The call included the statement: “Solutions like separate nation-states, federations, administrative autonomy, and culturalist approaches, which are the inevitable result of extreme nationalism, do not provide a response to historical social sociology.”<\/em><\/p>\n After the text was shared with the public, DEM Party MP S\u0131rr\u0131 S\u00fcreyya \u00d6nder- who passed away on 3 May- also conveyed a verbal message from \u00d6calan: “While presenting this perspective, it is certain that in practice, laying down arms and disbanding the PKK would require the recognition of democratic politics and legal aspects.”<\/em><\/p>\n Following the release of the statement, the PKK declared a ceasefire on 1 March and, on 12 May, announced that it had laid down its arms and formally dissolved itself. In the congress where the dissolution was decided, the PKK emphasised that the Kurdish issue should be addressed in parliament and called on international actors to contribute constructively to the peace process.<\/p>\n Tuncer Bak\u0131rhan, co-chair of the DEM Party, stated that they support the process and emphasised that the first step should be improving \u00d6calan\u2019s living conditions and allowing him to meet with the public.<\/p>\n Devlet Bah\u00e7eli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), also supported resolving the Kurdish issue in parliament. However, in his statement -\u2018How and to what extent the potential transition and transfer from the dissolved PKK to the PYD (Democratic Union Party) and YPG (People’s Protection Units) will be monitored and coordinated simultaneously…\u2019 – he differentiated the PKK from the YPG, which controls northern and eastern Syria and is predominantly Kurdish.<\/p>\n Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan, on the other hand, stated that in addition to the PKK, the YPG must either disarm or be integrated into the Syrian Army.<\/p>\n In this new peace process – supported by nearly all political parties in Turkey – the PKK has laid down its arms, and there are calls for the issue to be discussed unconditionally in the parliament. But the key question remains: will a new constitution be drafted that grants Kurds their identity and language rights in Turkey, or will history simply repeat itself?<\/p>\n So, is societal peace possible in Turkey 102 years on?<\/p>\n \u00d6mer Faruk Gergerlio\u011flu, human rights defender and Member of Parliament for the DEM Party, representing Kocaeli, highlights the unexpected start of the current peace process. He recalls that, in October 2024, the moment when MHP leader Devlet Bah\u00e7eli greeted DEM Party MPs on the floor of the Turkish Grand National Assembly was a surprise even for them. For Gergerlio\u011flu, this gesture signalled the beginning of a new process: \u201cI believe Bah\u00e7eli has become the real driver of this process, and Erdo\u011fan accepted his coalition partner\u2019s political line. Bah\u00e7eli perceives a threat to the survival of the state. This process should not be interpreted through the lens of a new constitution or potential early elections, but rather through the changing dynamics in the Middle East.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n According to Gergerlio\u011flu, the Israeli assault on Gaza on 7 October 2024, and the subsequent fall of the Damascus regime, significantly altered the balance of power in Syria. As the Syrian government collapsed, Turkey and Israel, he notes, effectively became neighbours :\u00a0\u201cIn this new geopolitical equation, Ankara saw an opportunity to prevent the Kurds from collaborating with Israel. Kurds may be seen as a potential \u2018buffer\u2019 force between Turkey and Israel.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n “Even a softening of the hardline security policies could pave the way for future positive developments.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Gergerlio\u011flu links Bah\u00e7eli\u2019s signals regarding possible legal and constitutional steps to this regional realignment, arguing that these gestures are driven by strategic calculations rather than human rights concerns. He believes that \u00d6calan also recognised this political opportunity and re-entered the peace process. While not expecting a full resolution, he thinks partial rights could be granted, and that the state\u2019s long-standing policy of marginalising Kurdish identity might be revised : \u201cI don\u2019t expect sweeping democratic reforms. But even a softening of the hardline security policies could pave the way for future positive developments.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Gergerlio\u011flu also suggests that the state may have provided \u00d6calan with certain assurances. He notes that Turkey likely wants the YPG in Syria to be transformed into a controlled force through integration into the Syrian Army. He concludes with a clear message :\u00a0\u201cArmed conflict has benefited neither Kurds nor Turks. So far, this peace process has progressed positively. With genuine steps from the state, the Kurdish question could finally become a topic of open political discussion. \u201c<\/em><\/p>\n According to academic Yektan T\u00fcrky\u0131lmaz, Erdo\u011fan’s intention is not so much peace as it is to control the Kurdish movement in line with his political goals. T\u00fcrky\u0131lmaz points out that the current solution process is very different from the version in 2007: “At that time, there was a table in Oslo where both sides sat equally, with international hosts and mediators. Now, on one side, there is the imprisoned \u00d6calan, and on the other, free state officials”.<\/em><\/p>\n Moreover according to T\u00fcrky\u0131lmaz, this process is “sui generis”, a model with no precedent in the world. He also argues that one of Erdo\u011fan\u2019s primary objectives is to fracture the emerging opposition bloc between the Republican People\u2019s Party (CHP) and the DEM Party.<\/p>\n T\u00fcrky\u0131lmaz also stated : \u201cThe process is being carried out in a rushed and overly rigid manner. Yet such transformations require a solid social, legal, and economic foundation. Otherwise, as in the past, the PKK could reemerge under a different name and structure.\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n Highlighting the shifting regional dynamics, T\u00fcrky\u0131lmaz noted that after Iran’s influence weakened in Damascus, a power struggle has emerged between Israel and Turkey. He explained that Turkey is now seeking to reduce risks and capitalise on opportunities by reestablishing \u2018relations\u2019 with the YPG, similar to its approach in 2012.<\/p>\n \u201cPeace is possible through mutual steps.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Lastly, T\u00fcrky\u0131lmaz states that while the Kurdish people are ready for peace, if their political demands are not met, support for the process will weaken :\u00a0“Peace is possible through mutual steps. Moreover, this will not only positively affect Turkey’s internal peace but also its relations with the EU. However, I do not believe that this process will reach a conclusion in its current form.”<\/em><\/p>\n Orhan K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7, the head of external relations at The Belgium Kurdish Society Center (Nav-Bel) Association, representing the Kurdish community in Belgium, says that the diaspora in Europe approaches the process with cautious optimism. K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 states that \u00d6calan’s call is supported, saying : “We want peace. But if the people’s demands are not met, the reaction will grow. The Kurdish people want freedom, not assimilation.”<\/em><\/p>\n K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 summarises the fundamental demands of the Kurds as follows : “Self-governance, education in the mother tongue, living their culture, and telling their history.” <\/em><\/p>\n He emphasises that the new constitution should recognise the Kurdish identity, arguing that strengthening local governance could create a real bond between the people and the state.<\/p>\n “However, peace is made with the enemy. We will sit and talk with those who killed us as well.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Expressing concerns that Erdo\u011fan may use the process to further his aim of autocratisation, K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 adds : “However, peace is made with the enemy. We will sit and talk with those who killed us as well,”<\/em> stressing the importance of supporting the process.<\/p>\n K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 underscores that the Kurdish people want peace, and if this process succeeds, there are also those in the Kurdish diaspora in Europe who wish to return to Turkey.<\/p>\n After stating that both \u00d6calan and the PKK have called for \u201clegal and democratic reforms,\u201d experienced journalist Do\u011fan \u00d6zg\u00fcden emphasised that the AKP-MHP government could create an environment conducive to genuine peace by releasing \u00d6calan, former HDP leader Selahattin Demirta\u015f and his colleagues, Osman Kavala and the Gezi Park protest detainees, as well as Istanbul Mayor Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu.<\/p>\n After emphasising that legal reforms and democratision are essential for peace, \u00d6zg\u00fcden stated : \u201cThe refusal of the YPG to disarm, in the face of almost universal international support for Ahmed al-Shara, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham which controls the Syrian administration, is a completely legitimate right of the people of Rojava. The Ankara regime and its supporters will be solely responsible if a new cycle of conflict begins. Furthermore, unless the call made by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), held on 24-25 May in the Netherlands with delegates from the four parts of Kurdistan and the diaspora, is taken into account, it will not be possible to end the conflict.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00d6zg\u00fcden concluded by stating, “one of the main conditions for ending the current regime in Turkey is the resolution of the Kurdish issue.”<\/em><\/p>\n A <\/strong>new <\/strong>threshold for <\/strong>peace or an <\/strong>old <\/strong>cycle<\/strong> ?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Kurdish issue in Turkey is not merely a security problem; it has persisted for over a century as a matter of identity, equal citizenship, and democracy. Although the PKK\u2019s decision to disband marks an important turning point, the current process raises various questions in the public sphere. There is no equality at the negotiating table; no discussions are held on legal guarantees, democratic reforms, freedom of expression, or local governance demands.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On one side are Erdo\u011fan\u2019s possible political manoeuvres, and on the other, the fragile yet still strong peace demands of the Kurdish people. The process continues amid great uncertainty, but with hope. Statements by President Erdo\u011fan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that the PKK\u2019s disarmament alone will not suffice, and that the YPG and Women\u2019s Protection Units (YPJ) in Syria\u2014who follow \u00d6calan\u2019s ideology\u2014must also disarm, can be seen as the biggest obstacle to the process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The unique dynamics of Syria suggest that YPG disarmament will be very difficult. If a new war does not erupt, the new state order in Syria will be decided by the US, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Since 2016, Bah\u00e7eli and Erdo\u011fan, who have carried out heavy attacks against the Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, are trying to draw the Kurds to their side by offering minimal rights while also taking advantage of the Kurds\u2019 isolation on the international stage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, the PKK\u2019s disarmament process presents an opportunity to improve the socio-economic rights of the Kurdish people. When supported by steps such as identity and cultural rights, economic development, increased educational opportunities, and job creation, this opportunity can strengthen Kurdish support for the peace process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If Erdo\u011fan abandons Neo-Ottoman policies and expansionist approaches, this new process\u2014where the PKK has disarmed\u2014could enable Turkey to become a democratic country again by improving the socio-economic and socio-cultural rights of Kurds and other oppressed communities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the other hand, the absence of observers and the secretive nature of the process increase the risks to achieving peace. It is clear that lasting peace requires not only unilateral calls but mutual steps, open negotiations, and constitutional guarantees.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Otherwise, history may repeat itself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Turkey has faced the Kurdish issue many times in the 102 year history of the republic. Now, however, a new possibility for peace is being discussed between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers\u2019 Party (PKK).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3028,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[440,149,441,394,62],"coauthors":[248],"class_list":["post-3027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exile","tag-conflict","tag-kurde","tag-peace","tag-pkk","tag-turkey"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3027"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3029,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3027\/revisions\/3029"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3027"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=3027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Kurdish issue in parliament<\/h2>\n
\n
“I believe Bah\u00e7eli has become the real driver of this process.”<\/em><\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n
A buffer force<\/h2>\n
From <\/strong>equality to <\/strong>one-<\/strong>sidedness<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hopeful and apprehensive<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sans-titre.jpg\")
Legal steps for true peace<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/medialatitudes.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Journalist.jpg\")