Photo source : https://x.com/RTErdogan/status/1919754026100654477/photo/1
12 March 2025 –
According to AFN News, the 12th Congress of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was successfully concluded between May 5 and 7, 2025. The congress was convened in response to imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 “Call for Peace and Democratic Society.” The gathering marks a pivotal moment in the group’s decades-long history, as the PKK declared its transformation rather than dissolution.
In his opening speech, PKK Executive Committee member Duran Kalkan paid tribute to revolutionary figures such as Haki Karer, Ali Haydar Kaytan (Fuat), Rıza Altun, and Sırrı Süreyya Önder. Kalkan described the congress as a historic milestone: “This congress is different from the others. In a way, it can be compared to our first congress. It is being held to historically conclude and properly situate the PKK. But this is not the final end; rather, the goal is to create space for new initiatives and opportunities.”
The political report presented at the congress reflected on the PKK’s five-decade impact in the region, asserting that it revived a Kurdish identity that was on the verge of disappearing. “The PKK marks a new era in Kurdish history and the birth of a new, free Kurdish identity in Kurdistan. The official formation of the party at the First Congress was a radical intervention against historical extinction and the declaration of a new era of freedom,” the report stated.
In a press conference held in Ankara on Monday, Asaad al-Shaibani, Foreign Minister of the interim government in Damascus, extended congratulations to Turkey following the PKK’s announcement of its disbandment. Describing the move as a “pivotal moment” for the region, al-Shaibani stated: “On behalf of the Syrian Arab Republic, I commend the Turkish government and its people on reaching an agreement with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. This development marks a significant step toward not only enhancing Turkey’s internal security but also promoting broader regional stability.”
Background: Evolution of the PKK and Turkish State Response
The PKK, officially known as Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, was founded on November 27, 1978, in Ziyaret, Lice. Initially rooted in Marxist-Leninist ideology, the group sought to establish an independent Kurdish state. In the 1990s, however, its platform shifted toward demands for Kurdish autonomy and greater cultural and political rights within the Turkish Republic.
Drawing early support from other radical leftist organizations such as Dev-Genç, the PKK also garnered backing from various ethnic groups, including Turks aligned with far-left ideologies. Over time, its goals evolved further, now advocating for democratic confederalism and a federated model akin to Switzerland or Germany.
Despite declared ceasefires in 1999–2004 and 2013–2015, armed conflict between the PKK and Turkish forces has continued intermittently. Turkey, which designates the PKK as a terrorist organization—as do the EU and the U.S.—considers any perceived support for the group as unacceptable. This includes expressions related to Kurdish cultural or educational rights.
Crackdown on Kurdish Cultural and Political Expression
Ankara maintains a firm stance against any initiatives perceived as aligning with the PKK. Demands for Kurdish-language education are frequently viewed as acts of support for terrorism. This position was notably referenced in the indictment seeking the closure of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which, along with the PKK, advocates for Kurdish language rights.
In January 2016, the “Academics for Peace,” a group of scholars who signed a petition calling for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish–Turkish conflict, were prosecuted for allegedly “spreading terrorist propaganda” on behalf of the PKK.
Similarly, in November 2020, authorities dismantled a children’s playground in Istanbul after determining its design resembled the PKK’s symbol. Politicians affiliated with pro-Kurdish parties such as the HDP and its predecessor, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), have frequently faced prosecution and imprisonment for alleged ties to the PKK.
