A significant ceasefire announcement on Saturday has evoked mixed reactions among the residents of southeast Turkey and northern Iraq, regions heavily affected by the four-decade conflict between Kurdish militants and the Turkish government. The declaration of ceasefire by Kurdish militants represents a potential breakthrough for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration, especially following a call by their incarcerated leader for the militants to lay down arms.
In Diyarbakir, the predominant city in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast, skepticism prevails among those who have endured personal losses due to the enduring battle with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. The Turkish government has yet to issue a detailed response to this ceasefire offer by the PKK.
Turkan Duman, a 56-year-old resident, reflects the skepticism, referencing previous failed peace initiatives. She recalls a similar scenario from twelve years ago, saying, “We do not trust them, they said the same things before, nothing has changed.” Her son is serving a 12-year prison sentence for PKK involvement, stemming from his participation in the fight against the Islamic State group in Kobani in late 2014. Duman has also mourned the loss of two brothers who perished in confrontations with Turkish forces during the mid-2010s near the city where the PKK was originally founded.
Duman’s friend, Kiymet Soresoglu, another mother within the Peace Mothers’ Association, shares in the apprehension regarding the government’s motives. Yearning for peace while harboring doubts, she states, “Of course we want peace to be established. We are afraid because they make plans or (could) play a trick.” Soresoglu, whose son was also imprisoned due to PKK affiliation, worries about past betrayals during periods of ceasefire, affirming that many feel compelled to continue their struggle unless meaningful concessions are made.
Since the PKK embarked on its campaign against the Turkish state in 1984, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Exact figures remain elusive; however, the International Crisis Group estimates that since July 2015, when fighting resumed, 7,152 people have died, including 646 civilians, 1,494 security personnel, and 4,786 PKK militants.
Preceding the ceasefire announcement by two days, Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned PKK leader, issued a call for disarmament and disbandment, an indication of alignment between the northern Iraqi PKK leadership and Ocalan, despite his extended incarceration. Vahap Coskun, a law lecturer at Diyarbakir’s Dicle University, views this as a pivotal moment, predicting a swift move towards organizing a congress to dissolve the PKK. “Unlike the last solution process, this solution process is being handled with utmost sensitivity regarding the use of time,” he notes.
Across the Iraqi border, in Sulaymaniyah, a town historically linked to PKK activities, the ceasefire has been met with hopeful anticipation. Najmadin Bahaadin describes the development as a “historical moment,” contrasting it with former peace endeavors. “It is not like the previous experiments where the PKK stopped the war several times and demanded peace but (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and Turkish policy were not convinced,” he explains. For many local Kurds, the seeming mutual agreement brings a new sense of optimism.
Nevertheless, questions surrounding the impetus behind the peace proposal remain. Awat Rashid raises concerns over whether Ocalan’s peace initiative might have been influenced by external pressures, pondering, “If Mr. Ocalan was in the Qandil mountains, on top of his leadership council, would he make this peace decision?” The lingering uncertainties reflect the skepticism shared by many in this time of tentative hope.
