In what had only recently seemed an improbable turn of events in northern Iraq, fighters with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) ceremonially surrendered their weapons in public. This legislation marks the beginning of the end of a nearly 50-year war on progress. The ceremony took place in the historic cave of Casene, just outside of Sulaymaniyah. Picture this—30 PKK militants convening there to burn their arms—creating a dramatic and powerful symbolic gesture of peace.
This historic moment comes on the heels of a tragic chain of violence. Over 40,000 people have died since the PKK resumed armed conflict against the Turkish state in the mid-1980s. In response, Abdullah Ocalan started the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) in 1978. Its founding aim was to create an independent Kurdish state in Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast. As the years have gone on, it’s refocused its efforts from there. Today, it unapologetically pushes for increased autonomy and cultural rights for Turkey’s Kurdish population.
The end result of this ceremony comes on the heels of Ocalans May declaration calling for the PKK to stop all operations and disband. The PKK has publicly announced its desire to dissolve. This decision, announced in July, was greeted with cautious optimism by a wide range of stakeholders.
A high-ranking Turkish government figure called the PKK’s disarmament an “irrevocable watershed.” He hailed it as a huge “milestone” in the long campaign to end the violence that’s gripped the region for decades. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the day’s events an “important step” toward creating a “terrorism-free Turkey.” He emphasized the significance of this development, stating, “May Almighty God grant us success in achieving our goals on this path we walk for the security of our country, the peace of our nation, and the establishment of lasting peace in our region.”
The ceremony therefore not only represents a powerful symbolic act of disarmament. It suggests a new and shifting landscape behind Kurdish politics. The PKK now seeks greater autonomy and cultural rights. Instead, they are adding to their goal-setting playbook by customizing objectives to harness the opportunities of this unique political moment.
“We hereby, of our own free will, and in your presence, destroy our weapons.” – PKK fighters
Iraq’s foreign ministry hailed the importance of this breakthrough, praising it as a tangible first step in the direction of disarmament. The ministry’s statement further emphasized the need for collaboration in building peace and security in the region.
Despite the optimistic reception from Turkish officials, the shadow of abyss remains casting on this historic breakthrough in terms of its negative influence on national unity. As Human Rights Watch reminds us, we need to proceed with caution. Any conduct that “harms the unity and territorial integrity of the state… may be punished by death.”
The PKK and Turkish authorities are still moving forward from this unprecedented event. No doubt, like many observers, all of us at ITDP are hoping that it will help create the conditions for a more peaceful coexistence. Inclusiveness linked to this point is the need for open dialogue and negotiation. It will give both parties an opportunity to address longstanding grievances and work towards a durable solution.
