KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Foreign Affairs Committee member Serhad Varto spoke to Kurdish intellectuals, writers and academics in Sulaymaniyah about independence referendum, relations between parts of Kurdistan as well as relations between Kurdish political groups.

Underlining the importance of national unity for Kurds, Varto said: “Now we can see better how important unity is for us. We know that unity cannot be achieved between political parties. This is above political parties. It’s a strategy above parties. This (subject of unity) cannot be negotiated. We know that national unity has a vital importance for our people.”

Varto remarked that national unity is now a subject that cannot be left to a political party’s mercy and added “We should talk about what we need to do. We need to set up some principles for unity. These principles will be our roadmap. We will discuss our unity in that frame.”

“We must give up defining Kurdistan with four parts and dividing those parts as Kurds, Ezidis, Sunni, Shia, Feili, Kakai, Zaza, Hewremi, Muslim or non-Muslim. All of these are our richness, they are a part of Kurdistan with their identity and culture. We have to review the imposed thoughts which break us apart” Varto said.

KCK’s Varto continued: “Kurds have the right to self-determination like any other nation in the world. This is the most legitimate right of Kurdish people. There is nothing more natural than this. But this should be the decision of Kurds. This decision cannot be made by a Kurdish political group which tries to solve the problems it faces. We will support political gains of the people in any part of Kurdistan, but only if these gains belong to the people. This goes for for all the Kurdish political parties; for PYD, PKK, KDP, PUK and Goran, which means for all of us.”