President Mam Jalal’s Legacy in Türkiye's Peace Process Realised Today

News 05:02 PM - 2025-07-11

The PKK guerillas arms buring.

President Mam Jalal Talabani, one of the most prominent political figures in the region, was renowned for his strong international ties and influential role in Kurdish and regional politics. His enduring efforts for peace—particularly between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Türkiye—have entered a historic phase, as the PKK took its first formal step towards disarmament on Friday, 11 July 2025.

In the early 1990s, following nearly eight years of bloody conflict between the PKK and Türkiye, President Mam Jalal proposed a peace initiative to then Turkish President Turgut Özal and PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. The initiative aimed to establish lasting peace and stability in the region.

PKK Launches Disarmament Process in Sulaymaniyah

Marking a significant turning point after over four decades of armed struggle, a group of 30 PKK members, including senior commanders, laid down their weapons in the Surdash area of Sulaymaniyah. The ceremony, held at the Jasana cave, inaugurated the first phase of a wider disarmament process. The guerrillas, under the banner of "Peace and Democratic Society", handed over various weapons including Kalashnikovs, PK machine guns, and sniper rifles. Further steps are expected to follow as part of this landmark peace initiative.

President Mam Jalal’s Foundational Role in Türkiye’s Peace Process

In a 2011 interview with the Turkish newspaper Millet, President Mam Jalal revealed that he had met then Prime Minister Erdoğan during the UN General Assembly. At the meeting, he conveyed that the PKK had expressed willingness to disarm—conditional upon an amendment to the Turkish constitution’s clause stating “All citizens of Türkiye are Turks.” President Erdoğan reportedly responded that a general amnesty would be a difficult undertaking.

However, this was far from President Mam Jalal’s first engagement in Türkiye’s peace process. As early as 1991, he initiated talks with Özal and Öcalan, laying the groundwork for future negotiations. Even after Öcalan’s arrest in 1999, Mam Jalal continued his efforts, proposing a five-point plan for the PKK’s disarmament.

Now, 32 years later, the process he initiated has reached one of its most critical and tangible phases: the beginning of formal disarmament.

Sulaymaniyah: The Sunrise of Peace for Türkiye

The 11 July 2025 disarmament ceremony in Sulaymaniyah was a historic milestone in the realisation of Mam Jalal’s peace vision. As the first step in the practical implementation of a peaceful settlement, it serves as a powerful symbol of what diplomacy and sustained efforts can achieve.

PUK President: Peace is the Only Path Forward

Continuing the legacy of President Mam Jalal, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and its current President, Bafel Jalal Talabani, have reaffirmed their commitment to peace.

President Bafel stated: "The PUK has always championed peace and opposed war. We believe that Türkiye’s issues cannot be resolved through violence, but only through peace. The peace process remains Türkiye’s most viable solution."

He further emphasised that history has repeatedly shown that war does not provide lasting solutions to Türkiye’s internal challenges.

The Peace Process Began with Mam Jalal

Kurdish politician and human rights icon Leyla Zana commented on the event, saying: "After a century of struggle, no one can deny the existence of the Kurds. The peace process began in 1993 with the efforts of President Mam Jalal, and it is now progressing step by step."

Mam Jalal Honoured as the Architect of Peace

President Mam Jalal’s contribution to the peace process continues to be recognised. On the anniversary of his death, Turkish lawmaker Sırrı Sakık raised a photograph of Mam Jalal in the Turkish parliament—a photo dating back to 1993, taken in Syria—honouring his pivotal role.

Sakık remarked: “President Mam Jalal was the architect of peace in North Kurdistan and Türkiye. He was a national leader with a firm stance on Kurdish rights. If he were alive today, the Kurdish cause would likely be in a much better position due to his ability to build consensus between Kurdish and Turkish leaders.”

Acknowledging Mam Jalal’s Influence

Turkish lawmaker and veteran journalist Cengiz Çandar echoed these sentiments: "It was through Mam Jalal that I was able to meet Öcalan. The peace process was born from that point forward."

Mam Jalal’s vision continues to shape current efforts. On 18 February 2025, a delegation from Imrali visited Mam Jalal’s gravesite and later met with PUK President Bafel Talabani to express support for the process he initiated in 1991.

A Century of Denial Meets a New Reality

For much of its modern history, Türkiye denied the existence of its Kurdish population. However, time has shown that coexistence and mutual recognition are the only sustainable path forward.

Berdan Öztürk, co-spokesperson for Foreign Relations of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, stressed the importance of every step towards resolving the Kurdish issue: "As the DEM Party, we will respond to each move for peace with double the effort. We have always extended our hand for peace to prevent internal conflict in Türkiye."

He also quoted President Mam Jalal’s belief that: "North Kurdistan holds the key to resolving the Kurdish issue. Once it is addressed there, it will pave the way for solutions in other parts of Kurdistan."

PUK’s Pan-Kurdish Commitment

DEM Party MP Gülüstan Kiliç expressed gratitude to the PUK for its longstanding support of Kurds across all regions of Kurdistan, particularly in West Kurdistan (Rojava). She praised the PUK's principled stance in advocating for peace in North Kurdistan.

Öcalan’s Call for Disarmament

On 27 February 2025, Abdullah Öcalan’s message was publicly read in Turkish and Kurdish by DEM Party MPs Ahmet Türk and Pervin Buldan. In it, Öcalan urged the PKK to lay down arms and pledged personal responsibility for the disarmament process.

Earlier that month, on 18 February, the Imrali delegation met with PUK President Bafel Talabani to discuss the ongoing peace efforts. President Bafel reaffirmed the PUK’s unwavering support for dialogue and peaceful resolution of Türkiye’s internal conflicts.



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