AMED – “The PKK has closed its history in a manner befitting its legacy” said Tevfik Kalkan, who was released after 30 years in prison and stated that the responsibility to build a democratic society in all its dimensions now falls on everyone without exception. 

 

The Kurdish people, who have resisted denial, destruction and assimilation for more than a century, carried their struggle into a new phase in the 1970s. The PKK was founded on November 27, 1978, in the village of Fîs in Amed’s (Diyarbakır) Lice district by a group of 22 people including Abdullah Ocalan. 

 

Following Turkish Nationalist Movement (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli’s speech in Parliament in October 2024, Abdullah Ocalan issued a “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” on February 27. In this call, he stated that the struggle had become repetitive and should continue through law and democratic politics, urging the PKK to dissolve itself and lay down arms. The PKK declared a ceasefire on March 1 and decided to dissolve during its 12th Congress held on May 5–7.

 

Tevfik Kalkan, released from Tekirdağ No. 2 F-Type High Security Prison in 2021, evaluated the PKK and its legacy.

 

Discussing the organization’s achievements, Kalkan said the PKK maintained an important role in the social dynamics of Kurdistan, Turkey, and the Middle East throughout its 47-year struggle. He said it emerged at a time when the crisis of capitalist modernity was becoming visible, adding: “Without understanding the leadership role embodied by Ocalan, it’s difficult to fully grasp the PKK.” He argued that capitalist modernity imposed a role on Kurds that erased their reality and that this imposed status quo is now unsustainable.

 

A STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE

 

Kalkan stated that the movement began with the assertion “Kurdistan is a colony,” seeking to give Kurds a sense of identity and turn them into subjects of their own struggle. He noted that this struggle involved many deaths, exile, resistance, and hardship, constituting a profound struggle for existence.

 

‘OUR FIRST STRUGGLE WAS WITH OURSELVES’

 

Kalkan said that joining the movement also meant confronting one’s own identity: “Are we Kurds? Yes, but what kind of Kurd? And what kind of Kurdish identity will we adopt?” He stated that the Kurdish struggle had achieved historical success, making denial of Kurdish existence impossible. According to him, the struggle led by Ocalan and thousands of supporters established a Kurdish identity that now plays a significant role in the Middle Eastern political landscape.

 

THE WOMEN’S FREEDOM STRUGGLE

 

Kalkan emphasized that the greatest transformation occurred within Kurdish society itself, noting the rise of a powerful political, cultural, and diplomatic presence. He stressed the central role of women’s liberation and agency, saying that no other national liberation movement had so deeply integrated a women’s freedom ideology. He argued that if women’s organized strength grows further, society as a whole will undergo deeper transformation.

 

‘THE FUTURE WILL BE BUILT IN THE STYLE OF OCALAN’

 

Kalkan stated that the initial steps of the struggle were taken with the assertion that "Kurdistan is a colony" and that it has continued to this day. He noted that this struggle is about establishing Kurdish identity, making it a subject of the freedom struggle, and ensuring that it can be lived and accepted with its honour and history in its own geography. Adding that thousands of martyrs, countless sufferings, resistances and exiles have been endured in the name of this struggle, Kalkan stated that this struggle is a struggle for existence that must be examined.

 

‘FROM NOW ON, THE WORK IS DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY BUILDING’

 

Kalkan stated that implementing the ideas in Ocalan’s manifesto is crucial for the next stage. He emphasized the importance of supporting these efforts through social, political, diplomatic, and practical engagement. He concluded by saying that the responsibility for democratic society work lies with everyone and cannot be postponed or left to others, expressing gratitude to all who contributed on the anniversary of November 27.

 

MA / Rukiye Payiz Adiguzel