The Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Confederation KCK issued a press release concerning the yesterday’s attack in Istanbul and denied any connection with it.
The KCK statement says that "our movement has decided to extend the non-action process until the 2011 general elections in order to impose a democratic solution process [on Ankara] and ensure that the parliamentary elections in Turkey take place in a healthy environment."
Turkey’s next general elections have not yet been formally scheduled but Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said last month he was thinking about the first week of June 2011.
As to the bomb in Istanbul the KCK statement underlines that "it is not possible for us to carry out such an action at a time when our movement has decided to extend a truce process. We are in no way involved in this attack."
The Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Confederation KCK issued a press release concerning the yesterday’s attack in Istanbul and denied any connection with it.
The statement as follows: “Our struggle is going through a historic period. The ceasefire which had been declared on 31 October upon the call from our leader is extended until general elections. As our movement is preparing itself to take historic steps in accordance with the calls from our leader it is out of question to conduct such an attack.
The attack does not fit our strategy and methods and it is out of question for any troops of us to have realized such an attack. Despite this fact some sources are launching the attacks as is it has been carried out by us which does not reflect the truth at all. Moreover, such an attack in which it is likely for the civilians to get hurt, definitely cannot be our style.“
The All Press Release of KCK
TO THE PUBLIC OPINION AND OUR PEOPLE
The resolution of the Kurdish question in Turkey is at a critical stage today. The Turkish state has always endeavoured to resolve the Kurdish question through violence and suppression since the foundation of the Republic. Backed by international and regional powers, the Turkish state has resorted to violence to resolve the contemporary Kurdish uprising under Leader Apo for the last 30 years. The state has mobilised all its strength to this end.
However, the struggle of the Kurdish people that developed in the prisons and outside reached a great turning point on 15th August, and transformed into a social movement. In response, the process of international plots and reaction gained a new dimension too. The movement of resistance has gained new achievements at the military and political levels despite the comprehensive operations that developed with new technology in the last 2-3 years. All these developments have demonstrated and proven that pressure and violence cannot be the means towards a resolution.
The leadership of the Kurdish people has been working on a peaceful and democratic resolution to the question for the last 18 years. The endeavours have been rendered deeper and much more concrete during the Imrali process. Thanks to the dialogue that developed between Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of our Movement, and the state, especially in the last few months, our movement declared a unilateral ceasefire on 13th August 2010. At the end of the determined process, our Movement has declared with a press conference that it had been extended until 31st October.
We have explicitly highlighted the steps that should have been taken by the state to ensure that the process becomes permanent, and to transform it into a real democratic resolution and peace. These steps were; 1- To abandon all the operations that target the military and political levels. 2- To release the Kurdish politicians, who have been unjustly arrested. 3- To make it possible for Leader Apo to actively participate in the process, and for dialogue to be held towards negotiation. 4- Commissions to be established for the investigation into the realities and the constitution. 5- To revoke the 10% election threshold that does not exist anywhere else in the world.
Although it has almost been three and a half months since these proposals have been made, the AKP government has not yet taken any serious and credible steps. Military operations have continued despite a comparative decline, pressure and arrests in the political area have not ceased, and those under arrest have not been released. Whilst our other proposals have not been realised either, the only significant development has been the continuing dialogue with our Leader. Although the ceasefire made it possible for the referendum to be realised in a positive atmosphere, the state and the government misused the process by trying to exert its own political interests.
Although the AKP government has not responded seriously and positively, our Leader and Movement, who evaluated the developments that took place during the process, have regarded the agenda in which the question has started to settle and develop discussions, as well as the willingness of some circles and sections within the state towards dialogue and resolution, as positive developments. Our Leader has sent a comprehensive message to our Movement to encourage, strengthen and to extend the process of the ceasefire in order to develop a mood for a resolution in the government and parliament.
Our administration has evaluated and approved the view and perspective of our Leader. Despite the mindset and methods adopted by the AKP government, the leadership of our movement has decided upon extending the ceasefire until the 2011 elections as of this date as a clear indication of our sense of responsibility towards our peoples in order to enable a democratic resolution and to ensure the smooth-running of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Turkey.
Our guerrilla forces will not be engaged in any military campaign during this process. All our powers will absolutely adhere to the decision. However, they will adopt the necessary defensive positions in the face of any attempts at annihilation. Clearly, in order to prevent conflict and casualties hereafter, the state forces are required to cease their operations at the military and political levels and to end their repressive measures. The state must fully comply with the process in order to transform it into a real ceasefire. Our movement will reconvene in order to re-evaluate the situation if the conditions are created to obstruct the ceasefire.
With our decision, as the Leadership and Movement, we have fulfilled our duty to promote a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish question, and to develop the process within the perspective of a democratic Turkey and autonomous Kurdistan. In return, the state and the AKP government should uphold their responsibilities, and, as mentioned, take the constructive, credible steps towards a resolution. As a Movement, we regard the dialogue in Imrali to develop into negotiation as essential. Equally, crucial will be the outcome of the PCK case (Peoples’ Confederation of Kurdistan – KCK), which aims at the obliteration of the Kurdish democratic organisations and political representatives, and which has been prepared through fantastic scenarios and baseless allegations.
In this sense, it is of utmost importance for the concerned parties to fulfil their responsibilities during this historic process to achieve the realisation of a permanent resolution to the Kurdish question, silence the weapons, voluntary unity and social agreement.
Therefore, the AKP government must not approach the resolution of the Kurdish question, which is vital for Turkey, from the perspective of tactical and electoral interests. It is vitally important for the future of Turkey not to abuse this responsible and bona fide approach through which our Movement offers a great opportunity for peace.
It should not be forgotten that the ceasefire, which is itself a sacrifice and a peace process, is taking place at a time when our Movement is at its full strength. For this reason, nobody should misread our sensible position as an indication of weakness by evaluating some internal and external conditions. Those who approach the matter through such calculations will be proven wrong and judged by history. The positions that our Movement relies upon, the level of socialisation that has been achieved in all four parts of Kurdistan, attained moral authority, experience and skills have the strength to carry out the resistance for many years.
As well as being in the interest of Turkey, a peaceful process will also serve democracy and stability in the Middle East. We hereby call upon the USA, the EU and all international and regional powers to truly understand the peace process initiated by our Movement, endeavour to develop it, and not to offer support to the policies of denial and violence that have been targeting the Kurdish people.
We call upon all the intellectuals, writers, left socialist forces, civil society organisations, sincere Islamic groups, Alevi people, and all other sections who support the unity of the peoples to strengthen the democratic peace process. We call upon them all to oppose the policies of denial and annihilation which have been launched and have brought great tragedies, and to defend the unity and fraternity of the Kurdish people to embrace their natural rights.
We call upon all the patriotic-democratic political forces, organisations, institutions and individuals to support this process to adopt an attitude that develops national democratic unity rather than encouraging the destructive policies of dominant states.
Our patriotic, honest people should participate in the process in accordance with its requirements without forgetting that an honourable peace and democratic resolution will only be created through struggle and labour. We call upon all the patriotic people of Kurdistan, all democratic organisations, and institutions to step up their democratic political struggle in the spirit of united solidarity. This period is precisely the time to construct democratic autonomy and create a resolution.
Our people should step up their social struggle and take possession of the process by demonstrating their democratic repudiation of injustices in order to maintain the position and values gained thanks to the intense labour and at the risk of many lives.
Therefore, we call upon all the powers that have a place in the struggle, and all our people, to embrace the struggle for freedom and democracy, and stand shoulder to shoulder with our heroic martyrs and our Leader.
Executive Council of the KCK
1November 2010
