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Support for armed struggles amid Kurds has fallen sharply, Reha Ruhavioğlu, head of the Kurdish Studies Center (KSC), said, underlining that the recent terror-free Türkiye process is seeing widespread support.
The transformation that enabled the change in perception regarding how Kurds can achieve their rights is rooted in several sociological facts, Ruhavioğlu told Daily Sabah following a meeting of the parliamentary commission with think tanks in the capital Ankara.
“No one expected such a conflict to last around 45 years. It has spanned at least three generations, leaving over 50,000 dead, 100,000 imprisoned and millions directly affected,” he said.
Yet he argued that Türkiye now has a rare chance to move forward.
“Support for armed struggles has dropped below 10%, while categorical support for disarmament has risen. This shows the process has a strong sociological foundation.”
Ruhavioğlu highlighted how Kurdish identity in Türkiye has become both stronger and more openly expressed, without undermining attachment to the state.
“Two-thirds of Kurds strongly embrace their identity. At the same time, the proportion who feel attached to Türkiye has risen from 52% to 65% in two years.”
Ruhavioğlu told the commission that, according to the mentioned data, Kurdish identity is not in contradiction with belonging to Türkiye.
“Usually, having a Turkish identity and being Kurdish were seen as rival concepts; there was the assumption that there was a negative correlation between the two. However, today we see that this has changed.”
This process can be a means to strengthen both a strong Kurdish identity and belonging to Türkiye, Ruhavioğlu said, adding that he believed this sense of belonging must be bolstered through new initiatives.
Central to future progress, he said, is addressing social and economic disparities.
Ruhavioğlu pointed out that Kurdish citizens overwhelmingly support stronger local administrations and expanded Kurdish-language rights, but these demands also find significant backing among Turkish citizens.
While acknowledging broad support for the commission’s goals, Ruhavioğlu warned that public emotions such as hope and trust have not yet caught up.
“We are in a phase of negative peace, where weapons are silent but confidence remains weak. To succeed, we need positive peace – legal and political frameworks that guarantee coexistence and equality.”
The parliamentary commission is expected to continue consultations with political actors, civil society and regional stakeholders.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative was launched last year by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) when its leader, Devlet Bahçeli, implied that the government should facilitate access to the terrorist group PKK’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, so that he could call on the PKK to lay down arms. Bahçeli’s proposal was endorsed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who had earlier hinted at the initiative with messages of unity between Turks and Kurds. The PKK has long justified its campaign of terrorism as a fight for the rights of Kurds. Both Bahçeli and Erdoğan repeatedly said that ending terrorism and maintaining unity were essential for Türkiye’s “home front” in the face of Israeli aggression in the region, pointing to the fact that Israel may target Türkiye next as part of its expansionist policies. Öcalan responded positively to Bahçeli’s call and urged the PKK to lay down arms. In July, the PKK started the disarmament process with a ceremony in northern Iraq. The complete disarmament of the group is expected to be concluded by the end of 2025.
