PKK says ready for mutual consolidated ceasefire in Turkey

Published by EKurd Daily on 17th September 2015

Kurdish PKK fighters in Qandil mountains, Iraqi Kurdistan. Photo: ANF

QANDIL,— The Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK said that they appreciate the calls voiced by Turkey’s democracy forces, European Union and political groups from the European Parliament for a mutual ceasefire and return to negotiations.

The KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency, which is an umbrella Kurdish political organization that includes the PKK has released a statement saying that “On this basis, we emphasize once again that we are ready for a mutual consolidated ceasefire, and support the efforts and struggle of peoples, democracy forces and pro-peace circles for a democratic political resolution and lasting peace.” ANF news agency close to PKK reported.

Recalling the talks between the Turkish state and the jailed Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan that lasted for years, PKK pointed out that the Kurdish movement and leader acted with patience during the course of this process and created an environment eligible for a resolution despite the AKP’s policies of delaying a solution and gaining time.

Reminding of the Dolmabahçe Palace declaration of February 28, on the basis of an agreement between the Kurdish side and the government-state officials, PKK said this declaration had raised hopes among the society and public opinion of Turkey for the resolution of the Kurdish question on the basis of Turkey’s democratization.

PKK continued, “However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks ‘I do not accept this agreement which has nothing to do with democracy as is supposed. There is no Kurdish question, no addressee, no side, and a monitoring committee is not acceptable’ dropped onto the hope of peoples like a bombshell. Erdogan revealed his true intention by saying that ‘These will legitimize İmralı’, as if there had been no talks in Oslo and İmralı for years.”

‘Leader Ocalan is subjected to aggravated isolation’

PKK continued by pointing out that Kurdish people’s leader Apo [referring to Ocalan] who always treated the issue of Kurdish question’s resolution with reason, called for a ceasefire and initiated a dialogue process for this purpose, has been subjected to an aggravated isolation since 5 April. “This has clearly manifested that the Turkish side pursued a hostage policy against Ocalan and wanted to make him a means to an end for their own purposes. Despite Ocalan’s repeated warnings to avoid an approach like this and replace it with a treatment based on talks, they didn’t abandon this mindset and policies, and did eventually decide to crush and eliminate the Kurdish Freedom Movement.”

‘Turkish state deepened its attacks and war upon the self-rule declaration of our people’

PKK emphasized that the Turkish state and AKP government decided to launch a war against the Kurdish Freedom Movement at the National Security Council meeting of 30 October 2014 following the Kurdish people’s uprisings in solidarity with Kobani on 7-8 October. Remarking that Dolmabahçe Agreement was rejected due to this decision of war, PKK said this was when and why Ocalan was subjected to an aggravated isolation and a war was started against Kurds, which was put into practice with 24 July attacks following the 7 June election defeat.

“The Kurdish people decided to build a free and democratic living and their self-rule in the face of the rejection of Dolmabahçe Agreement, ignoring of June 7 election results as a basis for a democratic political solution and practice of war with heavy attacks on July 24. Upon this declaration of self-rule, the Turkish state enhanced and deepened the war, attacks and persecution against the Kurdish people and movement.”

‘Guerrillas responded to attacks with retaliatory actions’

Pointing out that PKK guerrillas responded with retaliatory actions to the enhancement of attacks on the self-rule declaration of the people, PKK said this conflict was a consequence of the AKP’s policies before and after the elections.

“The AKP which lost the June 7 election, aims to remain in the power alone by legitimizing its now-illegitimate ruling with the support of some circles and enhancing its repression in the election process. In this regard, we agree with the general popular view that ‘This is the war of the Palace’. The war AKP has started against the Kurdish Freedom Movement serves neither the defense nor the indivisible integrity of the country. On the contrary, this war makes the peoples confront each other and causes a de facto division of the land. Attacks on the Kurdish people and HDP in Turkish cities, and the attack of occupying military and police forces in Kurdish cities do openly reveal this truth.”

‘Calls for mutual ceasefire are valuable and meaningful’

Pointing to the concerns of many circles over the ongoing war in Turkey and Turkish Kurdistan, PKK said they appreciated and valued the calls voiced by many circles including Turkey’s democracy forces, European Union and political groups from the European Parliament for a mutual ceasefire and return to negotiations. “We had previously stated that we were ready for a mutual consolidated ceasefire aiming a permanent resolution through negotiations”, KCK noted.

‘Ocalan must be provided with required circumstances’

Recalling that the Kurdish movement declared Leader Ocalan as the chief negotiator, PKK said the Kurdish leader must be provided with circumstances to enable him negotiate under free conditions, hold talks with the Kurdish movement, all political circles, civil society organizations, intellectuals and authors, and play his role as the chief negotiator. “As is seen in all similar cases across the world, there is a need for impartial delegations to observe and monitor the approaches of both sides. Calls from Europe have already voiced readiness to act as mediator in this process”, PKK added.

‘We are ready for mutual consolidated ceasefire’

PKK said it was important to ensure the release of those arrested during the process of dialogue since 2013 Newroz, and hundreds of those arrested in the recent process for political grounds, including co-mayors.

“If we are meant to create a process of negotiation and resolution and ensure a lasting peace, these conditions must definitively be fulfilled, as is also the case in worldwide examples. On this basis, we emphasize once again that we are ready for a mutual consolidated ceasefire, and support the efforts and struggle of peoples, democracy forces and pro-peace circles for a democratic political resolution and lasting peace”, PKK added.

PKK

Since it was established in 1984 the PKK has been fighting the Turkish state, which still denies the constitutional existence of Kurds, with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state.

In the 1990s, the PKK limited its demands to establish an autonomous Kurdish region and more cultural rights for ethnic Kurds,who make up around 22.5 million of the country’s 75-million population but have long been denied basic political and cultural rights, its goal to political autonomy. A large Turkey’s Kurdish community openly sympathise with PKK rebels.

The PKK is considered as “terrorist” organization by Ankara and U.S. The PKK continues to be on the blacklist list in EU despite court ruling which overturned a decision to place the Kurdish rebel group PKK and its political wing on the European Union’s terror list.