Turkey’s parliament has passed legislation creating a framework for the disbandment of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), opening the way for Kurdish militants to return from northern Iraq and potentially be reintegrated into society.
The move has brought hope to families who have spent years waiting for relatives who joined the PKK, but it has also triggered anger among military veterans and families of Turkish security personnel killed during the decades-long conflict.
Mothers Hope Their Children Will Come Home
In the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, Ayten Elhaman watched parliamentary proceedings closely as lawmakers debated the legislation.
Her son Bayram left his job at a bakery nine years ago and joined the PKK. Elhaman has spent years waiting for his return and urged him to come home now that the peace process has advanced.
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She is among mothers who have maintained a seven-year vigil for children who joined the militant group.
The new legislation has given those families renewed hope that relatives who left for PKK hideouts could eventually return.
Parliament Creates Framework for PKK Disbandment
The legislation, passed late on Monday, establishes a legal framework for the PKK’s disbandment and facilitates the return and reintegration of militants from hideouts in northern Iraq.
It also allows for the suspension of some prison sentences.
The move represents a major step toward ending an insurgency that has lasted for decades and killed around 40,000 people. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said the conflict has also cost Turkey more than $2 trillion.
If the peace process succeeds, it could become one of the most significant achievements of Erdogan’s long political career.
Veterans Question the Cost of the Conflict
For Turkish veterans and families of security personnel killed in the fighting, however, the legislation is much harder to accept.
Ibrahim Colakoglu, a veteran who was wounded during clashes with the PKK, said the prospect of former militants returning to civilian life made him question the sacrifices made by Turkish soldiers.
“If they were going to pass that law, why did I go to the mountains?” he asked during a protest in Ankara calling for improved rights for military veterans.
Erdem Cercioglu, head of an association representing military veterans and families of security force members killed in the conflict, strongly criticised the parliamentary move.
He said families of those killed and wounded would not accept what they viewed as a pardon for PKK members.
From Insurgency to Peace Process
The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. Initially, the organisation sought an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey but later shifted toward demands for Kurdish political rights and autonomy.
The PKK is designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on the group last year to disband, and the organisation agreed to do so three months later.
The new legislation provides an important legal framework for that process, but it does not resolve several broader issues, including Kurdish political and cultural rights, changes to Turkey’s anti-terrorism laws or Ocalan’s status.
Deep Distrust Remains
Despite the prospect of peace, convincing Turkish and Kurdish communities that the process can succeed remains difficult.
Aydin Erdem of KONDA Research and Consultancy said Turkish society has spent decades viewing PKK members as violent militants, while many Kurds remain deeply distrustful of Erdogan’s government and the Turkish state.
Hatice Yasar, whose two sons joined the PKK and never returned, welcomed the possibility of peace but said Kurdish communities wanted a settlement they could regard as fair.
“We want peace this minute, but it must be an honourable peace,” she said.
For some families of Turkish soldiers, reconciliation is also possible, but only if former militants demonstrate genuine remorse.
Ahmet Buyukburc, whose younger brother was killed as a Turkish soldier, said reintegration could succeed if former PKK members genuinely acknowledged their mistakes and contributed to society.
Analysis: Peace Depends on More Than Disarmament
Turkey’s new PKK law marks a significant shift from decades of armed confrontation toward institutionalised reconciliation. But passing the legislation is only the beginning of a much more difficult process.
The strongest obstacle is trust. Families who lost relatives to the conflict may see reintegration as an injustice, while Kurdish communities may remain sceptical about whether the state will address their wider political and cultural concerns.
The legislation also leaves major questions unresolved, particularly regarding Kurdish rights, anti-terrorism laws and Ocalan’s future.
For the peace process to endure, Ankara will therefore need to balance two competing demands: providing a credible path for militants to leave the conflict while ensuring that victims and veterans do not feel that their sacrifices have been ignored.
The law has created an opportunity to end one of Turkey’s longest-running conflicts, but whether it produces lasting peace will depend on what comes after disarmament.
With information from Reuters.
