PKK to soon convene to formalize laying down of arms without Öcalan at the helm: report

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is reportedly preparing to convene a long-anticipated congress to formalize the laying down of arms in the coming weeks, following a historic call made earlier this year by its jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, the T24 news website reported over the weekend.

Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on İmralı Island since 1999, in a historic statement read out in İstanbul called on PKK militants on February 27 to lay down their arms and disband, in an attempt to end a decades-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. In his written message, he urged the group to gather for a congress to formalize the decision.

The PKK leader issued the landmark statement as part of peace talks held with him aimed at resolving the armed conflict between the PKK and the Turkish army.

T24 cited sources familiar with the matter as saying that the PKK is backing Öcalan’s call and has decided to hold the congress to officially lay down its arms as soon as possible, and that the decision has also been conveyed to Turkish authorities.

Öcalan himself will not lead the congress, but a message from him will be shared at the event, T24 reported.

The move follows months of speculation sparked by Öcalan’s February call. Two days later, the PKK announced a ceasefire, saying it was ready to convene the congress but insisted that “a suitable and secure environment” must first be created. The group said the process could only succeed if Öcalan were permitted to “personally direct and lead it.”

In its latest statement reported by the pro-Kurdish Fırat News Agency (ANF) on April 28, the PKK said it continues to support Öcalan’s call but has yet to see any concrete steps to create the conditions necessary for progress. The group said Öcalan must be allowed to “live and work freely” in order to manage the congress.

Despite concerns over delays, sources close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) deny that the process has hit a crisis point.

A senior official from the AKP said there is no disruption in the government’s commitment to a “terrorism-free Turkey.”

“We will not be the side that withdraws or resists. … This is a long journey. The laying down of arms will be coordinated and monitored by the security forces, but it won’t end there. Other steps will follow in line with public demands and needs,” the official said.

The same official added that discussions around Öcalan’s situation, including calls for him to be able to “communicate and work freely,” could only be considered once the group fully commits to laying down its weapons and formally announces its decision to disband itself.

A senior official from the DEM Party also said occasional statements from both sides may cause tension but noted that disputes are being resolved through dialogue. The official added that the process would advance based on mutual goodwill and necessary steps, stressing that there is no dynamic resembling a “back-and-forth bargaining process.”

The DEM Party official also noted the importance of the post-congress period, saying that government representatives themselves have acknowledged the need to lay the necessary groundwork for the process.

Founded by Öcalan in 1978, the PKK has led a bloody war in Turkey’s southeast since 1984. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.

Öcalan, 75, has been serving a life sentence without parole on İmralı Island since his arrest in Nairobi in February 1999.

There have been various attempts to end the bloodshed that erupted in 1984 and has cost more than 40,000 lives. The last round of talks collapsed in a storm of violence in 2015.

After that, there was no contact until October, when far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli offered Öcalan a surprise peace gesture if he would reject violence in a move endorsed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Since then, a DEM Party delegation has visited Öcalan and later briefed parliamentary parties on the discussions. The delegation made their fourth visit to Öcalan in late April.