Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chairs Leyla Güven and Berdan Öztürk, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Murat Sarısaç held a press conference at the HDP Van Provincial Organization building to express their reaction against the attacks of the South Kurdistan government.

'HISTORIC RESPONSIBILITY'

Appealing on Kurdish political parties, institutions and intellectuals, DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır said:

"All political parties and forces should take a step back from all kinds of attempts and practices that may lead to an internal conflict between the Kurds and determine their policies regarding Kurdish people’s political status and aspirations. Our people have a historic responsibility in the current process. We call on the intellectuals, politicians and opinion leaders to undertake responsibility to avoid a possible conflict among Kurdish forces and institutions.”

Emphasizing that Kurdish institutions, organizations and parties should act responsibly, Bayındır continued; “If we act with common sense and political skills, based on our own struggle and experiences on a national scale, the next century will be the century of the Kurdish people gaining their freedom, their own future and status in four parts. Regardless of the problems that may arise in this regard, dialogue channels between Kurdish political institutions and forces should never be closed. The ways of dialogue should be kept open. We want all Kurdish organizations and institutions to act with this responsibility and awareness. We hope that especially the intellectuals and opinion leaders of the Kurdish people will act with this responsibility.”

DIVIDED WE FALL

DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven enunciated that Kurds are going through a historic process and continued, "They divided Kurdistan into four parts and now they are putting dirty schemes into play seeking to create an inter-Kurdish conflict. We know these schemes. Those who have been enemies of Kurds for thousands of years can never be friends of Kurds. Kurds have preserved their life and culture throughout history in order to exist in their own lands. They paid a very heavy price. Now we are going through a critical period again. They want a price from the Kurds again. They are carrying out all kinds of massacres on Kurds: Anfal, Halabja, Ağrı, Dersim, Zilan, Roboski... All of these massacres have been experienced due to the lack of an alliance among the Kurds.”

REACTION TO BARZANI

Addressing her remarks to the KDP President Masoud Barzani, Güven continued: "Step by step Turkey situates MIT (Turkish intelligence service) to South Kurdistan. They scheme against the Kurds in an attempt to stir up a conflict and fight. We hereby appeal to Masoud Barzani who said ‘We no longer accept being a brother killer’: End Birakûji (Fratricide in Kurdish). Who are those who want to make us confront each other? Those who gave Abdullah Öcalan to Turkey in 1999 through a conspiracy and those who want Turkey to be guardian are the same forces. Those who denied the referendum in Southern Kurdistan are the same people. They are people who say, "You cannot determine your own destiny on your own land." So, who are these forces? While Rojava women and men who protect their lands are fighting against ISIS gangs, those who want Kobanê to fall are the same forces that want to take Rojava from the Kurds. The same forces scheme in South Kurdistan today.”

'WE CANNOT REMAIN SILENT'

Güven, who expressed that they cannot remain silent against any conflict and war that will take place in the South Kurdistan region, conveyed that “South Kurdistan is ours, so is North Kurdistan. East and West are ours too. Kurdistan was one piece. The occupiers divided it into four parts. But they cannot divide our feelings and thoughts, because they are one. Whenever there is an invasion in South Kurdistan, Bakur, Bashur, Rojhilat and Rojava, Kurds respond together at the same time. We are never separate. We are one. We don't want to face each other.

We do not want the occupying states to come to help us. We have to come to ourselves. We are self-sufficient. We have heroes and courage. We are political and prudent. We don't need anyone. Now we are removing ISIS gangs from our land. We can do this, but we cannot get together. We shouldn't make polarization among the parties. There is no distinction between DTP, HDP, PUK. We are one party. We are the general party of Kurdistan. We are one soul on all four parts. Our only salvation is here.”

Emphasizing the need to end the tension and ensure Kurdish national unity, Güven continued, “There are two people who will play their role for national unity. One is Masoud Barzani and the other is Kurdish People's Leader Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. Mr. Öcalan is under arrest. In this case, Masoud Barzani has a big role. Here I am calling out to Masoud Barzani: You have to secure the Kurdish alliance. We have no other way than this. You have to play your part.”