The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Executive Council has issued a historic written statement announcing a ceasefire as of 1 March, and stressing the need for Abdullah Öcalan’s immediate release to lead the new peace negotiations with the Turkish state and the restructuring of the PKK.
“None of our forces will carry out any armed action unless they are attacked. Beyond this, only the practical leadership of Leader Apo [Öcalan] can implement issues such as laying down arms,” the PKK stated, declaring a ceasefire with immediate effect and necessitating Öcalan’s role in the peace process.
The PKK fully endorsed Öcalan’s historic Call for Peace and Democratic Society announced on 27 February, calling it a “manifesto of the times” to pave the way for freedom and democracy. Successfully implementing the call would be crucial for resolving the Kurdish question in Turkey and achieving lasting peace in the Middle East, PKK stressed.
The statement stressed that Öcalan’s freedom is essential to creating the conditions necessary for him to engage fully in the peace process, including maintaining direct and unrestricted contact with key figures from both the Turkish state and the Kurdish freedom movement. The PKK affirmed its willingness to hold the party congress Öcalan proposed but insisted that he must be able to lead it himself.
“Until now, we have managed the war with all its mistakes and shortcomings, but only leader Apo can manage the period of peace and democracy,” the PKK executives underlined.
“Everything has been won with a very brave and sacrificial struggle, at great cost and labour. We commemorate all the heroic martyrs of this great freedom struggle with deep respect, love and gratitude,” they noted, stressing that these accumulated experiences have given the Kurdish people the opportunity to pursue freedom through democratic means.
The statement also highlighted the importance of public support and, in endorsing Öcalan’s initiative, stressed that the struggle for freedom and democracy should be pursued with “great courage and devotion” across Kurdistan, the Middle East, and the wider world.
Closing the statement, the PKK emphasised the significance of March, particularly for women and youth, as it includes two important dates: International Women’s Day on 8 March and Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, celebrated on 21 March.
The PKK said it was advancing women’s liberation, pioneering social change in which women and youth play a leading role. “Women and youth, more than anyone else, must understand this call correctly, embrace it, and fulfil its demands,” the PKK stressed.
Our full translation of the PKK Executive Council’s statement:
‘Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s 27 February statement, entitled ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’, is a Manifesto of the Age that enlightens the path of all forces of freedom and democracy. We salute Leader Apo [Öcalan] for bringing such a manifesto of democratic society to our people and humanity.
It is clear that a new historical process has begun in Kurdistan and the Middle East with this call. This will have a great impact on the development of freedom and democratic governance in the world. On this basis, the responsibility lies with all of us; everyone must embrace their duties and responsibilities and fulfil them.
Undoubtedly, making such a call was of historical importance; now the successful implementation of its content is of similar importance. We, as the PKK, agree with the content of the call in question and state that we will comply with and implement the requirements of the call from our side. However, we would like to underline that democratic politics and legal grounds must also be favourable for success.
It is clear that the PKK has been the great heroic and truthful movement of the last half century in Kurdistan. Everything has been won with a very brave and sacrificial struggle, at great cost and labour. We commemorate all the heroic martyrs of this great freedom struggle with deep respect, love and gratitude. Now, with the same spirit and faith, we are carrying these historical gains into a new process. The mentality created by Leader Apo and the great accumulation of experience created by the PKK gives our people the power to carry out the struggle for goodness, truth, beauty and freedom through democratic politics.
Within this framework, in order to pave the way for the realisation of Leader Apo’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society, we declare a ceasefire effective from today. None of our forces will carry out any armed action unless they are attacked. Beyond this, only the practical leadership of Leader Apo can realise the practical realisation of issues such as laying down arms.
On the other hand, we are ready to convene the party congress as requested by Leader Apo. However, in order for this to be realised, a suitable security environment must be created and for the success of the congress, Leader Apo must personally direct and conduct it. Until now, we have managed the war with all its mistakes and inadequacies, but only Leader Apo can manage the period of peace and democratic society.
The concrete facts clearly show that for the successful realisation of the Call for Peace and Democratic Society, for the democratisation of Turkey and the Middle East on the basis of the democratic solution of the Kurdish question, and for paving the way for the development of the global democracy movement, it is necessary for Leader Abdullah Öcalan to be able to live and work in physical freedom and to have unhindered contact with everyone he wants, including his friends. We hope that the requirements of this will be fulfilled by the relevant institutions of the state.
Our dear People and Friends!
The Call made by Leader Apo is definitely not an end, on the contrary, it is a brand new beginning. As the statement reveals in a very striking way, what we should have done for the last 35 years in general and for the last 20 years in particular, but could not do enough in time, must now be done in a very clear and sharp manner. In this respect, it is necessary to understand the Call of the Leadership, its reasons and the characteristics and duties of the new process it initiates correctly and adequately and to fulfil their requirements successfully. It is of historical importance to approach the content of the call with great responsibility and seriousness and to realise it successfully in every field.
Let us not forget that Leader Apo has always shouldered the greater burden himself, illuminated our path and led us. Now he is taking a new step with his ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’ and starting a new process of struggle for all the oppressed, especially women and youth. Therefore, let us understand the characteristics of this new process correctly and fulfil its duties successfully on the basis of being always prepared against all kinds of tricks and attacks. Let us develop our democratic organisation and our struggle for freedom in every field with great courage and devotion in Kurdistan, the Middle East and all over the world. Let us all see ourselves responsible for the success of the Call of the Leadership.
Here we have entered a new month of March, we are experiencing the excitement of a new 8 March and Newroz. We are developing the Women’s Liberation Revolution on the basis of Jineology and organising the moral and political life of society on the Democratic Civilisation Line. We are trying to understand the Apoist truth more accurately and adequately and to develop the truth revolution, which is a revolution of mentality and lifestyle. On this basis, Leader Apo’s latest call is a call to embrace 8 March and Newroz more strongly and celebrate them more enthusiastically. Women and youth, more than anyone else, need to understand this Call correctly, embrace it strongly and fulfil its requirements.
On this basis, we congratulate the 8 March Working Women’s Day and Newroz of all women and youth, our people and our friends, and we call on everyone to embrace the Call of the Leadership in the spirit of 8 March and Newroz and to develop the struggle for freedom in every field!
Long live the PKK, the Heroic Pioneer of our People!
Bijî Rêber APO!’ (Long live leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]!)
