KCK (Kurdistan Communities' Union) Executive Council Co-Presidency issued a written statement on the blast that occurred near the Beyoğlu Governorate and the riot police stationed in front of the governorate in Istanbul earlier today. Quoting Turkish media and officials' statements, KCK noted that one assailant and 4 other people died during the attack, and the attacker’s identity and affiliation remain unknown.

KCK emphasized that it is against the targeting of civilians, and condemned attacks that are carried out in this way. The Co-Presidency also offered condolences and well wishes to the families of the civilians massacred in Istanbul.

Kurdistan Communities' Union stated that it has been insisting on a democratic political resolution of the Kurdish question since its guerrilla struggle began in 1984, noting that the AKP government sabotaged the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue and attempted to crush the Kurdish Freedom Movement.

KCK recalled that the Kurdish people’s resistance for self-administration emerged as a response to the ongoing dirty war in Kurdistan and the AKP’s refusal to solve the issue through democratic politics. The Co-Presidency highlighted Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan’s decisions to refuse the peace declaration made by state and HDP officials on February 28, 2015 and Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call for a peaceful solution; and to heavily isolate Öcalan, who has been viewed as the most reasonable political actor in the resolution of the Kurdish issue, since April 5, 2015. The statement also recalled the AKP’s invalidation of June 7 elections and the launch of an all-out war against Kurdish people on July 24, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of people including soldiers, police officers and PKK guerrillas.

In its statement, KCK emphasized that it does not prefer war to peace, and described the massacre of civilians as a crime that the KCK firmly stands against. The Co-Presidency recalled its dedication to abide by the Geneva Convention on War and stated that the guerrillas of the Kurdish freedom struggle would continue to act within the boundaries of this convention. KCK said that unlike the Turkish state that continues to commit serious war crimes, it would pay utmost attention in order to prevent damage to civilians during the on-going war.

WE MUST OPPOSE CIVILIAN MASSACRES NO MATTER WHO PERPETRATES THEM

KCK called upon everyone to oppose civilian massacres no matter who perpetrates them, and condemned Turkish politicians and media outlets for their selective approach that ignores the Turkish forces’ massacre of hundreds of civilians including children, women and the elderly. The Co-Presidency described the silence on Turkish forces’ massacre of hundreds of civilians as political immorality, and called upon everyone to stand up against all civilian massacres. KCK noted that the murder of civilians should not be normalized, and invited international powers to stop having double standards and object to civilian massacres no matter who perpetrates them.

The Co-Presidency reminded that Newroz currently celebrated in Kurdistan and the Middle East represented the people’s resistance against cruelty. KCK called upon political powers in Turkey to take a step for the solution of the Kurdish issue and the democratization of Turkey, and announce the beginning of a ceasefire that would end the isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and enable the healthy political negotiation of the issue. Lastly, KCK stated that the democratic solution of the issue with the spirit of Newroz would bring about people’s solidarity and a free and democratic life in Turkey and the Middle East.