Duran Kalkan, member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Executive Committee, has called for a democratic republic grounded in Kurdish and women’s rights, warning that Turkey’s current trajectory will worsen without this foundation. Speaking on Medya Haber TV on Tuesday, Kalkan addressed recent discussions following a family visit to Abdullah Öcalan after a 43-month communication gap, emphasising the need for genuine conditions to resolve the Kurdish issue.
“The rights of the Kurds must be recognised. Only a democracy that embraces Kurdish freedom and women’s rights can stand as an alternative to this monopoly-driven system,” he stated. Kalkan argued that Turkey, without such a transformation, faces ongoing crises, saying, “They will not survive by deceiving themselves with excuses.”
Kalkan also urged Turkish intellectuals, writers, and politicians to support the Kurdish reality, highlighting that “Turkey must appreciate the 1,000-year-long Kurdish support” if it is to build a truly democratic republic. He linked this vision to the centenary of the Turkish Republic, arguing that it should honour a legacy of equality and freedom for both Turks and Kurds.
Addressing Turkey’s recent actions in Kurdish areas across North and East Syria (Rojava), Sinjar (Şengal) and Iraqi Kurdistan, Kalkan criticised Ankara’s military interventions. He described these as part of a broader strategy to undermine Kurdish autonomy and called on Kurdish groups to understand the intent behind the PKK’s actions in Turkey and abroad.
