One of the oldest conflicts in West Asia -- the so-called 'Kurdish question' -- is currently inching closer to a solution. Since its foundation in 1923, the Republic of Turkey has failed to establish peaceful and democratic relations with its Kurdish population. Since then, the country's approximately 25 million Kurds have resolutely resisted the denial of their identity, language and rights and a policy of systematic expulsion and forced assimilation. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its founder Abdullah Öcalan have played a key role in shaping the resistance of the Kurdish people since the 1970s.
In October last year, the Turkish politician and leader of the ultranationalist party Devlet Bahçeli took an important step. He called on Öcalan, who is imprisoned on the Turkish prison island of Imrali, to disband the PKK and persuade it to lay down its arms. In return, he hinted at the release of Öcalan and a solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. Bahçeli took this step in close coordination with his coalition partner and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Öcalan has been in prison since 1999 and had been in total isolation since 2020. His family members, lawyers and political representatives were banned from visiting him. However, seven visits to Imrali have taken place since Bahçeli's initiative. Öcalan used one of these visits on 27 February 2025, to address the public with a “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society”. In his call, he made three historic demands: the democratization of Turkey, the dissolution of the PKK and the end of its armed struggle. The PKK then announced a unilateral ceasefire on March 1 and declared its dissolution, and willingness to lay down its arms after its 12th Party Congress on May 5 to 7.
Öcalan's call attracted a great deal of attention in Turkey and internationally. Since then, there has been renewed hope for a solution to the approximately 100-year-old conflict, particularly in Turkey itself. Important public discussions about the necessary political and legal reforms have been taking place for months now. In this context, Kurdish representatives are calling for the release of Öcalan, an end to Turkish attacks on the Kurdish population, an active role by parliament and the drafting of a new constitution.
Talking to Neena Gopal from an undisclosed location is Zagros Hîwa, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Democratic Communities Union (KCK), on the prospects for success of the latest developments in Turkey. The KCK is an important umbrella organization of political and civil society organisations from Kurdistan, to which -- until its dissolution -- the PKK also belonged.
The PKK has taken the decision to dissolve and lay down arms. What is the regional political context that led to this development?
First of all, it must be emphasised that the PKK has not yet decided to lay down its arms, but to put an end to the method of armed struggle. This does not necessarily mean to lay down arms. The PKK has decided to cease fire and find a way to put an end to the armed conflict with the Turkish state and instead achieve an exchange on an equal footing using democratic political means. People's leader Abdullah Öcalan has taken the historical responsibility for this.
One of the reasons for the current developments is the expansion and deepening of the 'Third World War' that has been going on since the 1990s. The hegemonic relationships in the region have changed, borders are being redrawn and responsibilities redistributed. In recent months, this can be seen above all in the developments in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Cyprus. The system of classic nation-states that was attempted to be established in West Asia and under the control of mainly Turkey and Iran has failed.
We think, that especially in a region like the Middle East, which is characterised by so many different ethnic and religious nations, the system of the nation-state leads to constant instability, crisis and war. It has become clear that the only way to achieve stability in West Asia is inevitably through democratization. Therefore, the call of people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan for ‘Peace and a Democratic Society’ and the PKK’s decision to dissolve itself, is about stepping out of a context of constant conflict, and creating space for peace and democratic politics.
What is the PKK's motivation for dissolving and ending the armed struggle?
In order to understand the reasons for this, it is necessary to take a look at history and understand that the Kurdish question did not arise because of the founding of the PKK, but that the PKK is rather more a result of the Kurdish question. At the time when the people's leader Abdullah Öcalan spoke out, the Kurdish people were on the brink of complete annihilation – the word Kurdistan seemed to have been almost erased from the memory of humanity. The PKK then set out to resurrect the Kurdish people and breathe new life into the struggle for equality and democracy. It soon became clear that the Turkish state was opposing the Kurdish people with the most brutal violence, and an armed struggle had turned into a question of the people's survival. It was therefore only logical for the PKK to decide to dissolve itself at its 12th Congress and put an end to the armed struggle. The aim of the PKK is to pave the way for democratic politics through peaceful means. Now it is important to follow these newly opened paths. What is particularly important here is that a new understanding of equality and democracy has emerged from the PKK's struggle, based on the analysis that equality and democracy can never be achieved with the imposition of a nation-state and through violence.
Turkish representatives like Devlet Bahçeli and even Erdoğan have said repeatedly in recent months that they want to start a new, peaceful time of Kurdish-Turkish relations. What has brought Turkey to this point?
On the one hand, it has become clear that the Turkish state's policy towards the Kurdish people and the Kurdistan Freedom Movement has failed. Neither the isolation policy starting from the prison island of Imrali where people's leader Abdullah Öcalan is being held hostage, nor the constant all-out military attacks on the guerrilla forces and the forced assimilation-repression policy against the people have been able to achieve their goal -- total annihilation. Instead, it has led the Turkish state to the brink of the abyss; the economy is totally in ruins, the division of society is all too stark and corruption dominates the country. Simultaneously, there are geopolitical changes unfolding. The Turkish state is losing its geostrategic role in the redesign of the region and is being excluded from key projects such as India Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC). This has led even the most nationalist forces in the state to return to what has historically always been the country's greatest asset -- a strong alliance of the Kurdish and Turkish people.
Abdullah Öcalan has been imprisoned on the Turkish prison island İmrali since 1999. What is his role in the current process?
People's leader Abdullah Öcalan is the one who started this process. And he did not just take the initiative a few months ago, but some 32 years ago, in 1993. Even at that point in time, he had pointed out that the PKK had played its historical role and that from now on it was a matter of continuing the conflict on a non-violent level. Since then, as he does now, people's leader Abdullah Öcalan has repeatedly assumed a historical responsibility. He has repeatedly taken unilateral steps such as declaring a total of 12 unilateral ceasefires and has always worked to rebuild and redefine Kurdish-Turkish relations. He is the one who historically laid the foundation for this process and is the only one who can practically implement the resolutions passed at the PKK congress.
People's leader Abdullah Öcalan is the face, the voice, the chief negotiator and representative of the Kurdish people and behind the goal to create and achieve the new internationalist democracy.
After the PKK's decision to dissolve and lay down arms -- which you say they still have not -- what are the next necessary steps to be taken in order for this process to succeed?
So far, all steps have been taken unilaterally by the Kurdistan Freedom Movement as a sign of goodwill. Until now, there are no written or verbal agreements with the Turkish state. This means that the ball is now in the court of the Turkish state. This process is only at the beginning, if at all. The Turkish state must now show its sincere attitude and take practical steps. This means first and foremost that people's leader Abdullah Öcalan has to regain his complete physical freedom and has to be guaranteed free and healthy circumstances to work so that he can play his role and lead this process to a success. It also means that the Turkish parliament has to start to work and carry out constitutional reforms, recognizing the most basic and inherent rights of the Kurdish people.
What is your expectation from the international community, especially major Asian actors like India, in the context of these developments in Turkey?
For us, it is clear that we strongly support the participation of as many political players as possible both on a domestic and on an international level. The greater and more diverse the participation in the process, the stronger the foundation on which a peaceful and democratic future can be built. Especially a country like India, which is itself a mosaic of different ethnicities, religions and beliefs and is on its way to becoming a leading global power, can be a valuable interlocutor. It is important to create examples of democratic models that embrace all various strata of society on a political and social level. India, with which the Kurdish people have historical relations in terms of culture and language, would be a valued contributor to any peace initiative.