A century after the first Kurdish uprising in defense of their identity and existence, leader Ocalan extended an offer of peace and democratic coexistence to the Turkish state on behalf of millions of his people. Will Turkey seize this historic opportunity? Can the bloodshed of the past century be transformed into the ink of a new constitution that recognizes Kurdish rights and ends a century of denial?
Following the end of World War I (1914–1918) and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the region underwent a profound reconfiguration. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk led the so-called “National Liberation War” in 1919, culminating in the establishment of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. During this period, Kurds joined the revolution based on Atatürk’s direct promises of autonomy for their regions.
However, these promises proved tactical, as Kurdish demands were met with neglect and repression. At this critical juncture, Kurdish aspirations collided with international colonial interests, starting with the Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) and the Treaty of Sèvres (1920), which included provisions for Kurdish rights in Articles 62–64. These were followed by the Cairo Agreement (1921) and, ultimately, the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), which nullified those rights in exchange for concessions to the Allied powers from the nascent Turkish state. This led to the division of Kurdistan among four countries—Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran—laying the foundation for enduring political and identity-based wounds that continue to fester.
The Sheikh Said Rebellion (1925): The Centennial of a Cry for Freedom
On the centennial of the execution of Sheikh Said Piran, leader of the first Kurdish uprising, the memory of one of the most significant Kurdish revolts against the modern Turkish state endures. The rebellion was a culmination of Kurdish frustration following the abrogation of the Treaty of Sèvres and the suppression of emerging Kurdish political organizations, notably General Khaled Bek Jibri’s group in Erzurum, known as the “Azadi Organization.” Following the arrest and execution of Khaled Bek Jibri and deputy Yusuf Zia in January 1925 in Bitlis, Kurdish leaders convened on February 1, 1925, at Jani Mountain, electing Sheikh Said Piran as their leader. The rebellion was launched on February 11, successfully liberating most areas of Northern Kurdistan, except for the city of Amed, which withstood a 50-day siege. However, the uprising was betrayed when Sheikh Said and members of the leadership were arrested on the Varto Bridge over the Euphrates River due to the treachery of a guide named Qaso, a relative of Sheikh Said and General Khaled Bek Jibri. The group had been en route to Sulaymaniyah to coordinate with Sheikh Mahmoud Hafid and Simko Agha Shakak in eastern Kurdistan for support. With the participation of over 150,000 Turkish soldiers and Kurdish collaborators, the Turkish state launched brutal extermination campaigns, executing over 22,000 Kurds, displacing more than 700,000, and burning approximately 600 Kurdish villages. The village of Alaqmish alone witnessed a massacre in 1926, claiming over 1,400 civilian lives, with such atrocities continuing until 1928. On June 29, 1925, Sheikh Said and 48 other leaders were executed at the Mountain Gate Square in Amed. Before his death, Sheikh Said addressed his comrades with words that continue to resonate: “Our people will not perish with our deaths… They will achieve a free and independent life as long as brave men like you remain.”
Continued Resistance: From Agri to Dersim
The Sheikh Said rebellion was not the end but the beginning of a long series of Kurdish uprisings. In 1927, General Ihsan Nuri Pasha led the Agri Dag (Republic of Ararat) rebellion, which persisted until 1930 before being crushed by the Turkish state with French and British air support. In 1937–1938, the Dersim uprising, led by Seyid Riza, was brutally suppressed with massacres targeting civilians. Other uprisings, such as those in Kojkri and Mahabad, faced similar failures due to international complicity and regional conflicts.
The Founding of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK): A New Phase of Struggle
On November 27, 1978, amid a closed political horizon for Kurds in Turkey, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was established under Abdullah Öcalan’s leadership, adopting armed struggle from August 15, 1984. The PKK quickly became a significant military and popular force, asserting itself as a central player in the Kurdish cause despite the intensity of its conflict with the Turkish state. Despite the fighting, the PKK maintained broad support in Kurdistan and succeeded in elevating the Kurdish issue to international forums. Following leader Ocalan’s abduction in an international conspiracy in 1999, the PKK undertook a comprehensive review of its ideology and strategies.
A Call for Peace and Democratic Society: A Historic Opportunity
On February 27, 2025, from his imprisonment in Imrali, leader Abdullah Ocalan issued a “Call for Peace and Democratic Society,” advocating an end to armed struggle and the pursuit of democratic political struggle. In response, the PKK, at its 12th Congress, formally dissolved itself and announced a unilateral ceasefire, affirming its commitment to leader Ocalan’s vision and paving the way for Turkey to enter a new era of peace and equal citizenship.
The Kurds Extend a Hand for Peace: Will Turkey Respond?
A century after the first armed Kurdish uprising in 1925, the Kurds have once again extended a hand for peace. True peace, however, cannot be built on unilateral steps alone. The Kurds have taken a significant step by embracing a democratic and peaceful path, but the onus is now on the Turkish state. Will Ankara seize this historic opportunity and engage in genuine negotiations leading to a just resolution that recognizes Kurdish identity and guarantees cultural and linguistic rights in the constitution? Or will this initiative meet the fate of previous efforts, such as the peace talks initiated in 2013, from which Turkey withdrew in 2015?
From Death to a Free Life
The Kurdish people have paid a heavy price over a century of resistance, from the executions of 1925 to the modern mountain wars. Yet, despite repression, the Kurdish cause has not died but has matured and transformed. The PKK’s decision to end armed struggle and shift to peaceful political engagement presents a rare opportunity for Turkey to reconsider its security-centric approach and choose a sustainable political solution based on recognition of national partnership and justice.
