Another historic phase of leader Ocalan’s peace efforts

Following the historic appeal launched by leader Abdullah Ocalan on February 27, 2025, he delivered his first video statement yesterday, issuing a new historic call.

 The leader stated: “On February 27, I launched my ‘Call for Peace and a Democratic Society,’ and I still uphold this appeal. I believe in politics and societal peace, not in weapons, and I urge you to implement this principle.” This appeal resonated widely in Kurdistan and globally, with the ongoing process over the past four months witnessing numerous rapid and interconnected developments, making it a primary agenda item.

Previous Phases of Peace Initiatives

Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s efforts have consistently faced resistance from Turkish authorities, who have evaded implementing political and legal reforms to enshrine Kurdish rights in the constitution. Regional and international actors have also influenced developments, impacting peace efforts. Decades of tension and violence have characterized relations between the parties, marked by conflicts and clashes interspersed with periods of peace initiatives led by  leader Ocalan and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for a political and democratic resolution.

These phases can be summarized as follows:

First Press Interview and Dialogue Message

In 1988, leader Ocalan gave his first interview with the Turkish press, conducted by journalist Mehmet Ali Birand, published in multiple parts in a Turkish newspaper, sparking significant attention. The leader  stated: “There is profound injustice, oppression, and colonialism, compounded by a policy that denies even our name. The Kurdish people have made immense contributions to the Turkish people’s struggle in Anatolia for centuries, living side by side. Yet, the Kurdish people have been exploited by dominant powers and suffered greatly. This is a grave injustice that has hindered our development. The question of ‘What is this injustice? Why has it escalated? How can it be resolved?’ is critical. Our response was the establishment of the PKK. There is immense pressure, torture, special warfare units, mercenary groups, village guards, and commando units using advanced weaponry. As long as this injustice and violent policies persist, resistance against this great injustice will continue.

We do not seek violence; we are deeply troubled by it and suffer from it. We do not support resolving issues through violence. However, if the opposing side insists on this policy, the struggle will persist. When it comes to solutions, I strongly believe in the power of politics. Competent politicians must emerge, recognizing politics as a means for growth and development, addressing issues through political means. In such a case, we will respond positively, leading to favorable outcomes.”

Discussions Without Action

Leader Ocalan’s messages sparked discussions, but the Turkish state took no concrete steps. In the 1990s, the struggle for freedom intensified, with uprisings emerging. While the state’s genocidal policies continued, resistance forced limited acknowledgment. Then-Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel admitted the “Kurdish reality,” describing the freedom struggle as the 29th Kurdish uprising.

1993 Ceasefire Declaration and Failure of Resolution Efforts

In response to these developments, the Turkish state launched its most intense attacks, but the resistance grew stronger. During this period, efforts to achieve a resolution emerged. At the invitation of then-Turkish President Turgut Özal, and with mediation by Jalal Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, leader Abdullah Ocalan held a press conference in the Bekaa Valley on March 19, 1993. The conference, attended by Jalal Talabani, leaders of some Kurdish parties, current İmralı delegation member Ahmet Türk, and numerous writers and journalists, saw leader Ocalan announce a ceasefire to pave the way for a resolution.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) extended the ceasefire on April 15, 1993, at the request of President Turgut Özal and through Jalal Talabani’s mediation. However, during the ceasefire, the Turkish Gendarmerie’s General Commander, Eşref Bitlis, died in a suspicious plane crash, President Turgut Özal mysteriously lost his life due to food poisoning, and 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in Bingöl. Öcalan described Özal’s death and the soldiers’ killings as provocations and announced the unilateral termination of the ceasefire.

PKK’s Fifth Congress, Ceasefire, and the State’s Response

The dialogue and resolution efforts of 1993 were sabotaged, leading to an escalation of fighting and violent clashes. Nevertheless, the struggle for change, transformation, and resolution through dialogue and democracy persisted.

The PKK’s Fifth Congress became a platform for discussing change and resolution. Held from February 8 to 27, 1995, following the collapse of the real socialist system, the congress featured in-depth discussions on transformation. Abdullah Öcalan presented the political report, which included detailed analyses and calls for renewing the political and military program.

During this period, Turkish officials preparing for parliamentary elections requested a ceasefire from leader Ocalan through intermediaries. In response, and to open the door to a new phase, the leader joined a television program on MED TV on December 15, 1995, and announced a ceasefire.

Killing of 11 Villagers

The response to this ceasefire, like the previous one, was sabotage. Following the elections in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan, on January 16, 1996, a bus was attacked in the İlk district of Şırnak, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals. Immediately after the attack, the Turkish military’s commander-in-chief issued a statement attempting to blame the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for the incident. However, it was soon revealed that the Turkish gendarmerie, intelligence services, and the anti-terror unit (JİTEM) were responsible. JİTEM, an illegal organization, carried out numerous illicit operations in Kurdistan on behalf of the state, which only acknowledged its existence after its activities were exposed.

Attempted Assassination of Leader Ocalan and Response with Sacrificial Operations

The most egregious action taken by the Turkish state, which obstructed the ceasefire and necessary steps, occurred in 1996. On May 6, 1996, a car bomb containing 500 kilograms of explosives detonated near the residence of leader Abdullah Ocalan in Damascus. The attack caused no injuries, only material damage to the surrounding area. It was later revealed that then-Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, Police Chief Mehmet Ağar, and Chief of Staff Doğan Güreş were implicated in the attack.

In a phone call to a program on MED TV following the attack, the leader stated: “We call for peace and brotherhood, and for this war to end, yet we are met with car bombs.”

As a result, fighters of the Kurdistan Liberation Movement intensified their resistance and initiated a new phase. On June 30, 1996, Zeynep Kınacı (Zilan), the fighter in the People’s Liberation Army of Kurdistan (ARGK), carried out a sacrificial operation among Turkish soldiers in Dersim, marking a turning point in the struggle for freedom.

Erbakan’s Efforts and the February 28 Process

The ceasefire was not implemented, and fighting intensified, yet peace efforts persisted. Through intermediaries, the Turkish government and leader Abdullah Ocalan exchanged messages. Necmettin Erbakan served as Turkey’s Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997, leading a coalition government that faced internal disagreements, particularly with Deputy Prime Minister Tansu Çiller. During this period, dialogue attempts were made through Erbakan. As a result, in August 1996, the PKK handed over a group of captured Turkish soldiers to human rights organizations in the Zap region.

During this phase, the leader sent a message to Erbakan, stating: “We prefer that this injustice ends, this war stops, and genuine, reliable steps based on brotherhood are taken. Seize this opportunity.”

However, on February 28, 1997, the Turkish government was ousted following a National Security Council meeting and decision. Erbakan resigned as Prime Minister, and although a new government was to be formed, then-President Süleyman Demirel did not reappoint any of Erbakan’s allies. This event is referred to by some in Turkey as the “February 28 coup.”

Response to Ceasefire with a Conspiracy

After this initiative failed, the Turkish state escalated its attacks. On May 14, 1997, under the codename “Hammer,” the Turkish military launched a major offensive in the Zap region. Additionally, during a National Security Council meeting, measures were taken against the People’s Democracy Party (HADEP), one of the first political parties of the Kurdish movement in Northern Kurdistan, leading to the arrest of its leaders and members.

These attacks yielded no results for the state, which was simultaneously engaged in dialogue with leader Ocalan. According to journalist Cengiz Çandar, now a parliamentarian for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, senior Turkish military officials held discussions with leader Ocalan in 1997 through PKK cadres Sabri Ok and Müzaffer Ayata, who were imprisoned at the time.

1998 Ceasefire Declaration and the October 9 and February 15 Conspiracy

A ceasefire was declared, but the Turkish state intensified its threats. President Süleyman Demirel threatened Syria in parliament, and military leaders issued statements at the border, threatening to attack Syria. To avoid escalation, the leader left Syria on October 9, 1998.

Despite this, the leader, later describing the events as an “international conspiracy,” maintained a unilateral ceasefire. He faced a challenging period traveling through Athens, Rome, Moscow, and Nairobi. While in Rome, he issued a four-point statement titled “Call for Peace and Negotiation.”

However, attacks and conspiracies persisted. On February 15, 1999, the leader was handed over to Turkey in Nairobi through collaboration with international and regional powers. It was later revealed that several states and regional actors, including some Kurdish entities, were involved in the conspiracy.

1999 Ceasefire Declaration

The PKK, holding its sixth congress at the time, announced the end of the unilateral ceasefire and declared all-out war. On September 1, 1999, the PKK declared a fourth ceasefire to ensure peace and decided to withdraw its fighters from Turkish borders.

At leader Ocalan’s call, 20 cadres from the mountains and Europe were sent to Turkey.

Democratic Peace Project

The PKK adopted the Democratic Peace Project during its extraordinary seventh congress and issued several peace initiatives, including the Peace Project on January 20, 2002, the Action Plan for Peace and Democracy on November 4, 2002, a declaration against starting a new war and advancing the peace process on June 19, 2001, and a resolution announcement on November 22, 2002. Letters addressing the Kurdish issue were sent to the President, parliamentary speaker, Prime Minister, military commander, and all political parties twice in early and late 2002.

Despite all these peace efforts by the PKK, Turkey continued its destructive policies without interruption.

The Kurdistan Liberation Movement began active defense on June 1, 2004.

In the new era initiated by the Washington Agreement on November 5, 2007, the Turkish parliament issued a war decision. The Turkish occupation army repeatedly bombed the Medya Defense Zones and launched an occupation operation in those areas on February 21, 2008.

2009 KCK Decision to Halt Activities

On April 13, 2009, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) announced its decision to suspend its activities due to the political outcomes of the local elections held on March 29. The Turkish state and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government responded to the KCK’s decision by launching political extermination operations against the Democratic Society Party (DTP). The suspension of operations was scheduled to end on June 1.

Renewed Peace Groups

On October 19, at the call of leader Abdullah Ocalan, peace groups affiliated with the KCK crossed from Qandil and Makhmour into Turkey via the Habur border crossing, where they were welcomed by millions of citizens. After their entry, pressure from the police and judiciary intensified, with lawsuits filed and some members arrested. The AKP-led political extermination operations resulted in the detention of 700 individuals, including former parliamentarians, mayors, and representatives of institutions.

Leader Ocalan’s 2010 Decision

With the absence of political solutions and the entrenchment of the AKP’s repressive policies, leader Abdullah Ocalan announced on May 31, 2010, his withdrawal from the process. On June 1, 2010, the KCK issued a statement declaring that the AKP had thwarted all of leader Ocalan’s initiatives for peace and a democratic resolution, and consequently terminated its April 13, 2009, decision to halt activities.

2013 Ceasefire

The AKP relied on eliminating the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), banking on the results of the June 12, 2011, elections, after which the election process resumed. On October 10, 2013, the PKK declared a ceasefire to ensure the November 1 elections were conducted peacefully and securely, but the Turkish state responded with attacks.

In October 2024, the leader stated: “If conditions are met, I have the theoretical and practical strength to shift the war to a legal and political framework.” Subsequently, Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan visited leader Ocalan in Imrali Following his proposal, a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party visited political parties in Turkey and Southern Kurdistan. The outcomes of these visits were presented to leader Ocalan during a second meeting. On February 26, 2025, the delegation met leader Ocalan again, traveled to Istanbul, and announced his historic “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” to the public.

On February 27, 2025, the leader, through the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party delegation, issued a historic appeal titled “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society,” urging the PKK to hold a congress and dissolve itself. He stated: “The second century of the Republic cannot achieve lasting unity and continuity without being crowned with democracy. The only path to exploring and implementing systems is through democracy. A democratic agreement is the fundamental approach. In this process, I call for laying down arms, and I take historical responsibility for this appeal.”

Immediately after this call, discussions and evaluations began across Kurdistan and globally. On March 1, 2025, the PKK announced a ceasefire and held its 12th Congress from May 5 to 7, declaring its dissolution to the public. Post-congress, various parties offered comments and assessments. While most were positive, indicating the potential for a democratic and lasting solution, some expressed opposition or surprise. The leader message and the PKK leadership’s statements reflected previous attempts at transformation.

a.k

ANHA