PKK holds 12th congress, says it took decisions of historic importance

QANDIL – In a statement released today to Firat News, the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) announced that it has convened its twelveth congress, with the participation of all its branches. The convention comes after the call of its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan to convene its Congress and lay down its arms. At the same time, Öcalan called for Turkey to embrace reform and move forward to a full and inclusive democracy for all the peoples living within the country, with equal rights for all before the law.

The PKK statement said that “on the basis of Leader Apo’s call, [the Congress] took decisions of historic importance” concerning the group which has been in armed conflict with the Turkish state since 1984. It further stressed to its followers, patriots, and all democratic socialist forces to embrace and live in accordance with all the national and democratic values that it has advocated since it took up arms half a century ago.

The PKK concluded with saying that a detailed report of the outcomes and decisions of its twelveth Congress will be shared with the public soon.

Earlier today, the Peoples’ Equality and Democratic Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party), which is mediating between Öcalan-PKK and the Turkish state, held a press conference. In the accompanying statement in which it said that, today a historical step has been taken towards peace and brotherhood. The decisions taken by the PKK at its congress are a step closer to peace and a real democratization of Turkey. Moreover, peace will be settled in Turkish Parliament. “A new page is opening on the path to an honorable peace and a democratic solution,” it stated.