Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
13 May 2025 | 11:27 CAT

In what could mark a turning point in Turkey’s decades-long conflict with the Kurdish population, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced it is preparing to disband. The decision follows a key party congress in northern Iraq and forms part of a new peace initiative with Ankara.

The announcement, made via the Ferhat news agency, is being met with cautious optimism. Speaking to Radio Islam International, Journalist Frѐdericke Geerdink explains that while the news is momentous, it isn’t entirely unexpected. “The signs were there since October,” she said, referring to unusual interactions between anti-Kurdish politicians and Kurdish lawmakers in the Turkish parliament. “It shocked people. Normally, they wouldn’t even look at them.”

The jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan reportedly initiated the move. “He urged the party to not only end the armed struggle but dissolve itself entirely,” Geerdink said. The PKK has declared ceasefires in the past, but this appears to be its most definitive gesture toward a peaceful resolution.

Still, skepticism lingers. “People in Kurdistan are wary,” Geerdink noted. “The government has failed to deliver in the past, even when the PKK showed goodwill. Some believe President Erdogan’s motives are tied to his ambitions to change the constitution and extend his presidency.”

If successful, the move could benefit all. “Everybody wins—the Kurds, Turkish civilians, and future generations,” she added. The conflict has claimed lives since 1984.

However, the process is far from over. “There’s no concrete timeline,” Geerdink said. “It depends on political will. The PKK says, ‘we’re ready’, but is the government?”

Öcalan remains a central figure in the peace process. His supporters compare his release to Nelson Mandela’s in South Africa, symbolising resolution and reconciliation.

But without real reforms, fears persist. “If the root Kurdish issue isn’t resolved, disarmed fighters may return to violence. A democratic solution is the only path forward,” Geerdink concluded.

The world watches closely as one of the longest-running armed struggles in modern history approaches a possible end.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Journalist Frѐdericke Geerdink.