Two senior Kurdish figures have called for the launch of a new phase in the Kurdish political movement based on democratic organising and civil mobilisation, following the formal dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) earlier this month.
Sabri Ok, a member of the Executive Council of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), said that imprisoned PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan is seeking to open “the doors of a new era” rooted in democratic unity, while congress delegate Besta Botan described the shift as the beginning of “a deeper, broader struggle based on democratic politics and society.”
Their remarks were published on Friday by Fırat News Agency (ANF) in the wake of the PKK’s 12th Congress, held from 5–7 May. In its final declaration, the group announced its dissolution and stated that all organisational work had ended.
Sabri Ok said the new phase marks a clear break with the PKK’s earlier pursuit of a Kurdish nation-state, instead embracing Öcalan’s concept of “democratic socialism” and a pluralistic model of governance. “He wants to unify the Kurdish nation and secure Kurdish freedom across all four parts of Kurdistan,” said Ok. “This is no longer based on the paradigm of a nation-state.”
Ok urged Kurdish supporters to trust in Öcalan’s vision, which he said is grounded in strategic, philosophical depth. “We must understand the spirit of this moment,” he said. “We are in a war. Our reflexes, our efforts and our lives must reflect that reality. But now, we are also at the threshold of historic change.”
Besta Botan also emphasised that the end of the PKK’s armed campaign should not be mistaken for a retreat. “Yes, the armed struggle is coming to an end,” she said. “But in its place begins a more profound struggle grounded in democratic politics and grassroots organising.”
Botan traced the ideological shift to Öcalan’s writings from the early 2000s, culminating in his Democratic Society Manifesto of 2010, which redefined the PKK’s identity. “In order to build this new society, we must first rebuild ourselves,” she said. “This is a historic moment, and we must rise to meet its responsibilities.”
The remarks come amid renewed international attention on the Kurdish issue, as Turkish officials and Kurdish representatives have reopened peace talks that had been stalled since 2015.
