Öcalan Calls on PKK to Dissolve in Historic Statement

"As in the case with any modern community and party whose existence has not been abolished by force, would voluntarily do, convene your congress and make a decision; all groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself," Öcalan was quoted as saying at a televised event.

His remarks were delivered in Turkish, Kurdish, English and Arabic and was broadcast live on large screens in the eastern cities of Van and Diyarbakır in Turkey, as well as seven cities in Syria.

“In this climate created by the call made by [Nationalist Movement Party leader] Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, the will expressed by Mr. President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] and the positive approaches of other political parties towards the known call, I call for laying down arms and assume the historical responsibility of this call,” he said.

"Respect for identities, freedom to express themselves, democratic organization, socio-economic and political structures that all segments base themselves on are only possible with the existence of a democratic society and political sphere." 

"There is no alternative to democracy in the pursuit and realization of a political system. Democratic consensus is the fundamental way," he emphasized.

Following the statement, Efkan Ala, deputy leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), said Turkey “will be freed from its shackles if the terror group heeds this call, lays down arms and dissolves itself.” 

During the “Call for Peace and Democracy” meeting, expressing gratitude for all political parties involved, DEM Party MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder stated that the historic turning point was a positive one. 

“We went to nurture the sprout of peace, the hope of peace — to provide it with life, with breath, in the spirit of unity among Turks and Kurds alike,” he said.

“We are at a historic turning point, but a positive one. We have come with an unparalleled compass to find an honorable way out of the current chaotic situation.”

Opposition leaders in Turkey have also welcomed the statement. "The call for the terrorist organization to lay down arms and disband is important," Republican People’s Party (CHP) chairman Özgür Özel said.

He reiterated that the CHP has historically supported democratic solutions to Turkey's problems and has always opposed all form of violence and terror.

Ali Babacan, the leader of the DEVA Party, welcomed the call for peace, describing it as a "historic development" and stressing that the PKK's dissolution would be a major step toward ending the violence. "We expect the terrorist organization to immediately lay down and dissolve without any hesitation," Babacan stated.

Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu, also praised the call, stating "In these times of global uncertainty and regional conflict, every call and step toward Turkey's internal peace and the elimination of terrorism is positive."

He highlighted the need for a concrete, result-oriented roadmap to ensure lasting peace, emphasizing that all political parties and civil society should contribute to this process within Turkey's national framework.

Önder and DEM Party MP Pervin Buldan met with Öcalan on Jan. 22, marking their second visit in less than a month.

These visits to the PKK leader, serving a life sentence on the İmralı prison island off Istanbul, were the first since members of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party’s predecessor, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), met with him in April 2015.

The statement followed a broader delegation's visit to Öcalan on Feb. 27. The group included DEM Party co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları Oruç and Tuncer Bakırhan, lawmaker Cengiz Çiçek, former Mardin Mayor Ahmet Türk and Öcalan’s lawyer Faik Özgür Erol.

Öcalan’s engagement with politicians became possible after Bahçeli invited him to come to the parliament to renounce terror and disband PKK.

Erdoğan backed the appeal as a "historic window of opportunity."

In a statement late Thursday, Iraq's foreign ministry said Ocalan's call for the group to lay down its arms was "a positive and important step towards achieving stability in the region".

It could contribute to "enhancing security not only in Iraq... but in the entire region", said the ministry.

The statement stressed that "political solutions and dialogue are the best way to resolve differences and end conflicts."

In a statement, the German foreign ministry said the call was a "historic chance" to bring to an end their decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres "welcomes" the call by Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) founder and historic leader Abdullah Ocalan to dissolve the movement, calling it a "glimmer of hope," according to spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"The Secretary General welcomes this important development," Dujarric told reporters. "This represents a glimmer of hope which would lead to a resolution of a long standing conflict."

PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

The DEM Party has conducted a series of briefings following the first meeting with Öcalan on Dec. 28, 2024.

Önder and Buldan was joined by Türk in talks with all major parties in parliament except the İYİ (Good) Party.

The trio later visited former HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ at separate prisons.

Detained 25 years ago by Turkish security forces in Kenya after years on the run, the PKK leader was sentenced to death. However, Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004 and he is spending his remaining years in an isolation cell on İmralı.

Source: HDN