THIS IS REVOLUTION ＞podcast EP. 719: WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PKK? ft. Djene Bajalan
Mar 24, 2025
Djene Bajalan, a historian specializing in Kurdish politics, joins to discuss a surprising letter from jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan calling for the organization's dissolution. The conversation highlights the PKK's transformative journey from Marxist-Leninism to democratic confederalism, its implications for Kurdish identity and self-determination, and the group's complex relationship with regional powers. Bajalan also explores how ongoing conflicts, particularly in Syria, shape the PKK's strategies and the quest for Kurdish representation in a turbulent political landscape.
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PKK Emergence
- The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) emerged during political instability in the 1970s, amidst repression of Kurdish culture and identity by Turkey.
- The repression and the Turkish state's deals with tribal leaders led to a new wave of Kurdish activism, split between socialist revolutionaries and those seeking constitutional reform.
PKK Early Ideology
- The PKK differed from earlier Kurdish movements by advocating for a united, independent Kurdistan across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.
- They initially targeted Kurdish landowners and the Socialist Party of Kurdistan, not just the Turkish state.
1980 Turkish Coup and PKK
- The 1980 Turkish coup, while aimed at restoring order, led to widespread repression and radicalization.
- This repression eliminated the PKK's Kurdish opposition and fueled their recruitment through actions like the Diyarbakir prison.