Ocalan: Draft PKK law key to democratic republic

Shafaq News- Ankara

Imprisoned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) founder Abdullah Ocalan described Turkiye's proposed legislation to complete the group's dissolution as "the key" to resolving a historic issue and paving the way for a "democratic republic," urging all sides to assume responsibility for ensuring the process succeeds.

In remarks carried on Monday by ANF News, a media outlet affiliated with the PKK, following a three-hour meeting on August 2 with a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) at Imrali Prison, Ocalan said the proposed law marked the beginning of a transformation comparable in significance to the founding of the Turkish Republic. He argued that its implementation would strengthen democratic governance, expand economic opportunities, and benefit all of Turkiye's 86 million people.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

While acknowledging that "not all problems have been resolved," he maintained there was no reason to view the current stage pessimistically, adding that organizing society would make a significant contribution to both the economy and peace.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced days ago that a draft framework law governing the dissolution of the PKK would be submitted to parliament "in the coming days." During an earlier meeting with a DEM Party delegation, Ocalan stressed that the draft law should not be simplistic or narrowly framed, but instead be peace-oriented and take into account the concerns of all parties. He also argued that continuing to use the terms "terrorism" and "terrorist organization" to describe a group that had dissolved itself and ended its armed campaign would complicate the process from the outset.

The PKK, founded in 1978, has been engaged in an armed conflict with the Turkish state since 1984, which has resulted in more than 40,000 deaths. Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union designate the group as a terrorist organization. Last year, Ocalan urged the PKK to convene a congress, lay down its arms, and formally disband, a move widely viewed as a potential turning point in efforts to end the decades-long conflict.

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