Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has expressed readiness to support a new Turkish government initiative aimed at ending the long-standing conflict between the PKK and Turkey. This comes after a rare visit by two lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish DEM party, who traveled to Öcalan’s prison island on Saturday—the first such visit in nearly ten years.
Öcalan, who has been serving a life sentence since 1999, stated that he is “competent and determined” to contribute positively to the peace process, initiated by Turkish President Erdoğan and the nationalist MHP party leader, Devlet Bahçeli. The Turkish government recently approved the DEM party’s request to meet with Öcalan, signaling potential easing of tensions between Ankara and the PKK, which is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its allies.
Öcalan’s willingness to back the peace initiative is seen as a “historic opportunity” to build a common future, according to DEM’s co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan. Bakırhan believes that this is a pivotal moment for democratic transformation in Turkey and the region, urging for “courage and foresight” to achieve lasting peace.
The PKK has been in armed conflict with Turkey since 1984, leading to tens of thousands of casualties. Previous peace efforts collapsed in 2015, but this new initiative, despite setbacks, offers hope for reconciliation. However, the October terror attack in Ankara claimed by PKK militants has put the initiative’s progress on hold. Despite this, Öcalan’s support for peace remains a crucial development in Turkey’s efforts to resolve the decades-old conflict.
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