President Barzani's Newroz Message in Diyarbakir Sparks Hope for Peace Process in Türkiye

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – President Masoud Barzani’s message of peace and dialogue delivered during the Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakir (also known as Amed) has sparked widespread optimism across Southeastern Türkiye (Northern Kurdistan) and beyond, revitalizing public discourse around a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

President Barzani’s call for the release of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and his firm support for Turkey’s peace process were met with praise from various Kurdish political figures who hailed the statement as a significant and timely gesture.

In his Newroz message, read out by his representative Serbest Lezgin, President Barzani emphasized coexistence and reiterated his long-held belief in peaceful negotiations as the only viable path forward. His statement was widely interpreted as a firm endorsement of renewed efforts to resolve the decades-long conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdish movement.

Kurdish political leaders from Northern Kurdistan swiftly welcomed Barzani’s message, underscoring its potential to reenergize a peace initiative that has for years been suspended. Mustafa Özçelik, President of the Kurdistan Patriotic Party, voiced strong support for Barzani’s stance, stating: “As Kurds of Northern Kurdistan, we support President Masoud Barzani’s message and position. President Barzani has worked to resolve the Kurdish issue in Northern Kurdistan through peace and dialogue, and we know he continues his efforts to achieve peace in Türkiye. We in Northern Kurdistan unanimously support his position for the path of peace and dialogue.”

Barzani’s appeal coincides with a notable shift in tone from Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who in a message dated Feb. 27, called for the organization to lay down its arms. Kurdish politicians now view President Barzani’s message as amplifying this moment, giving further momentum to an emerging opportunity for reconciliation.

Bayram Bozyel, Secretary General of the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK), described President Barzani’s words as both symbolic and strategic.

“There is hope that Türkiye can be persuaded to advance this issue for peace to succeed. We in all four parts of Kurdistan hope the peace process reaches a conclusion. If war ends and peace prevails, a new foundation for resolving the Kurdish issue will emerge. Therefore, we consider President Barzani’s message important and wholeheartedly support it for peace to succeed,” Bozyel said.

The public response to President Barzani’s message at the Diyarbakir Newroz celebration further highlighted the yearning for peace that cuts across political and regional divides. His call has been perceived as both a diplomatic gesture and a moral appeal to move beyond the cycle of violence that has long plagued Kurdish-Turkish relations.

Observers note that while the peace process has faltered in the past, the combination of Ocalan’s latest message and President Barzani’s statesmanlike intervention could mark the beginning of a new chapter. With renewed international interest in regional stability and Kurdish unity, the timing of President Barzani’s message could not be more critical.

As the symbolic fires of Newroz burned across Diyarbakir, President Barzani’s message lit another kind of flame—one of hope for a future where peace, democracy, and equality replace conflict and division. Whether the Turkish government responds constructively remains to be seen, but for millions of Kurds and advocates of peaceful resolution, Barzani’s words have breathed new life into a long-standing dream.