In a historic move, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party has called for the group to disarm, paving the way for a new peace process in Turkey and a reshaping of alliances in Syria.
In a radical new turn in the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, Abdullah Öcalan, the long-imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has called on his party to lay down its arms and disband.
He issued his instruction today via an emotional and surprising letter read at a press conference by Ahmet Turk, a leader of the Peoples’ Democracy and Equality Party.
Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999 in Imrali Island prison, put his message in the starkest terms.
“Hold your conference and make a decision,” he wrote. “All groups must lay down their weapons, and the PKK must disband.”
Not only that, the Kurdish leader took historical responsibility for this call, reflecting a radical shift in his stance after decades of armed struggle against the Turkish state.
Öcalan’s letter marks a major turning point in the conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions since the 1980s.
The PKK is classified as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU, and has been the target of widespread military operations and security crackdowns for decades.
However, Öcalan’s call to lay down arms carries deep political and security implications, coming as it does at a time when the region is witnessing rapid geopolitical transformations — especially with the ongoing developments in Syria and Iraq, and the escalating tensions between Ankara and its Western allies over the Kurdish issue.
A new chapter of peace?
Within Turkey, Öcalan’s invitation is expected to open the door to a new peace process between the Turkish government and the Kurdish minority, which is estimated at 20% of the country’s population.
Disarmament may help reduce domestic tensions, especially in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeastern regions, which for decades have witnessed violent confrontations between the army and PKK militants. Political and social stability could help Kurds better integrate into Turkish political and social life, which may strengthen national unity and reduce ethnic and political polarisation.
The change in the conflict could also help improve international relations, with Ankara potentially leveraging it to improve its relations with Washington and the EU, both of which have repeatedly criticised its policies towards the Kurds.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling party have long adopted a hardline stance toward the PKK, and may see this invitation as an opportunity to end the armed insurgency on the state’s terms.
On the other hand, it is too soon to say whether the PKK will respond fully to Ocalan’s call, especially given the complexity of Turkish-Kurdish relations and the changes taking place in the region, which many will see as an opportunity to strengthen their negotiating hand.
Reshaping alliances and balances
The effects of Öcalan’s call extend to Syria, where the PKK and its allies, such as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, are key players in the north of the country. With the support of the US, these factions control large areas and play a pivotal role in the war against the so-called Islamic State group.
There, Öcalan’s call may reshape alliances and balances, especially in light of the complexity of the Syrian conflict and the overlapping regional and international interests, including Turkey, the US, Russia, and Iran.
It may also encourage Kurdish factions to enter into negotiations with either the new de facto Syrian government or other regional powers, with the aim of achieving a political settlement that guarantees Kurdish rights and contributes to the overall stability of the region.
In addition, Turkey’s interventions in northern Syria may yet be toned down. Ankara has always justified its military operations in the area as part of a fight against what it calls “Kurdish terrorism,” but it may now be obliged to reconsider its security and political strategies.
The call comes at a time of unprecedented political and security turmoil in the Middle East, making it a rare historic opportunity to end a decades-long conflict.
But as in Turkey, the response of the Kurds in Syria to Öcalan’s call is far from a foregone conclusion. Regionally, the move could redraw the map of alliances, especially if it succeeds in achieving a Turkish-Kurdish rapprochement that leads to de-escalation in Syria and Iraq.
For all the hopes that Öcalan’s letter might raise, there are many challenges that could stand in the way of a lasting peace, including the PKK’s own internal politics. The notion of disarmament may yet be rejected by hardliners, especially those who see armed struggle as the only option for achieving Kurdish rights.
The prospect of peace also depends on Ankara’s willingness to make political concessions, such as promoting Kurdish cultural and political rights.
