PKK signals openness to peace under fair condition
Shafaq News/ The commander of the People's Defense Forces(HPG), the military wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), MuratKarayilan, said the group does not oppose efforts for a democratic solution butwarned they will not tolerate deceptive tactics or be easily misled.
“What is happening in Turkiye today is part of specialwarfare tactics…there will be no willingness to passively sit at thenegotiating table,” Karayilan confirmed in a statement reported byPKK-affiliated media outlets.
He noted that “if favorable conditions arise, whereTurkiye’s interests are taken into account and the state adopts a genuinepolicy of national protection while making new strides, the Kurdish side willnot oppose it”. However, he emphasized that unless these efforts aim to securethe freedom of their leader, Abdullah Ocalan, they will have no positiveimpact.
Karayilan explained that the PKK, through its legal anddemocratic Kurdish policy, plays a crucial role in developing solutions, addingthat “the Turkish regime is employing superficial tactics to incite conflictbetween groups.” He urged Ankara to abandon this approach and recognize therole of all Kurdish factions.
Furthermore, he asserted that "the Turkish state hasaccepted Abdullah Ocalan as a representative and acknowledged the importance oflegal and democratic politics…this recognition cannot be reversed and shouldnot be a subject of negotiation.
Regarding the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party,Devlet Bahçeli's initiative, Karayilan said, "Bahçeli's invitation,although it is irrational and unacceptable to the Kurdish people based on hisway of thinking, is noteworthy because the invitation acknowledged the Kurdishpeople's leader Abdullah Ocalan as a representative, and that is why thesestatements were made. The truth is, if this approach is based on this reality,it will resonate with the Kurds."
Bahçeli, known for his influence and steadfast alliance withPresident Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, has urged Abdullah Ocalan to play a role incountering terrorism, and call on PKK fighters to lay down their arms anddissolve the organization in exchange for peace.
Earlier today, Omer Ocalan, nephew of Kurdistan Workers'Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, revealed that his uncle is prepared toresolve the Kurdish issue in Turkiye. His comments came in response to a"historic" initiative proposed by PKK , which offers aframework for addressing the Kurdish question, contingent upon Abdullah Ocalandisbanding his party.
After a visit to his uncle, Omer Ocalan stated that AbdullahOcalan “confirmed his ability to end the violence.” He quoted his uncle assaying, “With the appropriate conditions, I have both the theoretical andpractical ability to shift the current situation from complexity, violence, andconflict into a legal and political framework.”
In an article covering the meeting, Abdul Qadir Salfi, ajournalist affiliated with the ruling Justice and Development Party, reportedthat Abdullah Ocalan expressed his willingness to take on "historicalresponsibility" and urged the PKK to lay down their arms.
Notably, the conflict between Turkiye and the PKK dates backto the early 1980s when the PKK, founded by Abdullah Ocalan, began advocatingfor an independent Kurdish state within Turkiye. Throughout the 1980s and1990s, the conflict intensified, with the PKK engaging in guerrilla warfare andthe Turkish military conducting large-scale operations against PKK bases,particularly in southeastern Turkiye and northern Iraq.
The early 2000s saw intermittent ceasefires and attempts atpeace negotiations, including a notable peace process in 2013. However, thisprocess collapsed in 2015, leading to renewed hostilities.
