ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Turk on Friday said the symbolic disarmament of a group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters in Sulaimani signals the "beginning of a new era of Kurdish politics."
"It was truly a historic day. Today marks the beginning of a new era of Kurdish politics,” Turk told Rudaw. "We've had a hundred years of armed conflict, but we believe Kurdish issues should be resolved through democratic means."
A key mediator in talks between Ankara and the PKK, Turk said a commission must be formed within the Turkish parliament to facilitate discussions on Kurdish rights and guide the peace process forward, especially after the PKK announced its intention to dissolve and end its armed campaign.
The PKK, which has declared a ceasefire and begun disarmament, maintains that Ankara must also take steps towards ending the four-decade conflict. Turkish officials have said they expect the PKK’s full disarmament and the dissolution of all its regional offshoots.
There is a growing push for the parliament to establish a commission to oversee the peace process. Recently, the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, of which Turk is a prominent member, and other groups have submitted their draft proposals for such a commission to the parliament speaker.
Turk also extended his gratitude to Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani for their assistance in the peace process.
The PKK, founded in 1978, initially fought for Kurdish independence but later shifted its focus to securing political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
In February, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan urged the group to abandon its armed struggle and pursue a political path. The PKK responded by declaring a ceasefire on March 1 and in May it formally announced its dissolution.
The ceremonial disarmament on Friday is viewed by the PKK as a gesture of good faith, with the expectation that Ankara will also take concrete steps toward peace.
Ranja Jamal contributed to this article.
