News out of the Middle East? DW notes, "The
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has said the Kurdish militant group
plans to cease operations soon, news agencies close to the organization
reported on Monday." Selcan Hacaoglu (BLOOMBERG NEWS) explains, "It’s
unclear whether Turkey will offer safe passage for the PKK’s leadership
to third countries or declare amnesty for thousands of militants if
they return home. The group said its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan,
should lead the political process, according to the statement. Turkey
expects PKK representatives in Syria to leave the country and all the
group’s militants, including those based in Iraq, to surrender their
weapons." Pinar Sevinclidir (CBS NEWS) adds:
There
were, however, no details immediately released about the technicalities
of the group's disbanding, such as what would happen with all the
weapons it has held for decades, or if its members would receive legal
amnesty in Turkey.
In its statement, the PKK
said the issue of Kurdish rights had come "to a point where it can be
resolved through democratic politics," urging the Turkish parliament to
take "a historical role" in completing the process.
Erdogan's government has had a complex relationship with the country's Kurds.
While
some progress was made in restoring Kurdish rights since the AKP came
to power in 2002, scores of Kurdish rights defenders were also
imprisoned after the collapse of peace talks in 2015.
The
announcement will have wider consequences for the region, especially in
Iraq, Syria and Iran, all of which share borders with Turkey and have
significant Kurdish minority populations of their own.
