Around 200 protesters from the Congrès des Sociétés démocratiques Kurdes Européennes (KCDK-E) and the Mouvement des femmes Kurdes en Europe (TJK-E) demonstrated near the European Parliament on Wednesday morning at about 11:00.
They responded to the call from Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to dissolve the party and establish peace after forty years of armed conflict with the Turkish state. The Kurdish movement is listed as a terrorist organisation in Turkey, the EU, and the US.
Credit: Belga/Timon Ramboer
In a historic statement at the end of February, Öcalan called for the dismantling of the PKK to achieve peace between the Kurds and Turkey, where armed conflict has been ongoing for decades for greater Kurdish autonomy. According to Öcalan, dissolving the PKK could pave the way for lasting peace in the region.
Brussels protesters have come out in support of the peace call and PKK's dissolution. They believe it could be the next step towards normalising relations between the Turkish state under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the Kurdish people.
However, the protesters also demand the release of the 75-year-old Öcalan, who they say should participate in elections to represent the Kurds in Turkey. Öcalan has been imprisoned on a Turkish island since 1999.
Credit: Belga/Timon Ramboer
The demonstrators argue that there is a "historic opportunity", which the European Union also stands to benefit from.
Turkey has been an EU candidate country since 1999, but negotiations have been stalled since June 2018 due to ongoing declines in democracy, rule of law, and human rights in Turkey.
According to the protesters, democratisation of Turkey with Kurdish representation could lead to renewed rapprochement between the EU and Turkey.
