How was Öcalan’s call received in Europe

By Deniz Yıldırım

How was Abdullah Öcalan’s call to lay down arms and dissolve the PKK received among PKK circles in Europe? What did Kurdish associations, writers, and academics say about this call, which is likely to have significant repercussions in Türkiye, the region, and Europe?

Some within PKK-affiliated circles voiced strong support, calling it “a major historical opportunity” and claiming the call could “lead to lasting peace.” However, there are also dissenting voices. Some argued that Öcalan’s call does not include the PKK’s Syrian wing, the YPG.

“An alternative to the global imperialist powers”

Yüksel Genç, a journalist and coordinator of the Socio-Political Field Research Center evaluated Öcalan’s call in a statement to ANF. He said:

“At a time when global imperialist structures are trying to redesign the region according to their own interests, Öcalan is offering both Türkiye and the Middle East a chance to rebuild their democracy and politics together on their own terms. Those who insist on not to grasp this offer will be left eliminated.”

A hope for peace

The Federation of Kurdish Associations in Germany (KON-MED) released a statement describing the call as “a historic moment that must be strongly supported by all sides. “

In a time dominated by war and crises, a new ray of hope is lighting up the horizon,” the statement read.

KON-MED emphasized that Öcalan should be allowed to play his key role in the process freely and called on the Turkish government to “openly demonstrate its commitment to the process.”

The statement also addressed Germany and the international community, calling on all relevant actors to seize this opportunity and fulfill their responsibilities. It noted that Öcalan’s call was welcomed not only in Türkiye but also among Kurds in Iraq and Syria.

KON-MED co-chairs Emine Ruken Akça said, “We received Öcalan’s greetings. We will implement his new paradigm in every area of life”, and Kerem Gök emphasized that the call was met with great enthusiasm and that this energy was reflected in the Newroz celebrations on March 21.

“Policy of balance is no longer sustainable”

Speaking at a congress organized in Marseille by the Kurdish Democratic Society Center in France, journalist and writer Ferda Çetin said that Türkiye’s long-standing policy of balancing between the Eastern and Western blocs had become unsustainable in light of recent developments in the Middle East. He noted that lasting peace could be possible through Öcalan’s call.

“Even the worst peace is better than war”

Abdullah Demirbaş, a Kurdish politician who served as mayor of the Sur district of Türkiye and was dismissed by a trustee in 2007, has been living in Europe for the past six years. In an interview with “Güneydoğu Ekspres” responding to the question “How do Kurds in Europe view the new process?”, Demirbaş said:

“People here believe that even the worst peace is better than war. But there is also a cautious outlook and a wait-and-see attitude. The PKK has made a historic call for peace. The state now has an opportunity in its hands.”

When asked whether those who left Türkiye for political reasons would consider returning, Demirbaş replied:

“I’ve also been living in Europe for six years. There are reasons for that. People have been uprooted and feel like fish out of water. If the conditions that caused forced them to come here disappear, they will want to return and engage in politics. There are thousands of Kurdish refugees. If peace is achieved, most of them would return.”

Remzi Kartal: Öcalan’s call does not include the YPG

Remzi Kartal, who lives in Brussels and is one of the leaders of the PKK in Europe, and the co-chair of Kongra-Gel, stated that the PKK had declared a ceasefire and now a reciprocal step from the state are expected. The first of these steps, he said, should be the release of Abdullah Öcalan.

Speaking to the BBC on March 3, Kartal was asked what Öcalan meant by “all groups should lay down their arms”. In response, Kartal argued that Öcalan’s call does not include the PKK’s affiliates YPG in Syria and PJAK in Iran.

Kartal also stated that Öcalan’s letter to the members in Europe had reached them on February 22: “All the letters bear Öcalan’s signature and name. They were written in his own handwriting.”

“No one is especially happy”

Speaking to “Gaste Avrupa”, Kurdish academic Çetin Gürer said the call was met with various reactions among the members and supporters. “There were those who were surprised, disappointed, saddened, or who felt their expectations were not met. There were also those who were not surprised at all.” But, added Gürer “I haven’t yet seen anyone especially happy.”

He also claimed that the Turkish public did not greet the call with enthusiasm either. Gürer continued:

“The text is not sufficient to draw far-reaching conclusions regarding a resolution to the Kurdish issue. And we can’t consider it a document authored solely by Öcalan. If it were, there wouldn’t have been months of negotiations for a one-page statement, Öcalan could have written it on his own and in his own way much more quickly.”

“The state is stalling the Kurdish people”

At the 9th Civaka Azad Congress held in Vienna, Murat Ceylan, a member of the KCDK-E Co-Presidency Council and writer Fuat Kav shared their views on Öcalan’s call. Kav said that involving Öcalan in the process is a precondition for peace: “If Öcalan is at the negotiation table, the chances for a solution are strong”.

Claiming that the Turkish state had not upheld its previous commitments, Kav added:

“It is a contradiction to have bombs falling while negotiations are ongoing. The state is trying to stall the Kurdish people.”

Views of the Greens and Left party of Germany

Officials from the Greens and the Left party of Germany, where many PKK supporters live, also shared their views on the process.

Green Party member of parliament Max Lucks described the process as a “peace negotiation”:

“Öcalan’s call could be a turning point. If the disarmament of PKK members is a precondition for peace talks between the Turkish government and the PKK, then it’s now the Turkish government’s turn to take steps.”

Speaking to Gözde Güler from the newspaper “Yeni Özgür Politika”, member of parliament from the Left party Nicole Gohlke called Öcalan’s call “a far-reaching offer for a new political era based on peace and equality in the Middle East”. She also touched upon Germany’s policy: “It would be a major mistake for Germany to miss this opportunity to reset its Kurdish policy. With this call, the German government must reconsider its unilateral policy in favor of Türkiye and remove the PKK from its list of banned organizations.”