PKK’s 12th Congress marks major step toward peace
Leader Abdullah Ocalan, throughout the past 37 years, has utilized every opportunity—through theoretical and practical innovation—to seek a resolution to the Kurdish issue. Despite persistent sabotage and conspiracies, this process has reached a historical milestone.

On February 27, Leader Abdullah Ocalan, through a delegation of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), issued a significant declaration titled “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society.” He called upon the PKK to convene its congress and dissolve itself. In his message, the leader stated:
“The 21st century cannot witness a unified and sustainable republic unless it is crowned with democracy. The only viable system and path forward is democracy. I call for disarmament and assume full historical responsibility for this call.”
The decision sparked a range of reactions and assessments from various stakeholders. While the majority of responses were positive and pointed to the possibility of a democratic and lasting resolution, some factions opposed the move. Their evaluations were surprising to many observers.
The message of leader Abdullah Ocalan and the statements from the PKK’s leadership reflect an ongoing effort toward reform and democratization. In this context, it is important to review the political and democratic initiatives undertaken by the leader and the PKK over the years.
The First Interview and the Dialogue Initiative
Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s first interview with international media was in 1988. Conducted by journalist Mohamed Ali Brayan and published in a prominent European newspaper, the interview drew wide attention and conveyed several key messages.
In that interview, the leader stated:
“There is profound injustice, oppression, and colonialism. Even worse, there is a systematic policy that denies our very existence. The Kurdish people have long lived alongside the peoples of Anatolia, yet they have been subjugated and exploited by dominant powers. This historical injustice has hindered our collective development.”
“The question must be asked: What is this injustice? Why has it reached such extremes? And how can it be overcome? The founding of the PKK was a response to this very question. We faced immense pressure, military operations, torture, and the creation of special war units, mercenary groups, village guards, and commando units. They used the most advanced weaponry.”
“This great injustice persists, and with it, so does our great resistance. We do not desire violence—we are deeply disturbed by it. We do not support resolving issues through violence, but if other parties insist on this path, the struggle will continue. However, I strongly believe in the power of politics to resolve issues. Capable politicians must recognize the necessity of political solutions. Problems must be addressed through political means. In such a case, a positive and effective resolution will certainly be achievable.”
Discussions Held, but No Action Taken
Although Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s messages sparked significant discussions at the time, the state failed to take any substantive steps. In the 1990s, the struggle for freedom intensified and expanded, leading to popular uprisings. In response, state policies of annihilation continued, albeit in a more limited form. Even then, Turkish Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel acknowledged the existence of a Kurdish reality, describing the Kurdish freedom struggle as the 29th Kurdish uprising.
During those years, the Kurdish issue became a hot topic across all parts of Kurdistan and beyond. The Kurdish people began organizing themselves politically, socially, culturally, and in the arts and media—especially after electing 18 Kurdish deputies to the Turkish parliament in 1991. Meanwhile, sweeping global changes were underway, including the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In light of these developments, leader Abdullah Ocalan declared a ceasefire in 1993 in an effort to pave the way for a resolution. However, the state responded with more aggressive military campaigns. Despite this, the resistance only grew stronger.
Efforts toward dialogue and resolution gained traction under Turkish President Turgut Özal, with mediation from Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). At Özal's invitation, the leader held a press conference in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley on March 19, 1993. The event was attended by Talabani, other Kurdish party leaders, a U.S. delegation member, and many writers and journalists. There, Öcalan declared a ceasefire as a step toward peace.
Following this, the PKK officially announced a ceasefire on April 15, 1993, in response to Özal’s initiative and Talabani’s mediation. However, during the ceasefire process, several suspicious events occurred. Turkish Army Commander Eşref Bitlis died in a suspicious plane crash in Bitlis, and President Turgut Özal himself died under mysterious circumstances, allegedly from poisoning.
Shortly after, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in Bingöl, and the leader described both Özal’s death and the soldiers' killing as provocations. Consequently, the PKK ended the ceasefire unilaterally.
The fifth PKK congress took place during this turbulent period. The state’s failure to support the peace process in 1993 led to escalated violence and clashes. Nevertheless, the PKK's struggle for transformation and democratic dialogue did not cease.
The fifth congress became a platform for debate on transformation and resolution. It was held from February 8–27, 1995, following the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. The congress included comprehensive discussions and the political report presented by the leader, which featured deep analyses and a call for renewal of the PKK’s political and military strategy.
During this time, as Turkey prepared for parliamentary elections, Turkish officials requested intermediaries to persuade the leader to declare another ceasefire. Responding positively, the leader announced a new ceasefire on December 15, 1995, during a broadcast on TV MED.
However, this ceasefire was once again met with sabotage. On January 16, 1996, after the elections, 11 Kurdish villagers were killed in a bus shooting in the İdil district. The Chief of Staff immediately accused the PKK of the attack. But it was later revealed that the paramilitary intelligence unit JİTEM—an unofficial and illegal counterinsurgency and intelligence arm of the Turkish state—was responsible for the attack.
Despite its covert nature, JİTEM carried out widespread dirty operations in Kurdistan, acting in the name of the state. Still, the Turkish state refused to recognize its role, even after its existence had been clearly exposed.
The worst action taken by the state, which hindered the implementation of a ceasefire and the necessary steps toward peace, occurred in 1996. On May 6, 1996, a car loaded with 500 kilograms of explosives was detonated near the residence of leader Abdullah Ocalan in Damascus. The attack did not result in any casualties, though it caused material damage around the building. It was later revealed that then Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, Chief of Police Mehmet Ağar, and then Chief of Staff Doğan Güreş were involved in the attack.
Following the attack, leader Ocalan stated via a phone call on a MED TV television program: “We speak of peace and brotherhood, and call for an end to this war, yet in response we are met with car bombs.”
In the face of these attacks, fighters of the Kurdish liberation movement intensified their resistance and began a new phase. On June 30, 1996, a fighter in the Kurdish People's Liberation Army (ARG), Zeynep Kınacı (Zîlan), carried out a sacrificial operation among Turkish soldiers in Dersim. This operation marked a new turning point in the struggle for freedom.
Erbakan’s Efforts and the February 28 Process
The ceasefire was not implemented, and the fighting intensified, yet efforts continued. Once again, through some intermediaries, the Turkish government and leader Abdullah Ocalan exchanged messages.
Necmettin Erbakan served as Turkey’s Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997, but his government was a coalition and lacked unity, particularly as Tansu Çiller served as Deputy Prime Minister. During this period, attempts at dialogue were made through Erbakan. As a result of these efforts, in August 1996, the PKK handed over a group of captured Turkish soldiers to human rights organizations in the Zap region.
During that phase, leader Abdullah Ocalan sent a message to Erbakan, stating: “…We prefer that this oppression ends, that this war ceases, and that real, trustworthy steps based on brotherhood are taken. Seize this opportunity"
However, on February 28, 1997, the Turkish government was dismissed. Erbakan resigned from the premiership following a National Security Council meeting and its decision. The government was to be reformed, but then-President Süleyman Demirel did not reappoint any of the coalition partners. As a result, many in Turkey describe this date as the “February 28 Coup.”
The Conspiracy in Response to the Ceasefire
After this initiative failed, the Turkish state escalated its attacks. On May 14, 1997, the Turkish military launched a major offensive on the Zap region under the operation name “Hammer.” During the same period, the National Security Council took action against the People's Democracy Party (HADEP), one of the early political movement parties in Northern Kurdistan. Following the council meeting, party leaders and members were arrested.
The state achieved no success with these attacks and was, in fact, engaged in dialogue with leader Abdullah Ocalan. According to journalist Cengiz Çandar—now a member of parliament for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party—senior commanders of the Turkish army entered into dialogue with Abdullah Öcalan in 1997 through PKK members Sabri Ok and Muzaffer Ayata, who were in prison at the time.
Ceasefire Declaration and Escalation by the Turkish State
A ceasefire was declared, yet the Turkish state escalated its threats. Turkish President Süleyman Demirel threatened Syria in a speech before parliament, and military leaders issued statements from the border, threatening to attack Syria. To avoid such an outcome, leader Abdullah Ocalan left Syria on October 9, 1998.
Despite this, leader Abdullah Ocalan—who would later refer to this as the "international conspiracy"—continued the unilateral ceasefire. He endured a difficult phase, moving between Athens, Rome, Moscow, and Nairobi. While in the Italian capital, Rome, he issued a four-point statement titled “A Call for Peace and Negotiation.”
However, the attacks and conspiracies persisted. On February 15, 1999, leader Abdullah Ocalan was handed over to the Turkish state in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, with the cooperation of international and regional forces. It was later revealed that several countries, regional powers, and even Kurdish entities were involved in the conspiracy.
Ceasefire Declaration of 1999
During its sixth congress at the time, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced the end of the unilateral ceasefire and declared full-scale war.
However, on September 1, 1999, the PKK declared a fourth ceasefire in an effort to secure peace and decided to withdraw its fighters from Turkish territory.
Following leader Abdullah Ocalan’s call, 20 individuals from the mountain cadres and Europe were sent into Turkey. Attacks on guerrilla zones decreased, and an invasion of Southern Kurdistan by Turkey was not anticipated.
The Democratic Peace Project
The PKK reaffirmed its Democratic Peace Project during its 7th extraordinary congress and issued multiple calls for peace. These included:
The Peace Project on January 20, 2002
The Action Plan for Peace and Democracy on November 4, 2002
The Declaration of Demands on June 19, 2001, aimed at avoiding a new war and advancing the peace process
The Declaration of Solution on November 22, 2002
Despite all peace efforts by the PKK, Turkey continued its destructive policies unabated.
The Kurdish liberation movement resumed active defense on June 1, 2004. Subsequently, it faced domestic criticism as the side responsible for continuing the war and was also pressured internationally.
With the start of a new phase marked by the Washington Agreement on November 5, 2007, the Turkish parliament issued a declaration of war.
The Turkish occupation army launched repeated airstrikes on the Medya Defense Zones and began an invasion operation in these areas on February 21, 2008.
KCK’s 2009 Decision to Suspend Activities
On April 13, 2009, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) announced its decision to suspend activities, citing the political outcomes of the March 29 local elections. However, the Turkish state and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) responded to this with political extermination campaigns against the Democratic Society Party (DTP).
The decision to suspend operations was set to expire on June 1.
Peace Groups Once Again
On October 19, at the invitation of leader Abdullah Ocalan, peace groups affiliated with the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) crossed from Qandil and Makhmour into Turkey through the Habur border crossing. They were welcomed by millions of citizens.
However, following the entry of the peace groups into Turkey, pressure from the police and judiciary increased, along with legal prosecutions. Some members of the peace groups were arrested. In total, 700 people—including former members of parliament, mayors, and representatives of institutions—were detained during the political extermination operations led by the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Leader Abdullah Ocalan's Decision in 2010
With the absence of any political resolution and the consolidation of repressive policies by the AKP, leader Abdullah Ocalan announced on May 31, 2010, his withdrawal from the process. In a statement issued on June 1, 2010, the KCK declared that the AKP had thwarted all of its leader’s initiatives related to the peace process and democratic solution. It also announced the end of the activity suspension it had declared on April 13, 2009.
The 2013 Ceasefire and the Dolmabahçe Agreement
The AKP had hoped to eliminate the PKK following the results of the June 12, 2011, elections, after which another election process began.
Later, on October 10, 2015, the PKK declared a ceasefire to allow the November 1 elections to be held peacefully and safely. However, the Turkish state responded to the ceasefire with attacks.
Ceasefire Declaration Following the Earthquake
In October 2024, leader Abdullah Ocalan stated: "If the conditions are available, I possess both the theoretical and practical power to move the war to a legal and political ground." Following this, Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan visited Imrali and met with leader Abdullah Ocalan. Based on his suggestion, a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) visited political parties in Turkey and Southern Kurdistan.
The results of these visits were presented to leader Abdullah Ocalan in a second meeting. On February 26, the DEM Party delegation met again with the leader, then traveled to Istanbul and announced the historic "Call for Peace and a Democratic Society".
ANHA