Following months of renewed negotiation, Kurdish people’s leader, Abdullah Öcalan is set to make a ‘historic call’ for the resolution of the Kurdish Question and the democratization of Turkey. This call potentially marks the beginning of a new era for the peoples of Kurdistan and the broader Middle East, as the solutions put forward by Öcalan are international in nature, countering the forces that seek to reshape the region according to their hegemonic interests.
On the 26th of February, the DEM Party Imrali delegation applied to visit Öcalan for a third time. Two previous visits had been held on the 24th of December 2024 and 22nd of January 2025, in which Öcalan had indicated his readiness to engage in such a political process, if the conditions were right. Between visits, the DEM party delegation met with all active political parties in the Turkish parliament, as well as in South Kurdistan and Rojava to ensure their active involvement in the process.
On the 26th of February, it was announced that the request of the DEM party delegation to visit Öcalan had been approved for the 27th of February. The delegation consists of seven people, including the DEM MPs Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, who were already involved in the talks between the Turkish state and Abdullah Öcalan between 2013 and 2015. They will be accompanied by the two co-chairs of the DEM Party, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, DEM faction member Cengiz Çiçek, the deposed mayor of Mêrdîn (tr. Mardin), Ahmet Türk, and Öcalan’s lawyer Faik Özgür Erol.
After the visit, the results of the discussion will be shared in a press conference held in Istanbul around 3pm CET. Massive screens have been set up in central locations in metropoles in Turkey, in Amed (Diyarbakir), Wan, North East Syria, and throughout Europe to broadcast the press conference, in anticipation of a statement from Öcalan himself. Political representatives of the DEM Party, the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and the Free Women’s Movement (TJA) have urged mass participation and called on people to join these public meetings in solidarity.
The Dawn of a New Era
Öcalan’s statement is expected to have far-reaching implications, and both the Turkish government and the opposition are closely monitoring developments. The unfolding situation is seen as a potential turning point in Turkey’s approach to the Kurdish question and wider democratic reforms.
“We wholeheartedly believe that this message will have historical significance. We know that Mr. Öcalan has devoted serious thought to the democratization of Turkey. We also know that he has conducted deep and extensive work on this matter. Therefore, we expect his message to be filled with calls for peace and resolution for the Kurdish people across all four parts of Kurdistan. We anticipate that his message will emphasize the need to move the Kurdish issue from a context of violence and conflict to a legal and political framework.” said DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları in a representative example of this perspective.
Further, the announcement is being closely followed not only by Kurds around the world, but also by their allies and states in the region. The Kurdish question, and the struggle for the freedom and autonomy inspired by Öcalan’s proposals has become a key factor for democratic politics in the Middle East, particularly with the recent escalation of conflict within the region. For this reason, today’s declaration is expected to serve as an intervention in favor of oppressed societies and democratic politics.
More than abstract declarations, today’s statements signifies a time of action and concrete steps towards peace. A time, in which mutual efforts will be needed to realize the potential of this historic moment. For all of us, the main responsibility now is to grasp the essence of this call correctly, strengthen the areas of democratic struggle, and deepen societal transformation while being prepared for all possible scenarios.