ISTANBUL – Saying that the PKK’s congress decisions are a “positive development”, journalist Ali Bayramoğlu emphasised that the state should take steps in terms of legal regulations. 

 

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan-PKK) held its 12th Extraordinary Congress between 5 and 7 May 2025 in response to “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” of Abdullah Öcalan made on 27 February 2025.

 

Saying that the congress decisions are “positive development”, Bayramoğlu said: “I believe that we are at the beginning of a very important transformation. As a result of Bahçeli’s call, Öcalan’s response and Erdoğan’s support, the organisation has taken a decision.”

 

Bayramoğlu pointed out that there has been a change of method and perspective at the point of solving the Kurdish issue and described the on-going process as a “preliminary peace process”. 

 

“Because some steps are not being taken here directly related to the problem itself, and related to the demands of the Kurds. But on the other hand, the way the organisation does politics, that is, the means of Kurdish actors to do politics, is changing. They have accepted to move from weapons to legal representation. Within this framework, the state recognises the existence of a Kurdish issue and will fulfil the struggles to be waged here - at least as far as we can see at the moment," Bayramoğlu added.  

 

'THE REAL PROCESS STARTS NOW'

 

Bayramoğlu said, "In another respect, a normalisation is also taking place. This normalisation is that this process is being carried out by Öcalan in prison. After this, a disarmament process will probably continue in which Öcalan will be in charge. Now the process itself begins. What we call disarmament is important here. Where will those weapons go? This will probably be done in coordination with the state. The conditions for this, the rights and laws of the militants and the leaders of the organisation are in front of us."

 

'THE STATE SHOULD TAKE STEPS FOR PEACE IN TURKEY'

 

Stressing that the state must take steps to create “peace in Turkey”, Bayramoğlu said: “The PKK has dissolved itself, but probably the same actors will continue to do politics under a different name and politically represent the Kurdish issue. It cannot be the DEM Party that will ensure this transformation, but Öcalan. Therefore, we will see how Öcalan's conditions will be created from now on, how his field of action will develop. Following this, some steps must be taken towards what we call democratisation, towards the essential demands of the Kurds, so that this will be a peace in Turkey. Turkey should become a Kurdish and Turkish country."

 

CONDITIONS OF ABDULLAH ÖCALAN

 

Emphasising that Abdullah Öcalan should manage the process of disarmament and transition to politics, Bayramoğlu continued: “From now on, Öcalan should manage the process of disarmament of transition to politics. This is how unit and integrity can be achieved in the Kurdish movement. To the extent that this is the case, Öcalan needs to gain freedom beyond the current conditions. In other words, the state should at least produce a framework in which he can act comfortably in İmralı. Secondly, the disarmament process must be completed by the organisation and the state by moving beyond mutual suspicion and uneasiness and helping each other. Again, the state needs to take steps on the issue of mother tongue and constitutional citizenship."

 

MA / Ömer İbrahimoğlu