It is learned that Abdullah Öcalan has taken important initiatives to ensure Kurdish national unity in the negotiations he conducted within the scope of his “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”. According to the information obtained, one of the main topics of Abdullah Öcalan’s meetings and letters within the scope of the process was the Kurdish National Congress. In the meetings and letters, Abdullah Öcalan stated that the Kurdish National Congress is an inevitable necessity for the Kurdish gains to become permanent and for the Kurds’ status to be recognised. 

 

In his interviews and letters, Abdullah Öcalan stated that he made great efforts to organise the Kurdish National Congress between 2013 and 2015, but that the impositions of internal and external factors negatively affected this process. Abdullah Öcalan stated that the failure to organise the Kurdish National Congress during the 2013-2015 period also negatively affected the following processes. Emphasising that the fragmentation of the Kurds has become a great social wound and weakness, Abdullah Öcalan demanded that the positive conditions and opportunities that have emerged be used for the realisation of the Kurdish National Congress and that the National Congress must be held. Noting that with the "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" such an opportunity and possibility has come before the Kurds, Abdullah Öcalan underlined that with the contribution of these opportunities, it has become imperative to realise the National Congress in the coming period.

 

Calling on Kurdish parties, non-governmental organisations, social groups and social figures to fulfil their responsibilities for the convening of the National Congress as a historical and social necessity of their role. Abdullah Öcalan noted that he would continue his efforts in this direction for the next 50 years. 

 

Abdullah Öcalan had previously sent messages to Kurdish parties and social groups in the 4 parts of Kurdistan in his meetings with the İmralı Delegation. He renewed his call for a National Congress in every meeting with the messages he sent to Kurdish political circles in Bakûr (North Kurdistan), Başûr (South Kurdistan), Rojava (West Kurdistan), Rojhilat (East Kurdistan) and the diaspora. 

 

In the messages conveyed to his interlocutors by the People’s Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party İmralı Delegation during a series of visits, Abdullah Öcalan especially asked the Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to take a role for the convening of the National Congress, to fulfil their responsibilities and to lead the process. 

 

CONGRESS MESSAGE TO BARZANI

 

The content of the message sent by Abdulalh Öcalan to KDP Leader Masoud Barzani through the DEM Party İmralı Delegation was a matter of curiosity among the public. According to the information received, Abdullah Öcalan asked Barzani to assume the leadership of the Kurdish National Congress. IN his message, Abdullah Öcalan assured that he would provide all kinds of support for the initiatives and assignments necessary for the realisation of the Kurdish National Congress process. 

 

In the message, Abdullah Öcalan reminded that the Kurdish National Congress has inherited an important experience from the past practices of the Kurdish National Congress and underlined that the National Congress can put an end to the fragmentation of the Kurds and determine the national collective law of the Kurds. In his message, Abdullah Öcalan stated that the National Congress should establish language, culture and history committees, especially joint diplomacy and defence committees, and that new committees could be established according to the needs of the Kurds. In his message, Abdullah Öcalan stated that the National Congress should determine a common attitude and take action against possible attacks against the Kurdish existence, identity, language, culture and geography.

 

STANCE OF KDP

 

Abdullah Öcalan’s call for a National Congress was welcomed positively by all segments to which the message was sent, and they expressed that they would fulfil their responsibilities in this regard. However, it was stated that the KDP administration did not respond positively or negatively to Abdullah Öcalan’s congress proposal and did not clarify its position on this issue. 

 

MESSAGE TO TALABANI

 

The PUK was the other party in the Federated Kurdistan Region that Öcalan assigned a critical role for the Kurdish National Congress. Abdullah Öcalan frequently expressed that the cares about the role of PUK and especially PUK leader Bafil Talabani in the realisation of the National Congress and that he wants him to assume responsibility in this regard. Abdullah Öcalan’S message was conveyed to the PUK by the İmralı delegation, stating that the realisation of the National Congress is a requirement of the commitment to this struggle and memory of Mam Jalal. 

 

It was informed that PUK officials and Bafil Talabani, who received Abdullah Öcalan’s messages, favoured the realisation of the National Congress.