Yesterday, Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the militant Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or PKK, called on the group to lay down its arms and dissolve itself after fighting an insurgency against Turkey for more than 40 years. Ocalan’s statement suggested the call was made unilaterally, although it follows months of talks with Turkish officials and the country’s main pro-Kurdish party. (New York Times)
Our Take
In and of itself, Ocalan’s declaration is momentous. Although he has been imprisoned for more than two decades, he remains the iconic leader and most influential voice in the PKK, which he founded. His call amounts to an unconditional surrender, making this a potential turning point for the Kurdish independence movement and Turkey alike.
In many ways, this moment is comparable to the announcement in 2016 of a peace deal between Colombia and the FARC insurgency. As the years since then in Colombia have shown, though, yesterday’s historic announcement in no way guarantees a sustainable peace in Turkey.
