In a historic move, Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has called for his group to lay down arms and dissolve, potentially ending a conflict that has spanned four decades and claimed over 40,000 lives2.
Ocalan’s appeal was delivered through a written statement read aloud during a news conference by members of Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish political party, the People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), who had recently visited him in prison2. The statement emphasized that the PKK had achieved its goals during a time when “democratic channels of politics were blocked” but had now outlived its purpose2.
“Convene your congress and make a decision,” Ocalan urged in the statement, which was read first in Kurdish and then in Turkish. “All groups must lay down their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself”2. He added that Turkey and the Kurds must move forward “with the spirit of fraternity,” asserting that democracy was the only path to achieve this2.
The news conference, held in Istanbul, was packed with journalists and Kurdish politicians. Some in the audience applauded and gave a standing ovation when a new image of the rarely photographed Ocalan appeared on a screen2.
Ocalan’s call for disarmament has raised hopes that the conflict, which has been Turkey’s most enduring domestic security threat, could finally come to an end2. If the PKK complies, it would mark a significant political achievement for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has long sought to resolve the conflict2.
However, there are still many unanswered questions about the logistics of the disarmament process and what the Turkish government might offer in return2. It remains unclear how Ocalan’s call will impact PKK members in Iraq and the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led militia in Syria, which has ties to the PKK2.
The PKK, classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and other countries, has been battling the Turkish state since the early 1980s2. The group initially sought to create an independent state for Turkey’s Kurdish minority but now advocates for greater rights for Kurds within Turkey2.
Ocalan’s appeal follows a series of talks involving Turkish officials, Ocalan himself, and members of the DEM party2. While President Erdogan has stated that the government offered no concessions to the PKK, he acknowledged that ending the conflict would benefit both Turks and Kurds2.
The reaction to Ocalan’s call for disarmament has been mixed, with some Kurds expressing hope and others feeling frustrated and confused2. The path to peace remains uncertain, but Ocalan’s statement marks a significant step towards resolving one of Turkey’s longest-running conflicts.