UPDATED: In a reaction to Abdullah Ocalan’s statement, SDF Leader Mazloum Abdi gave a press in which he stated that the call for the PKK to dissolve does not apply to the Syrian Democratic Forces. He welcomed Ocalan’s statement saying it will open peaceful political process in Turkey.
Imprisoned PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan released a statement along with the Kurdistan Democratic Party urging all Kurdish armed-groups to lay down their weapons. He also said that the PKK should dissolve.
Press reports announced that PKK Leader Ocalan was offered his freedom in exchange for giving up his armed struggle. The PKK Leader has been in a Turkish prison since 1999 serving a life sentence.
The Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria have so far refused to lay down their weapons and integrate with the Syrian Army.
Full text below.
Call for Peace and a Democratic Society
The PKK was born in the 20th century, a period marked by the most intense violence in history, including two world wars, the dominance of real socialism, and the Cold War. The denial of Kurdish identity and restrictions on freedoms, especially freedom of expression, created the conditions for its emergence.
In terms of theory, program, strategy, and tactics, the PKK was heavily influenced by the reality of real socialism during this century. However, with the collapse of real socialism in the 1990s due to internal factors and the gradual recognition of Kurdish identity alongside improvements in freedom of expression, the PKK found itself lacking meaning and becoming excessively repetitive. As a result, like similar organizations, it has completed its lifespan and must now dissolve.
Kurdish-Turkish Relations
For over a thousand years, Turks and Kurds have maintained their existence and resisted hegemonic forces through a voluntary alliance, which they deemed necessary.
However, over the past 200 years, capitalist modernity has aimed to break this alliance. The groups influenced by it, along with their class foundations, have committed themselves to serving this goal. The uniformist interpretations of the Republic further accelerated this process. Today, our main duty is to reorganize these historical relations—now highly fragile—in the spirit of brotherhood, without disregarding faith and beliefs.
The Need for a Democratic Society
The rise and influence of the PKK—the longest and most comprehensive rebellion and armed movement in the history of the Republic—were due to the closure of democratic political channels.
As a natural consequence of extreme nationalist tendencies, solutions such as a separate nation-state, federation, administrative autonomy, or culturalist approaches fail to address the historical sociology of society. True respect for identities, the ability for people to freely express themselves, and their right to organize democratically can only be achieved through the existence of a democratic society and a democratic political arena.
The second century of the Republic can only achieve lasting and fraternal continuity if it is crowned with democracy. There is no path outside of democracy for systemic searches and implementations—there cannot be. Democratic consensus is the fundamental method.
The language of the new era of peace and democratic society must be developed in accordance with reality.
In light of the call made by Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, the determination expressed by Mr. President, and the positive responses from other political parties, I now call for disarmament and assume the historical responsibility of this call.
As any contemporary society or party that has not been forcibly eliminated would voluntarily do, I urge you to convene your congress, make a decision for integration with the state and society, and declare that all groups should lay down their arms and that the PKK should dissolve itself.
I send my greetings to all those who believe in coexistence and heed my call.
February 25, 2025
Abdullah Öcalan
Newsroom
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