KJK: Lasting peace tied to freedom of Leader Ocalan 

The Coordinating Committee of the KJK issued a statement to the public today, saying: “We begin by commemorating the virtuous Turkmen daughter of the people of Turkey, the unique revolutionary fighter for the freedom of peoples, Amina Arges, along with comrades Akın Amara Toldar and Zîn Zagros, with all respect and appreciation. We extend our deepest condolences to their families and renew our pledge to continue their struggle, pursue their dreams, and crown them with victory.

At a time when World War III has intensified in the Middle East, Leader Apo, on 27 February this year, launched the ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’ in the Middle East, especially in Turkey, aiming to rebuild democratic and peaceful life and social unity, a historic initiative. This initiative was not merely a daily political tactic but a strategic and exemplary initiative. The perspective of the Democratic Republic and the implementation of the model of peace and democratic society, based on freedom and equality for peoples, women, cultures, and beliefs in the 21st century, will prevail.

Our Leader took a unilateral step with good intentions to implement the peace model by ending the ongoing armed struggle against Turkey, creating political and social groundwork for lasting success for the peoples. Leader Apo, as the chief negotiator and political leader, fulfilled his role in making the first phase of the process successful. This phase included visits by the People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) to Imrali, negotiations with Leader Apo, meetings related to the process among the parties, and the formation of a parliamentary committee, all significant events. However, the state and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) have not taken concrete steps to advance the process, and no progress has been made in resolving the Kurdish issue.

The committee must not become a tool for power calculations

It has become clear through our Leader’s efforts for democracy and past experiences that the AKP government cannot strengthen its authority through minor political calculations and cannot succeed in its policies aimed at eliminating our liberation movement by merely focusing on these calculations.

The mentality insisting that disarmament alone can resolve the Kurdish issue ignores the fact that the core of the issue lies in the democratization of Turkey, which poses a major obstacle to the success of this process. Unless the root causes of the Kurdish issue are discussed, and the Kurdish people are guaranteed their language, identity, culture, and right to organize, which have been denied for a hundred years, any approach pursued will mean perpetuating the crisis rather than resolving it.

The decades-long approach of denial and neglect, which Kurdish women have once again opposed in the committee, demonstrates that a mentality that does not recognize a mother tongue of a community cannot be expected to acknowledge its existence or seek to resolve its issues. We strongly condemn the approach towards women and the Kurdish people and call on the committee to correct this mistake. We also call on women and the democratic society to actively resist these policies and ensure the committee does not become a tool for minor power calculations but instead reflects the public interests of the people of Turkey. It must fulfill its historical responsibility with the concept of unity and solidarity.

While discussions are ongoing about finding a solution with the Kurds in Turkey, threats and hostile statements are being directed at other parts of Kurdistan, alongside proxy policies and operations against political parties and local administrations. These practices undermine the peace process and the democratic society, weakening efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue and democratize Turkey, and hinder the pursuit of peace and democracy within society. Overall, this approach does not serve the advancement of the process but forms an obstacle to moving to the next phase.

There will be no solution without the physical freedom of Leader Apo

The detention of Leader Apo in Imrali prison, along with the failure to correct his working conditions and deny him free communication, has hindered the transition to the second phase of the process, i.e., the negotiation phase. Our people and the public understand that our Leader’s physical freedom is inseparable from the freedom of a unified and cohesive society. The peace process and the democratic society cannot achieve lasting peace without the physical freedom of Leader Apo, who is the chief negotiator for a political and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, and without providing him the conditions to freely work and communicate with all parties.

The Kurdish women’s freedom movement views the physical freedom of Leader Apo not only as a demand for the process but also as a primary agenda and goal for all other projects. We reiterate before our people and the public that this issue must not become a topic of debate or a bargaining chip for minor calculations, as resolving all issues in Turkey and the Middle East is linked to achieving our l

Leader’s physical freedom. He has offered the peoples of the region and Turkey an opportunity they have waited for centuries. Therefore, the treatment of our Leader is the primary benchmark for evaluating the approach of the peace process and democratic solution. Social issues cannot be resolved except under equal conditions and a democratic negotiation framework, and a solution cannot be achieved without the physical freedom of Leader Apo and providing him with the means to negotiate under fair conditions.

The "Right to Hope" must be implemented according to the decisions of the Council of Europe’s ministerial committee without delay, along with necessary legal reforms, to ensure the success of the peace process and the democratic society and to allow continued progress and tangible results.

The first phase of the process ended successfully thanks to the efforts of our l

Leader. However, progress cannot rely solely on good intentions; the state must take the necessary steps to move to the second phase, the negotiation stage.

The committee must meet Leader Apo

The National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Committee, formed under the Turkish Parliament, must hold the necessary meetings with Leader Apo as needed. Laws must also be prepared to facilitate a peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kurdish issue and presented to Parliament, instead of following the current approach of merely calling for disarmament. The people of Turkey eagerly await the committee to inform the public of its work and to make efforts to ensure a more socially inclusive solution process.

It is also essential that Parliament enacts laws guaranteeing democratic inclusion and freedom to resolve the Kurdish issue and democratize Turkey. If the Republic of Turkey and the AKP government, in partnership with all political parties in Parliament, drive the peace process and democratic society toward a lasting, democratic, fraternal, and peaceful solution, they will succeed, resolving various issues and contributing to Turkey’s protection against threats.

Great responsibilities lie with our people and democracy supporters to ensure the success of the peace process and democratic society. The process cannot advance by merely waiting and watching, it is crucial to keep all segments of society engaged in organized struggle and democratic demands to find a solution to the issue.

On this basis, the process will not weaken if struggles continue against attacks in political and social arenas. On the contrary, it will accelerate democratic progress, based on the concept of democratic solidarity among peoples. Ultimately, the responsibility for advancing the peace process and democratic society lies with society itself. Instead of waiting for the state, the struggle for peace and democratic society must be expanded, and social organizations mobilized everywhere with enthusiasm and strong faith, as this is the main mission of the process. As Leader Apo said: “We have triumphed in the struggle for existence, now it is time for liberation and the success of building the democratic society.”

On this basis, we call on democratic forces and our national people, especially women, to expand the campaign for ensuring the physical freedom of Leader Apo, organize mass events more robustly as the 28th anniversary of the October 9 international conspiracy approaches, and denounce this international plot.

A-H 

ANHA