The withdrawal of HPG (People's Defense Forces) guerrillas from northern Kurdistan to Media Defense Areas is going on. The first group of guerrillas had reached the guerrilla-controlled area on 15 May after the historic call Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan made to the Kurdish movement on Newroz Day, 21 March, in Amed to withdraw from Turkish borders in the scope of the ongoing peace process.

Three groups from Bingöl, Amed and Garzan have reached the guerrilla-controlled area on Sunday.

Speaking at the press conference after the arrival of the three groups, HPG Command Council member Bawer Dersim evaluated the increasing military activity in the Kurdish region as preparation for war and pointed out that they had suspects over the government's dilatory attitude towards the ongoing peace process in search of a democratic solution to the Kurdish question.

Referring to the release of detained Turkish officials by HPG and the steps the Kurdish side has taken since the beginning of the peace process, Dersim said that the majority of the guerrilla groups in northern Kurdistan have reached Media Defense Areas by now. Dersim remarked that the guerrilla units in Koçgiri and Black Sea regions are currently on their way to guerrilla areas in Behdinan.

Remarking that the Kurdish liberation movement has performed all its duties and responsibilities required by the peace process, Dersim pointed out that the AKP government has however taken no steps so far for the progress of process. Dersim said the construction of new military posts is going on in the Kurdish region where -he added- there has also been an increase in the number of village guards employed by the state. "Special operation teams are also still present in the Kurdish region, while on the other hand there has been a remarkable increase in the activity of Turkish reconnaissance airplanes in all parts of Media Defense Areas. This military activity is giving provocative messages as the Turkish state should have suspended its military activities as a requirement of the peace process which began basing on the thought that arms should be silenced and replaced by democratic politics. However, the Turkish state is still giving the same messages”.

Dersim criticized the AKP government for slowing the process down and being after a political gain by planning to ensure a non-conflict environment before the elections to take place in 2014. “This policy will bring nothing to Turks nor Kurds”, he underlined.

Dersim noted that the government should at least take some steps of goodwill as the first phase of the democratic solution process, the withdrawal of Kurdish guerrillas across Turkish borders, has almost been finalized by now. Dersim remarked that the government should primarily enable Öcalan's more effective participation in the process by giving an end to the conditions of isolation he is being subject to. Dersim listed the following major points the government is supposed to practice in the current process; the release of KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) detainees, amendment of the electoral law, a consequence of the 12 September military coup, removal of the ten percent election threshold that doesn't allow the representation of the people's will and the abolishment of the anti-terror law.

Dersim pointed out that the withdrawal of Kurdish guerrillas will make no sense unless these steps are taken in the current process. The AKP government's efforts to make this process meaningless will lead up to various difficulties in the peace process, he warned and remarked that the process will face further difficulties in the event that the AK Party doesn't undergo a change in its policy.