observed.
I believe not in the arms, but in the power of politics and social peace and call on you to put this principle into practice.
The latest developments in the region has clearly proved the importance and urgency of this historical step.
I should state that I am looking forward to receiving all kinds of criticisms, suggestions and contributions you can make about the process.
I state, ambitiously and vehemently, that these discussions will take us, the forces of Democratic Modernity, to a new theoretical program, to a new strategic and tactical phase at the national, regional and global level, and I express my optimism and readiness for preparatory efforts.
As to the future stages, I call on you to embark on putting into practice the resolutions of the [12th] Congress, in line with the views and suggestions of this last letter, and to ensure successful progress.
Permanent Comradely Regards
(TY/VK)
