Speculation has circulated in political circles for the past week about an imminent call from President Abdullah Öcalan and a planned disarmament by a group of PKK members in Sulaymaniyah. The news, reported in various forms by the media, quickly became a major headline and sparked significant expectations both domestically and internationally.
That long-anticipated call has now been made. President Öcalan’s new declaration, which builds on his Peace and Democratic Society Call issued on February 27 and the perspectives he sent to the 12th Congress of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been released to the media. The statement is now being widely discussed, and it is reported that the Kurdish Freedom Movement will respond positively, with a group of guerrillas expected to destroy their weapons in Sulaymaniyah.
The new declaration, dated June 19, carries significant weight. The fact that it was delivered in video format further enhances its historical importance. A comprehensive reading of the text makes it clear that President Öcalan stands behind the developments since February 27 and views them positively. He reaffirms the core principles of the process and outlines the responsibilities that must be fulfilled by all parties. The act of disarmament is framed within these principles, and his call is presented accordingly. It is clear that President Abdullah Öcalan is making a decisive and historic move to advance the Peace and Democratic Society Process.
So what does all this mean?
Above all, it shows how determined President Abdullah Öcalan is to lead the Peace and Democratic Society Process to success, and the level of creative effort he is putting into it. There is no doubt that the same determination and effort are present on the Kurdish side as well.
Secondly, it reveals the deep sense of trust and unwavering commitment that the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the Kurdish people have toward President Öcalan. It is not easy to find another example of such profound loyalty and confidence.
Thirdly, these actions demonstrate how unified and resolute the Kurdish side is, and how strongly it desires peace and a democratic solution. They reflect the sincerity and seriousness of the Kurdish side.
Lastly, they show that the Kurdish side is fulfilling its responsibilities for peace and democratization swiftly and on time, thus making its commitment to the process absolutely clear.
Is the AKP government and the Turkish state fulfilling its responsibilities in return?
The answer to this question, in general terms, is clearly “No.” To be fair, the AKP government has adopted a posture that suggests it is doing everything. It tries to portray the efforts of President Öcalan and the Kurdish side as if they were initiatives of its own. In reality, what the AKP has done so far does not go beyond acting as a courier. It has not given any legal or institutional form to the process, nor has it provided any guarantees. Even its courier activities are conducted de facto, with deliberate effort to leave no trace.
First, the AKP does not treat the current issue as a century-old problem, but rather as one that has existed for fifty years. Second, it does not frame the issue as the Kurdish question or a matter of democratizing Turkey but instead defines it as “putting an end to PKK terrorism.” Third, the AKP government is not working to bring together Turkish political forces to resolve the issue. On the contrary, it is exploiting the Kurdish side’s constructive approach in order to suppress the main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and to secure its own victory in upcoming elections. Fourth, the AKP is not seeking a solution to the deep crisis Turkey is facing, nor is it working to secure the country’s future, it is focused solely on maintaining and protecting its grip on power. Finally, due to all these approaches, the AKP government is not working to amend legal frameworks on a democratic basis. Instead, when pressured, it tries to give the appearance of reform while doing the bare minimum to evade genuine change. That is why the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s statement, “Let President Öcalan come and speak in parliament,” has no practical reality.
Can the process truly advance and succeed under these circumstances? Can the war end and peace be achieved through the democratization of Turkey, based on Kurdish freedom? It is clearly not possible. As Devlet Bahçeli himself once said, a bird cannot fly with one wing. Likewise, the peace and democratization process cannot succeed through the efforts of only one side, the Kurdish side. No matter how intensely the AKP and its circles try to obscure this truth with political demagoguery, they will not succeed. One cannot block out the sun with mud.
Looking back, President Öcalan’s February 27 declaration marked a major initiative in the process. This was followed by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) 12th Congress held on May 5–7. Now, as a third step, the Kurdish side, albeit symbolically, is laying down arms and openly declaring the end of the armed struggle. This is clearly a powerful expression of good faith and commitment. It demonstrates the Kurdish side’s determination to pursue a democratic political struggle. It is evident that beyond this, nothing more can reasonably be expected from the Kurdish side, at least for now.
Given these realities, the AKP’s rhetoric demanding that “all arms be laid down” is nothing more than demagoguery and empty bluster. You have not even passed a single law to allow for disarmament, yet you demand the surrender of all weapons. There is no legal framework in place outlining what will happen to those who disarm, and yet you continue to speak of disarmament. If the guerrillas lay down their weapons, what will you do with them? Will you hunt them down and destroy them? Will you fill internment camps with them? Will you detain and prosecute them based on your alliances with the governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)? Stop hiding your intentions and be honest with the public. Say clearly what your plan is, so the people can judge it and if you are truly in the right, they will support you. But because you know you are not, you resort to tricks and deception.
It seems clear to us that once this planned disarmament by a group of guerrillas takes place, the Kurdish side will have no further steps to take. They are not sacrificial lambs; they will not offer themselves up to the AKP’s guillotine. Therefore, following this act of disarmament, which has already advanced the peace and democratic society process, it is now entirely up to the AKP and the state to take the next steps. If the process is to move forward and reach a resolution, the AKP and the state must take concrete, successive actions.
What steps must the AKP take to move the process forward? First and foremost, the AKP government and its circles must change their language and attitude. They need to clearly acknowledge the existence of the Kurdish question and define the process accurately as one of democratization and resolution. Secondly, instead of using the current climate to weaken the CHP through political maneuvering, they must adopt a unifying political approach that brings together all political parties. Third, they must engage in rhetoric and actions that inspire genuine trust on the Kurdish side. Fourth and most critically, they must change the conditions of President Abdullah Öcalan. The isolation and torture system on Imrali must come to an end. President Öcalan must be allowed to live and work under conditions of full freedom. Lastly, they must swiftly enact the legal and constitutional reforms required to secure all of these steps and make the process permanent through a binding legal framework.
The continuation of the peace and democratization process after the disarmament demonstration now depends on whether the AKP government fulfills these responsibilities. Anything short of that is nothing more than demagoguery and empty rhetoric.
Source: Yeni Özgür Politika
Source: ANF News
