Talks between politicians from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party and jailed Kurdish leaders are gaining momentum in an effort to end the 40-year conflict between the state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). This peace initiative is unfolding against a backdrop of regional instability and significant changes, including the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, the weakening of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and power shifts in Syria post the fall of President Bashar Assad.
The peace process, initiated by a nationalist figure who historically opposed Kurdish concessions, has seen recent developments with intensified fighting between Turkish-backed groups and Kurdish forces in northern Syria following Assad's downfall. The Syrian Democratic Forces, controlling northeast Syria, are under attack by the Syrian National Army, supported by Turkey, which views the SDF as an extension of the PKK.
Key members of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party have engaged with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and Selahattin Demirtas, another prominent Kurdish figure. The PKK, founded in 1978, initially sought a Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey but later shifted focus to Kurdish autonomy and rights within the country. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and extended into Iraq and Syria, leading to the PKK's designation as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU.
Ocalan, the PKK's founder, was captured in 1999 and remains imprisoned on Imrali island. Despite his incarceration, Ocalan remains a symbol for Kurdish independence and continues to influence the Kurdish movement, advocating for conflict resolution under suitable conditions.
A recent peace effort, supported by Turkish President Erdogan, involves the potential parole of Ocalan if he renounces violence and disbands the PKK. While some view this as a historic opportunity, others vehemently oppose any leniency towards Ocalan or the PKK, especially in light of recent attacks claimed by the group.
Past peace attempts, including talks in Oslo from 2009 to 2011 and negotiations between 2013 and 2015, have failed to yield lasting results. The latter period saw a ceasefire and Kurdish rights improvements, but the process collapsed amid violent incidents in 2015.
The current reconciliation effort aims to address security concerns for both Turkey and the Kurds in the Middle East. However, some speculate that Erdogan's government seeks Kurdish support for a new constitution that could extend his term beyond 2028. Calls for a new constitution have been made by nationalist figures seeking parliamentary backing from the pro-Kurdish party.
