Paolo Ferrero said that Abdullah Öcalan seeks to move the struggle to a new phase and that his freedom would ensure the success of the process.
Following Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 “Peace and Democratic Society” call, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) held its 12th Congress, where historic decisions were made. These decisions not only gave new momentum to discussions on the democratic resolution of the Kurdish question but also resonated widely on the international stage. The congress decisions, followed by a ceremony in which a group of guerrillas destroyed their weapons, were seen as steps that could open the way for the peace process. In particular, strong statements of support came from various international circles, especially in Europe.
The initiatives of Abdullah Öcalan and the PKK, which strengthened the pursuit of a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish question, also carried with them calls for the state to take concrete and inclusive steps toward resolution. Growing international support and rising public expectations are sending a strong message that this historic opportunity must not be missed.
Paolo Ferrero, former Italian Minister of Social Solidarity, answered ANF’s questions on the issue. He stated that the “Peace and Democratic Society” process, led by Abdullah Öcalan, marks an important turning point for the democratic resolution of the Kurdish question. Ferrero said, “With his political intelligence, Öcalan has carried the struggle to another stage.”
He stressed that the Turkish state must stop viewing the Kurdish question merely as a security issue. For the success of the process, Ferrero called on the international community to exert pressure on the Turkish government to take concrete steps.
Öcalan struck a blow with his ideas
Former Italian Minister Paolo Ferrero stated that through the stance taken by Abdullah Öcalan and the PKK in favor of a political solution, a major blow was dealt to the state’s security-centered approach to the Kurdish question.
Ferrero said, “The peaceful solution to the Kurdish question proposed by Öcalan and accepted by the PKK is a very important turning point in changing Turkey’s approach to the Kurdish issue. The Turkish state and government have always regarded the Kurdish question as a security problem. Within this framework, what the Kurdish people have always faced was repression and military methods. With his new historic stance in favor of peace and a political solution, Öcalan has struck a major blow to this approach.”
He makes a difference with his political intelligence
Paolo Ferrero underlined that despite Abdullah Öcalan’s long years of imprisonment, he has read the spirit of the process well and has always preserved his political intelligence. Ferrero added: “What is incredible to me is Öcalan’s political intelligence. To read the process and develop a political strategy not under free conditions, but in decades of harsh captivity, isolation, and torture, is not at all easy. With the approach he has put forward, he has shifted the issue from the ground of violence to the ground of politics. Today, thanks to Öcalan, the Kurdish question is on the agenda not only in Turkey but also in the world. Öcalan now wants to use in the political arena the social support gained through the armed struggle. More than forty years of armed struggle ensured that the Kurdish issue was recognized and that the struggle became known by everyone. Öcalan believes that the achievements of armed struggle are no longer sufficient, and that these achievements must be carried into another stage. He defines this stage as the political stage. And this political stage must be pursued to the end. I believe this is the right stage, because it will change politics in Turkey and have an impact on the contradictions within the Turkish ruling classes.”
Ferrero also said, “In the communist movements in Italy, it is often said that dictatorship and hegemony are inversely proportional to social support. If you lack social support, you have no other way but to resort to arms. But if you have strong social support, you must abandon arms and use the support you have to change things. Because power is not only weapons, social support is also power. I believe that the transition proposed by Öcalan is precisely this.”
We must force the Turkish state toward a political solution
Paolo Ferrero emphasized that the Kurdish Freedom Movement has taken important steps for the success of the process and said that the Turkish state must respond to these steps with legal and political guarantees. He added, “In the face of the steps taken by the PKK, all international powers, especially Europe, must put political pressure on the Turkish government. The entire burden of this process should not be left on the Kurds. In order to change the attitude of the Erdoğan government, it is necessary to be active in every field in Europe. The more we grow solidarity with the Kurdish people and their demands, the more we will force the Turkish state toward a political solution.”
Öcalan’s freedom will bring success to the process
Ferrero said, “If the Turkish state truly wants to carry out the peace process in a serious way, it must free Öcalan,” and continued: “If the Turkish state were truly sincere about a political solution, the first thing it should do would be to open the prison doors and ensure that Öcalan participates in negotiations as a free person. These must be the first conditions for sincerity.”
They are afraid of a free Öcalan
The fact that Öcalan remains in prison, Paolo Ferrero argued, means that the Turkish government is afraid of a free Öcalan. Ferrero stated, “It is clear that alongside the support Öcalan receives from a part of Kurdish society, he has gained enormous social support not only among Kurds but also in Turkey and across the world. Today, Öcalan is already a very significant figure. He has been in prison for decades, yet he has never given up on his ideas and his struggle. On the contrary, he has put forward a proposal more advanced than before in order to carry the struggle further.”
Ferrero said, “It is clear, then, that Öcalan is an indisputable figure in this situation. This is precisely why the Turkish government fears releasing him, because it would truly open the way for a functioning peace process and ensure that Öcalan has a decisive role. Does this mean that nothing can be done as long as Öcalan remains in prison? No, it does not. But his freedom would bring success to the process. Because Öcalan’s moral, political, cultural, and ethical weight would provide both assurance and success to the process. For this reason, those of us outside Turkey, European society, have a responsibility to pressure the Turkish government and force it to change its stance.”
I want to meet with Öcalan
Former Minister Paolo Ferrero also pointed to the importance of the ongoing global campaign “I want to meet with Öcalan,” stressing that he himself wants to meet with Abdullah Öcalan.
Ferrero said, “This campaign is important for raising awareness in Europe and across the world. Everyone should be part of it.
