The message from Mr. Abdullah Öcalan (Kurdish: ئۆجالان) regarding the peace process and his appeal to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Kurdish: پارتی کرێکارانی کوردستان) reflects the fact that the Kurdish issue in the current context holds special significance. Therefore, the positions and movements of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party—as a key actor in the field of national struggle in North Kurdistan—and Mr. Öcalan as its leader, are closely watched by all supporters and observers of the Kurdish national liberation movement.
Here are some key points that must be highlighted in this context:
- The fact that the Turkish state unexpectedly agreed to a peace initiative and allowed Mr. Öcalan’s message to be publicly broadcast through his party reflects concerns over regional transformations. It signals an attempt by Turkey to reassert control and avoid losing ground due to sweeping regional changes, fearing that these shifts may eventually reach Turkey as well. The Turkish state does not genuinely intend to resolve the Kurdish question, which is why it seeks to steer and control the situation to its advantage.
- The response from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party is still in its early stages, and the Turkish state has not yet declared a clear stance. In reality, this message should be viewed as the beginning of a process, not a final decision that unilaterally dictates the future of a party with nearly fifty years of struggle. The future steps of both the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Turkish state will determine the fate of this process.
- If a political party is seen as a tool of struggle, its importance lies not in its mere survival or dismantling, but in its effectiveness and impact on the achievement of rights and objectives. From this perspective, the recent development can be seen as an attempt to revise the mode of struggle, reorient tactics, and craft a new programme adapted to the current international and regional context. Whether this decision becomes a failure or a success depends not on the message alone, but on the broader process it initiates. This places a serious responsibility on the leadership, members, and activists of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.
- As a political organisation, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party must honour the leadership of its own movement while navigating the future as an experienced and strategic force. The recent ceasefire declaration can serve as a constructive first step in the process. This decision both pays respect to the leadership and signals to the international community that the Kurdish struggle—once forced into armed defence against occupation—now seeks an alternative through political and peaceful means. The Kurdish liberation movement took up arms in defence. Now it is the Turkish state’s turn to demonstrate whether it is genuinely ready to reciprocate the peaceful message of the PKK, engage in resolving the Kurdish issue, and recognise the national rights of the Kurdish people in the north of the country.
- The world is watching to see whether the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and its leadership are indeed ready to shift their strategy, or even contemplate dissolving the party’s structure in its current form. The question is whether the Turkish state, in return, is willing to abandon its anti-Kurdish policies, stop denying Kurdish existence, and seize this moment to begin a real, sustained peace process. If the Turkish government is unwilling to shift from its long-standing policies of denial and suppression, this attempt will fail just like past ones. For this reason, it is vital that international forces and influential global actors apply pressure on Turkey to ensure recognition of Kurdish rights. Any attempt to label this initiative as “terrorist” – as Turkey has done for decades – can no longer hold if the party is clearly pursuing peaceful solutions.
From our perspective as Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan (Kurdish: کۆمەڵەی زەحمەتکێشانی کوردستان), the Kurdish issue across all of Kurdistan is a single, unified question. Therefore, the fate of the national struggle in any part of Kurdistan is important and affects the others. We view developments in one part as having an impact on the others, and we strive to support and stand with the national liberation movement of the Kurdish people across all parts of Kurdistan in their quest to achieve their rights. At the same time, the people of each region have the right to determine their own destiny, and we respect their choices and will.
The Kurdish national liberation movement across all parts is a legitimate political struggle. The Kurdish people only took up arms in defence after decades of occupation and military aggression. Despite suffering from oppression, torture, displacement, and siege, the Kurdish national struggle remains just and rightful, and it will continue until full recognition of Kurdish rights is achieved.
Central Committee
Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan (Kurdish: کۆمەڵەی زەحمەتکێشانی کوردستان)
3 March 2025