Görgü: Remove the PKK from the terrorist organisations list

Theater artist Kemal Görgü talked about the need for the Swedish government to apologise to Kurds over Olof Palme murder and to remove the PKK from the list of the terrorist organisations.

After announcing that Olof Palme was murdered by Stig Engström at a press conference held by the Chief Prosecutor of Sweden on June 10, civil society organizations and Kurdish intellectuals in Sweden increased their pressure demanding an apology to Kurds and the removal of the PKK from the list of terrorist organizations.

ANF talked with theater artist Kemal Görgü, who has been living in Stockholm since 1976 about the Olof Palme murder, the responsibilities of the Swedish civil society organisations and Kurdish intellectuals in obtaining the apology and the removal of the PKK from the list of terrorist organizations.

Did you have any relationship or meeting with Olof Palme and how did its killing affect you?

I visited him several times with the late Mahmut Baksi. In the 1980s he joined us many times to Sergelstorg square where we were on hunger strike against the military junta in Turkey. Palme would ask questions to learn about what was going on. He has given Kurds the right to study in their own language in Sweden. At that time, Sweden was the country that gave the Kurds the most rights in the world.

I was shocked when I heard that Palme had been killed. Accusing the Kurds of his killing was incredible because I knew what he thought of the Kurdish people. There was no reason for the Kurds to kill Palme. I was very upset and angry. Some Kurds were arrested and put under pressure. Kurds suffered a lot at that time. Many Kurds had to go into hiding. Those who accepted that they were Kurds said that they were not PKK members. They tried to deepen the contradictions among Kurds with the Palme murder.

What consequences did the murder have for the Kurds and the PKK?

After this murder, other European countries also included the PKK on the list of terrorist organizations. Sweden and Europe have no right to declare a people as terrorist. But they did this easily because there was no mechanism to defend the Kurds.

What did it mean for Kurds the declaration that Palme was murdered by Stig Engström?

Sweden should make it clear that Kurds are not responsible for the murder of Palme. The problem is not solved unless this is widely covered by the media and the public. As Kurds, we must file a lawsuit against Sweden. The fact that Sweden declared us a terrorist caused great damage. There were great insults to the Kurdish people and our martyrs.

As long as the PKK is on the “list of terrorist organizations,” Erdogan can bomb every part of Kurdistan very time it suits him. "You declared the PKK as a terrorist organization and we are fighting against terrorism," he says to Europe. Their most justified demands are suppressed with the accusation of “terrorism”. For this reason, the “terror” stamp on the PKK should be removed first.

You have been working at the Swedish Peace Council for many years? Have you made an attempt to remove the PKK from the "list of terrorist organizations"?

I brought this issue to the agenda of the Peace Council. We will write a letter to the Swedish government and ask it to apologize to Kurds. We will consider the issue at the board meeting to be held in the coming days.

I am in favour of joint efforts by all intellectuals in Sweden to demand the removal of the PKK from the "list of terrorist organizations". All Kurdish organizations have to join and demand this.

All people living in Europe and advocating human rights, democrats and progressive organisations must struggle jointly to achieve the removal of the PKK from the "terrorist organization list".

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