A historical call launched by the leader of the peoples Abdullah Öcalan from the prison island of Imrali has been made public by deputies of the DEM Party. Since then, in all parts of Kurdistan, in Turkey and around the world, many discussions have developed: how to understand this call? What are the next steps? What are the consequences for the Kurdish movement? Let's take a few minutes to find out!
The new peace process and the geopolitical context
The new process currently underway dates back to September 2024, following statements by Turkish politicians indicating a potential opening to a resolution of the Kurdish question and an end to Öcalan's total isolation. At various times in the past, similar processes have also begun. Why is this time different? To understand this, we need to look at the geopolitical context.
In 1923, the Republic of Turkey was founded following a war of national liberation from the domination of the Western powers in Anatolia. The Kurdish people and the USSR supported the war of liberation at the time. However, once founded, the Republic of Turkey was forced to align itself once again with the interests of the Western powers or face the risk of being overthrown. It was given 2 missions: to prepare the ground for the creation of Israel and to spread the nation-state model in the Middle East. One century later, we can see that the Arab nation has been divided into 22 nation-states and that Israel now embodies the vanguard of capitalist modernity. With no role to play and Israel having replaced it, Turkey is now at an impasse.
In the midst of this deep crisis, which has resulted in a major economic, political and social crisis, Turkey has realised that the war raging in Gaza and Lebanon, which toppled the Assad regime in the space of a few days, could rapidly spread to its own territory. In this context, the Turkish state cannot simultaneously assume the continuation of an open war with the Kurdish movement, which is already causing it heavy losses. Aware of this, a new process began a few months ago.
Looking to history
In his appeal of 27 February, and many times before, Abdullah Öcalan emphasised the historic relationship between Turks and Kurds, based for hundreds of years on mutual cooperation and alliance against the hegemonic forces in the region. The separation was created by the interventions of the forces of capitalist modernity, which seek to divide peoples in order to control them better. The solution put forward for over 30 years by Öcalan is coexistence through the brotherhood of peoples. On this basis, numerous unilateral ceasefires and calls for peace have been launched by the PKK from the 1990s to the present day.
In the 1990s, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Öcalan realised that it would not be possible to resolve the Kurdish question within the framework of classical Marxism-Leninism and that new theories had to be developed. He understood, among other things, that the historical problem of human societies was linked to the question of power and the state, both of which had their origins in patriarchy and the social oppression of women. In 1999, following an international plot, he was arrested by the CIA and Mossad and handed over to Turkey. In the early 2000s, from the prison island of Imrali, he proposed a new paradigm to the entire Kurdish movement, based on social ecology, women's liberation and radical democracy.
Already during this period, the PKK underwent a profound restructuring and for a few years existed under the name ‘Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress’, which later took the name Kongra-Gel, an organisation that continues its work to this day.
The Kurdish Movement
Throughout the history of the PKK, hundreds of groups and organisations have been created. A movement in its own right has developed, with its own martyrs, ideology, strategies, supporters and activists. In this sense, the potential dissolution of the PKK if the conditions are met does not in any way imply the dissolution or the end of this movement. On the contrary, it is the beginning of a new phase in a new form. Since the paradigm shift, the role of the PKK has been transformed over the last two decades, leaving the main role to the KCK, representing the system of democratic confederalism built up by the societies of Kurdistan.
Long-term vision
Leader Abdullah Öcalan's call must be understood through a long-term vision of society. Having studied human history in depth, Öcalan noted that all empires and states have collapsed one after the other. Only democratic society has continuously maintained its existence, from the Neolithic to the present day. For this reason, he states in his appeal »There is no alternative to democracy in the pursuit and realization of a political system. Democratic consensus is the fundamental way. The »historical sociology of society« is a society based on »Respect for identities, free self-expression, democratic self-organization of each segment of society based on their own socio-economic and political structures« (Call of 27 February) The solution is a society based on the people’s power and their self-organisation.
At the global level, the nation-state system developed over the last few centuries is undergoing profound changes. There is a major conflict between the forces of capitalist modernity that insist on the status quo and the forces that want a new model for organising capitalism.
Öcalan's paradigm shows that a 3rd way is possible for people by strengthening society through its democratic self-organisation from below. And when the circumstances are right, it is possible to develop this system based on a mutual recognition agreement with the state. For this to happen, the forces of the state need to take certain steps to ensure that coexistence is possible.
What is Turkey going to do?
During his visit on 27 February, Abdullah Öcalan told the parliamentarians that »Undoubtedly, the laying down of arms and the dissolution of the PKK in practice require the recognition of democratic politics and a legal framework«. He thus clearly confirmed that before any dissolution Turkey will have to put in place concrete actions that demonstrate its sincere intention and guarantee a legal framework within which a new form of politics can freely develop.
Since the last municipal elections a year ago, 10 DEM Party municipalities have been removed from office, hundreds of people have been arrested and imprisoned, the war continues against the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria (AANES) and the guerrilla territories. The first steps could be a ceasefire declared by Turkey, legal protection for the municipalities of the DEM Party and the release of Abdullah Öcalan from the prison island of Imrali to a closed place where he could more easily carry out his political work.
Öcalan was clear in his appeal »The second century of the Republic can achieve and assure permanent and fraternal continuity only if it is crowned with democracy«. Either the Republic of Turkey transforms itself in depth and adopts concrete democratisation measures or it will not complete the second century of its existence.
Turkey must act
In the circumstances, Abdullah Öcalan has done his utmost to ensure that a solution can be found. It is now Turkey's turn to take concrete action and stop its war as soon as possible. The bombing of Rojava continues to this day, and chemical weapons are being used against guerrilla fighters in the mountains of northern Iraq.
The commander of the People's Defence’s Forces (HPG), Murat Karayılan, declared on 06 February that in the current situation it was impossible to envisage laying down arms: »Today, in Zap, our comrades and the soldiers of the Turkish state are fighting each other on a 200 meters distance. How can I tell the comrades there to lay down their arms?« He also pointed out that the PKK was a movement with »tens of thousands of armed fighters... This force is not here for money, but is an ideological force, a community of believers«. He made it clear that a video statement would not be enough to convince the militants to lay down their arms, and that for that to happen Abdullah Öcalan had to be physically released and allowed to talk freely with him.
Responsibilities
Each and every one of us has a role to play in this historic phase: let's discuss Abdullah Öcalan's call and paradigm with those around us and let’s demand his physical release; let's join in the actions and demonstrations calling on Turkey to act!
Lêgerîn Magazine
27th of February 2025
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