Irish republican party Sinn Féin has called for the immediate release of Abdullah Öcalan, describing his recent call for peace a “significant moment” which should be met with reciprocal steps by Turkey.
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Féin’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said Öcalan’s call for the “laying down of arms and disbandment of the PKK” could pave the way for a meaningful peace process if it is met with political engagement from Ankara. “Sinn Féin supports the development of a Kurdish-Turkish peace process based on inclusiveness, representation, mutual respect, justice and equality,” Ó Laoghaire said.
He urged Turkey to respond with confidence-building measures and stressed the need for the international community to play a constructive role. “The government of Turkey should respond positively to this new development and reciprocate with decisions that build confidence and lay the foundations for meaningful political engagement,” Ó Laoghaire stressed.
Sinn Féin, an Irish republican party with historic links to the Irish peace process, has long been a vocal advocate of conflict resolution through political dialogue. The party played a key role in the Good Friday Agreement which ended decades of conflict in Northern Ireland. Drawing on its own experience of peace negotiations, Sinn Féin has repeatedly expressed support for Kurdish political movements and called for the release of Abdullah Öcalan as a step towards a long-term solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey.
The party has consistently called on European governments to engage diplomatically in the conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdish movement. Sinn Féin’s position is in line with wider international calls for a peaceful, democratic solution which includes recognition of Kurdish rights and political representation.
Ó Laoghaire’s statement comes amid growing global reactions to Öcalan’s appeal. The United Nations described the move as an ‘extremely important event’, with Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesman saying: “This is a ray of hope that could lead to a resolution of a long-standing conflict.”
Sinn Féin’s comments on Öcalan’s release also follow wider international demands for an end to the Kurdish leader’s isolation, including from Jan van Aken, co-leader of Die Linke, who argued that removing the PKK from the terrorist list would send a “very clear signal” to Turkey. The German Foreign Ministry responded to Öcalan’s statement by calling it a “historic opportunity” and urging Ankara to implement democratic reforms to secure long-term peace.
The European Union also welcomed Öcalan’s statement, with the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, calling it a “historic step” towards peace.
The White House, meanwhile, said it was an ‘important step’ in de-escalating regional tensions and urged all sides to prioritise dialogue.
PKK declares ceasefire
In a related development, the PKK’s executive council announced a ceasefire from 1 March, saying that none of its forces would carry out armed action unless attacked. The statement stressed that Öcalan’s immediate release was essential for the restructuring of the PKK and the success of a renewed peace process.
“Until now, we have managed the war with all its mistakes and shortcomings, but only leader Apo [Öcalan] can manage the period of peace and democracy,” the PKK leadership said, underlining its commitment to democratic solutions.
Amid these developments, Turkish President Erdoğan said that Turkey had entered a ‘new phase’ following Öcalan’s appeal. Speaking at the Haliç Congress Centre, Erdoğan said that the government would consider all proposals that contribute to social peace, but warned that actions that threaten security would not be tolerated.
Framing the announcement within Ankara’s long-standing anti-terrorism rhetoric, the president said: “The threat of terrorism has long been used to shape policy and constrain politicians. We have maintained the balance between security and freedom without allowing shadows to be cast over our eternal brotherhood.”
