The Federal Kurdistan Regional Parliament has condemned the violent treatment meted out to protesters in Turkey involved in solidarity actions for Kobanê and called on the Turkish authorities to listen to the demands of the protesters.

However, despite there being 63 deputies demanding that the parliament recognise the cantons of Rojava, the parliament announced that it did not have the authority to do this.

After hunger strike demanding that the Hewler (Erbil) parliament take a clear position within 48 hours, protesters have today blocked the road in front of the parliament building. A solidarity march with Kobanê took place on 8 October, while on 9 October the hunger strikers put their demands to parliament.

The hunger strikers demanded the following: "Parliament should assemble within 48 hours and take a joint position on Kobanê" and "It should formally recognise the cantons of West Kurdistan.” The protesters pointed out that 34 political parties have recognised the cantons and that these parties have 62 seats in parliament, a majority, and should therefore put their support into practice. The protesters also demanded that the Sêmalka border post be officially opened and that the embargo on West Kurdistan be totally lifted and that an urgent decision be taken to provide military support to West Kurdistan.

The PUK, KDP, Gorran Movement, Komela Îslamî ya Kurdistanê and Kurdistan Islamic Union (Yekgirtûya Îslamî ya Kurdistanê) had promised to put these demands to the Speaker of Parliament.

Due to the continuing silence of Parliament, today protesters have blocked the road by holding a sit-down protest in front of the parliament building.

Turkey condemned

In a statement issued today by the Speaker of the Hewler Parliament, the violent treatment of protesters in Turkey and North Kurdistan during solidarity protests with Kobanê that began on 6 October was condemned. Recalling that 39 people had died the statement said: "We condemn the attacks on and use of violence against the protesters. We call on the Turkish authorities to listen to the appeals for assistance of the heroic fighters of Kobanê who are opposing ISIS in line with the United Nations and coalition countries, instead of using lethal violence against protesters.”

The Parliamentary Speaker said they supported all the demands of Kurdish protesters and reiterating their solidarity with Kobanê.

Does parliament not have authority?

According to the recently-established RojNews agency, the Kurdistan Parliament has issued a written statement saying it does not have the authority to recognise the cantons of West Kurdistan. The statement was issued in reply to the 63 deputies who had called for recognition.

In the statement, dated 29 September 2014, is the following justification for its not having the authority to grant recognition: "a request for recognition by the Kurdistan Region is necessary from the Rojava autonomous administration”.

Gorran Movement deputy Adnan Osman told RojNews that: "the Parliamentary Speaker’s disregard of the will of 63 deputies is striking." Osman added that the Speaker was making statements in line with his own ideas.