Speaking on Stêrk TV, Cemil Bayık, co-chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the largest umbrella organisation of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its affiliated groups, assessed the latest political developments following Abdullah Öcalan’s “historic” call for peace, the agreement between the Syrian government and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), and the continuation of Turkish military operations despite a ceasefire.
“Rêber Apo’s goal has always been to create a people who fight for freedom,” Bayık stressed, referring to Abdullah Öcalan.
Bayık recounted the evolution of the Kurdish resistance, explaining how Öcalan’s initial intervention mobilised a population on the verge of extinction. He noted that Öcalan’s shift from armed struggle to a strategic focus on political avenues has been consistently undermined by hostile elements intent on preventing any peaceful solution.
“We cannot simply announce a ceasefire or halt armed activities without real steps from the other side,” Bayık said, underlining the need for Turkish state institutions to implement concrete reforms.
Throughout the interview, Bayık stressed that an authentic solution to the Kurdish question requires the Turkish government – especially the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – to adopt legal and political frameworks that protect Kurdish voices and transform the conflict from military confrontation to meaningful dialogue.
A key reference in Bayık’s interview was Öcalan’s historic call for disarmament, most famously articulated in 2013 during the Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakır (Amed). In that statement, read to a large gathering, Öcalan urged the PKK to lay down arms and seek a democratic resolution through dialogue, setting the stage for what was then known as the “Solution Process”. Although renewed conflict in 2015 derailed formal peace talks, Bayık underscored the enduring relevance of Öcalan’s broader vision, one that aims to transition from armed confrontation to democratic negotiation.
“If democracy develops in Turkey, all problems, including the Kurdish question, will be solved,” he added, underlining the far-reaching implications of addressing Kurdish grievances.
Bayık also welcomed the agreement between the Syrian government and the AANES, calling it a promising start for democracy and stability in the region. But he condemned Ankara’s attacks as counterproductive, warning that such actions threaten to undermine progress.
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“These hostilities are blocking the path to a viable and lasting peace,” Bayık continued, calling for an immediate halt to Turkish operations in Kurdish areas.
The KCK co-chair went on to highlight what he called “the transformative power of Öcalan’s paradigms”, pointing out that women and youth have emerged as crucial agents of democratic change within Kurdish society.
“Women’s leadership and youth activism give us hope that this struggle can evolve into something far more inclusive and lasting,” Bayık noted, encouraging both groups to maintain their active roles.
Expanding on Öcalan’s broader vision, Bayık said that greater autonomy in the Kurdish regions could set an example of governance that promotes coexistence and respect for cultural diversity. He argued that this model, if adopted and implemented, could reduce tensions not only in Turkey but throughout the Middle East.
“Everyone should rally around Rêber Apo’s historic mission,” Bayık declared, stressing the collective responsibility to support Öcalan’s vision and dismantle the “İmralı system”, where Öcalan has been held since 1999.
“This is no longer a purely regional issue; it is an international issue that demands the world’s attention.”
Bayık concluded by stressing the importance of international awareness and solidarity and called on external actors, including human rights organisations and foreign governments, to monitor Turkey’s actions and to work for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.
