Abdullah Öcalan’s 27 February call for “Peace and a Democratic Society” led to the convening of the 12th Congress of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), where historic decisions were taken. These decisions not only gave new momentum to discussions on the democratic solution of the Kurdish question, but also resonated widely at the international level. The congress resolutions, together with the ceremony in which a group of guerrillas destroyed their weapons, were regarded as steps that could open the way for the peace process. Statements of support for this process came from various international circles, particularly in Europe.
The initiatives of Abdullah Öcalan and the PKK, which reinforced the peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kurdish question, also brought with them calls for the state to take concrete and inclusive steps toward a solution. The growing international support and rising public expectation send a strong message that this historic opportunity must not be missed.
Julien Schwab, a representative of the Swiss Party of Labour (POP) for the canton of Lausanne, shared his assessment with ANF on the matter.
Öcalan is a key figure in this revolution
Julien Schwab underlined that the search for a democratic solution to the Kurdish question is especially important at a time when global militarization and conflicts are intensifying. He said: “In general, in every situation where two sides are at war, taking a stand for peace is very important and valuable. When dialogue begins, the parties understand each other and the essence of the issue better. It is quite significant that Öcalan has created such an opportunity. It is very important and meaningful that the revolution initiated by Öcalan in the 1980s has reached this stage. All revolutions in the world have a leading figure, whether a woman or a man. The leading figure of the revolution in Kurdistan is Mr. Öcalan. We are speaking of a person who embodies both the figure of a leader and that of a thinker. This is highly important.”
Despite the insistence on war, Öcalan calls for peace
Julien Schwab emphasized that Abdullah Öcalan’s stance in favor of peace, despite the Turkish state’s insistence on war, must be appreciated. He continued: “We can look at the Turkish government, at Erdoğan; he tries to deal with this issue through tyranny, violence, and war. This is the entirety of Erdoğan’s vision. When we consider Öcalan’s theoretical, intellectual, and political production, however, we see a focus on democratic content that especially promotes dialogue, supports local experiences emerging from the grassroots of society, and encourages the politicization of peoples.
These are, of course, extremely fundamental and important contributions. He seeks to make everyone reflect, to move them away from thoughtlessly and aimlessly throwing themselves into war. This difference must be clearly recognized, and this process must be supported.”
Öcalan must be free
Julien Schwab stressed that despite Abdullah Öcalan’s insistence on peace, his continued imprisonment is unacceptable. He said: “Releasing Öcalan would not only be symbolic but also a peaceful measure and a gesture of goodwill. Öcalan’s freedom would also mean recognizing the legitimacy of the Kurdish people’s struggle. Peace and dialogue must be conducted on equal terms. The Turkish state can sustain this process on equal terms by releasing Öcalan.
It is possible to see Öcalan somewhat as a hostage of this peace process. I also support the Kurdish people in demanding Öcalan’s release as a precondition. Mr. Öcalan has been imprisoned for many, many years. This captivity no longer has any meaning.”
The PKK’s decisions are a great show of courage
Julien Schwab stated that for the success of the process, the decisions taken at the 12th Congress of the PKK, including the possibility of dissolving the movement, reflect extraordinary courage. He emphasized that for these decisions to find a response, the Turkish state must take concrete steps.
Julien Schwab said: “If we try to compare this with other revolutionary movements in the world, we can look, for example, at the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) in Colombia. They laid down their arms and entered a normalization process, taking part in public and political life within the Colombian state. However, we saw that many militant figures were harassed, subjected to violence, and that a large part of their members disappeared after laying down their weapons. For this reason, this peace process is also a source of concern. The Turkish state must be sincere.”
Schwab also said, “For the Kurds and the PKK, insisting on peace is an absolute certainty. From the perspective of the Turkish state, which I believe must be called a fascist government, or at the very least a structure that is extremely authoritarian and anti-democratic. Fascism and authoritarianism cannot bring peace. Therefore, if the Turkish government is sincere in this process, it needs to change and transform. Faced with such a reality, the decision of the PKK to lay down arms, to dissolve itself, and to demand a political, democratic, and peaceful resolution of the conflict is a great demonstration of courage.”
No solution can come through a monist mentality
Julien Schwab pointed to the importance of Abdullah Öcalan’s paradigm of democratic confederalism in the democratic resolution of the Kurdish question and said: “As someone who has studied Öcalan’s proposal for democratic confederalism, I find it an interesting solution and particularly suitable for Turkey’s situation. Societies have been conditioned into nation-state systems; we see this in Europe. States have sought to impose the nation-state model on the different peoples and communities living within them. This largely means nationalism and efforts at homogenization—such as making Turkish the national and sole official language.”
He continued: “This structure is not compatible with democratic confederalism, which Öcalan and the Kurds, particularly the PKK, advocate. For this reason, it would greatly surprise me if Turkey’s current government were to understand and embrace any form of federation or democratic confederalism, because such a move runs entirely counter to its authoritarian and nationalist principles. So, what should the Turkish state do? First of all, it must stop dragging its feet, because this monist structure is already blocked. For a sincere solution, this mentality of uniformity must be abandoned.”
Schwab also stated: “The PKK has already taken many steps toward the success of this process, even symbolic ones. We saw weapons being laid down symbolically in Northern Iraq, and this was received very positively. The Turkish government must seek dialogue and consider in particular how a form of federalism could exist within the Turkish nation. It must end the war against the Kurdish people, stop the bombardments, end the repression, and ensure the return of Kurdish mayors who have been dismissed, imprisoned, or forced into exile.”
The international community must take a role
Swiss politician Julien Schwab recalled that the Lausanne Treaty lies at the root of the Kurdish question and emphasized that the international community carries a major responsibility in resolving this issue.
Schwab said: “The Lausanne Treaty, which divided the Kurds into four parts and condemned them to a century of denial, is a disgraceful treaty. After a colonial war between imperialist nations at a time in the early 20th century when we did not know how to resolve the contradictions of capitalism, the decision was ultimately taken to go to war.
In the end, a map was drawn, and the victors of this war reshaped borders without understanding the very elements that had caused the war. The Kurds, one of the largest peoples in the world, were divided. Tens of millions of Kurds were split between Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran, and they were displaced from their lands.”
He continued: “Therefore, Europe has a historical responsibility in this situation. Peoples today still suffer from the legacy of the contradictions of capitalist and colonialist Europe. In this sense, Europe bears a great responsibility for the success of the peace process in Turkey.
European countries can exert diplomatic pressure on the Turkish government to move the peace process forward. Diplomatic means must be used to build pressure on the Turkish government. For example, Switzerland could play a positive role in this process. Mediation, one of the most important elements of Swiss diplomacy, can also be activated here. Switzerland can mediate, encourage dialogue between the parties, and openly support peace.”