After the Struggle – Lessons from Northern Ireland for Post-PKK Peacebuilding Guest: Tim Chapman

In this episode of We Can Find a Way, we reflect on a historic turning point: the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in May 2025. The PKK’s decades-long armed struggle against Turkey claimed over 40,000 lives, leaving behind a scarred society now faced with the complex challenges of healing and rebuilding.To explore what a meaningful peace process might look like—especially when it comes to social cohesion, reintegration of former prisoners, and victims’ rights—I spoke with Tim Chapman, a native of Northern Ireland and a long-time practitioner of restorative justice. Northern Ireland, after all, has become a reference point for conflict resolution worldwide, with peacebuilders studying its transition out of “The Troubles” to learn what worked—and what could have worked better.In our conversation, Tim shared insights on balancing the difficult trade-offs between amnesty and accountability, and the practical steps needed to rebuild trust in a post-conflict society. We also discussed the emotional and societal complexities of reintegrating those who served prison time for politically motivated violence.