PEACE AND DEMOCRACY PARTY
REPRESENTATION IN EUROPE
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We condemn the murder of two Kurdish protesters, killed by the Turkish state forces during a demonstration against the construction of new military posts and dams for security reasons in Kurdistan region.
The Turkish government has initiated negotiations since January 2013 with the PKK’s president who has offered to secure a ceasefire. However, instead of respecting the latter and implementing constitutional reforms in order to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question, the Turkish government on the contrary, has taken the advantage of the situation ensued from this agreement in order to establish new military stations in the region.
This behaviour underlines the contradiction of the state concerned with the ongoing peace process. Three days ago, Prime Minister Erdoğan threatened our party that if the demonstrations didn’t stop, they have a B and C plan in reserve.
Just after this declaration, Turkish law enforcement officials started carrying out brutal attacks against civilians taking part in peaceful demonstrations in the Kurdistan region. Especially in the Kurdish town of Lice, where security forces shot at the demonstrators with live ammunition causing several wounded and the death of two demonstrators, Ramazan Baran and Haci Bayram Akdemir. Another wounded protester remains in a critical state. Besides, up to 70 people have been arrested so far regarding these demonstrations.
30 years of war between the Turkish government and the Kurdish guerrillas has proven that there is no military solution to the Kurdish question and thus peace talks between the government, the PKK and our party have been initiated.
We call upon the AKP government to respect the engagements at the negotiation meetings with the PKK president Mr. Öcalan and not sabotage the ongoing peace process, but to revive a genuine negotiation process, and moreover to bring the responsibles of Lice’s massacre before justice.
We call upon the European Union to put pressure on Turkey in order to respect its foreseen engagements in the context of EU resolutions as a candidate country.
BDP Representation in Europe
Brussels, June 9th 2014
