European Forum for Freedom and Peace (EFFP) supported Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" on 27 February. The statement said that the call created a historic opportunity to end the 50-year-long conflict.

 

The statement reads: "The 'Call for Peace and a Democratic Society' signed by Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in isolation in İmralı Island Prison for 26 years, and shared with the public on February 27, 2025, has created a historic opportunity to end the nearly 50-year-long conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state.

 

This protracted conflict has cost the lives and freedoms of tens of thousands of people, displaced millions, and caused devastating political, economic, ecological, and social consequences. As founding members of the European Forum for Peace and Freedom (EFFP), we, along with tens of thousands of others, have been forced to leave our homelands due to the consequences of this war.

 

The PKK has declared a unilateral ceasefire, stating that it will adhere to Öcalan’s call. The peace offer extended once again by a political leader who has been subjected to severe isolation for 26 years must not be ignored. The ruling People’s Alliance, led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, must fulfill its responsibilities without resorting to delaying tactics. This would not only benefit the country but also contribute to rectifying the broader global trend of authoritarianism and anti-democratic policies.

 

The realization of this call depends on the workers, the unemployed, impoverished peasants, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, environmental defenders, those deprived of religious freedoms, those demanding equal citizenship rights, young people anxious about their future, and all marginalized communities in Anatolia and Mesopotamia who long for peace and a democratic society.

 

This historical moment is too vital to be left at the mercy of state officials. The opposition, in particular, must act together and pressure the government to take concrete steps toward peace and democratization. 

 

First and foremost, the Turkish state must comply with the unilateral ceasefire declared by the PKK to put an end to further loss of life. For negotiations to yield positive results, the Right to Hope must be implemented to ensure the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, who is the chief negotiator. Furthermore, the negotiation process must be conducted transparently, a legal framework must be established, and the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) must serve as a primary platform for negotiations.

 

As a confidence-building measure, the political power must urgently introduce legal reforms to secure the release of political prisoners, starting with sick and elderly inmates, reinstate elected mayors by removing government-appointed trustees, end military and political repression against Kurds and opposition groups, and take genuine democratic steps. 

 

The Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom, which has long transcended Turkey’s borders and become a global issue, now requires greater international solidarity than ever before. To ensure a successful outcome for the process initiated with Öcalan’s leadership and vision, international actors must take an active role in encouraging—if not pressuring—the Erdoğan government to fulfill its responsibilities.

 

A peaceful and democratic resolution in Turkey would not only contribute to regional stability but also serve as an important precedent for other conflict zones worldwide. Strengthening negotiation over weapons, coexistence over polarization, and intercommunal solidarity over interstate competition would be beneficial to all the peoples of the world. 

 

While the current situation instills both expectation and hope, the political power’s track record and stance raise serious concerns. 

 

For this reason, the demand for peace and democracy must be insistently upheld, reinforced, and spread through a determined struggle in all spheres of life. 

As the European Forum for Peace and Freedom (EFFP), we call on all parties to act responsibly, prudently, and with foresight to ensure an environment where all peoples and faiths can freely exercise their identities, languages, and cultures—where equality, justice, and democracy can truly flourish. We sincerely hope that past mistakes and suffering will not be repeated."