Press Release, October 19, 2015
The Kurdish Freedom Movement, PKK, declares a new ceasefire, but the Turkish military and police are attacking the Kurdish civilians and the guerrillas daily.
As soon as it was understood that the PKK was going to declare a ceasefire, the AKP retorted by stating that they weren’t interested in a ceasefire and would, in fact, “continue the war till the end”. After the actual declaration, the government stepped up its military operations and its jailing of civilians. These actions clearly reflect the AKP’s intention to pursue war. The AKP government is openly seeking to create an atmosphere of war in order to achieve its ambitions in the 1 November election.
After the declaration of the Kurdish ceasefire and the 10 October Ankara massacre, came the political operations. The Ankara massacre (killed 102 civilian) was carried out in order to suppress the Kurdish Freedom Movement and democratic forces in Turkey. This massacre has sabotaged the positive atmosphere that would have developed with the declaration of the ceasefire.
Now the aftermath of the massacre is being exploited to attack those who were the victims in Ankara. Many mayors and HDP officials are being arrested. There are no mayors left in Agri, Igdir, Kars, Erzurum, Van and Mus. Just as the democratic forces were targeted in the massacre of Ankara itself, the same democratic forces are continuing to be targeted in its aftermath with these mass arrests.
Clearly the AKP government is seeking to exploit the ceasefire and the massacre, seeing this as an opportunity. The AKP now completely lacks all reason, political integrity and initiative. The AKP can no longer offer any solution to the country’s social problems. The AKP now has only one method at its disposal, and this is suppression and domination! The means to remain in power has changed from politics, to ruthless suppression and silencing of the people. This has brought Turkey to the brink of disaster.
The AKP has deliberately sought to foster polarisation and tension in order to remain in power
By doing this, it is hoping that it will attract all the nationalists and chauvinists. This tension, conflict and polarisation are all part of a conscious strategy masterminded by Tayyip Erdogan. He is hoping to eradicate the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the democratic forces this way. Every day he demands “unity against terror”. This new political strategy reveals that the Palace’s Gladio is behind these massacres.
However, it is the peoples of Turkey who are paying the heaviest price for Erdogan’s policies. This polarisation not only generates a political atmosphere where provocations thrive, it also creates conflicts. All the massacres, the attacks against the people and the forces of democracy, the intensifying clashes in the mountains and the cities, are occurring as a direct result of Tayyip Erdogan’s political approach.
All global forces of democracy and the democratic forces of Turkey must stand against these policies, and they must develop their democratic opposition in order to overcome the current political crisis in Turkey.
All forces of democracy and the international public must recognise this for the reality it is. Only opposition to this mentality will bring about democracy, peace and stability in Turkey.
The peoples of Turkey and forces of democracy want unity. Tayyip Erdogan is undermining this unity and provoking deeper division.
Kurdistan National Congress
