What will the Kurds do after the referendum?
What will the Kurds do after the referendum?
The statement from the chair of the Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Communities Congress (KCK) Murat Karaylan of last week and its consequences have been discussed for days. Karaylan is expected to pronounce the decision regarding the future of the clashes which have increased since 1 June. The reasons for KCK to make such a statement are also discussed widely.
Therefore, we had better look at what Karaylan said about this issue. In his interview with ANF on 6 August Karaylan said: “There is a message from our leadership on how to handle the process. Our movement has been discussing about this message for the last two weeks. We are to declare our conclusions from this message next week. Within this framework we will also share our plan regarding Democratic Autonomy.
This statement raised the hope for a ceasefire declared to be KCK. However, the circumstances in which such a basis will be provided remain unclear. Whether is will be non-conflict limited to a certain of period or what are the expectations from Ankara? The answers will be found in the expected statement. According to the schedule the statement will be released in a couple of days. Boycott and autonomy will become prominent On the other hand; even if the clashes are suspend the referendum boycott and demands for democratic autonomy will become prominent in the cities. It will be undermining to consider the boycott decision and autonomy demand of the Kurds as conjectural political manoeuvres aiming at creating an artificial agenda. Boycott and autonomy decisions are the expression of the Kurds’ strong will in terms of changing the nation-state structure which was brought under 1924 Constitution. It is likely to witness more demonstrations in the streets for the Kurdish demands until the referendum. And it will not be surprising if democratic autonomy is declared after the referendum.
However, the discussions started after the statement from Karaylan are in need of an explanation. The ‘choir’ singing always the same song that “The PKK has lost its power and trying to gain time for winter logistics” is not followed by its supporters anymore. This situation can be considered as an improvement for the supporters however, there have been no concrete steps to verify this improvement. What is claimed today is that “PKK has lost its support from the locals after recent attacks, people in the street are reactive against the PKK, Kurdish intellectuals are quite unhappy with the current situation.” Therefore, “as the PKK is losing its support which it has held since 1 June” it will declare a ceasefire. Moreover, some so-called experts stating how happy they are that they can see the Kurdish people challenging the PKK. Although it is a big lie, they like the Kurds while challenging other Kurds. In fact they don’t like the Kurd rebelling but letting them to pat him in the back.
Like it has happened in the previous cease fires, the mutual will of the KCK and Abdullah Öcalan is insistently ignored and the eyes turned blind in the face of this fact. This approach of denying which cannot exceed traditional approach of nation-state has been supported with provocations and previous ceasefires were prevented from becoming permanent. These groups which consider war as the only way to sustain the power keep disseminating their propaganda by the means of the media controlled by them. Kurdish people standing behind the Kurdistan Freedom Movement is being ignored and Kurds remain invisible. And nobody is proposing any solutions in order to make the expected ceasefire sustainable, unlike the previous ones.
The incident in Batman
The campaign started after Salih Özdemir, Sadi Özdemir Sýdýk Özdemir and Sedat Özevin have lost their lives in a explosion caused by a mine in Batman province is the most obvious example of above mentioned approach. These people who were members of Kurdistan struggle themselves were alleged to have been killed by a landmine planted by the PKK. However, the statements of Murat Karayýlan concerning the landmine used in the attack are remarkable. Expressing his condolences Karayýlan also said: “In this incidents persons who put great effort in the Kurdistan democracy and freedom struggle lost their lives. I knew Salih Özdemir in person. He was a man of struggle with whom we have been talking on the phone or meeting in person sine 1991. He was reputable, democrat and a genuine patriot. The efforts of Salih Özdemir, his brother Sadi Özdemir work at the Human Rights Association (IHD) as well as their other brother Sýdýk Özdemir’s patriotic activities are know to us. These are the people who genuinely contributed the freedom movement of the Kurdish people. Therefore, it is out of question to target such people.
We share the pain of their families and sending them our sympathy. These people were loyal to the revolution for which they worked hard and devotedly. We recognise them as martyrs of democracy. We also investigate the incident. They are questions to be answered. For example, it is not our guerrillas’ style to land mines as they use remote controlled road side bombs. Who were they? What they realised such an attack? These are serious question marks for us. And this attack is unacceptable and not legitimate.”
Although BDP officials went to Batman on the day of the explosion and paid a visit to the family in order to pass their condolences which was also covered by the Turkish media, in her column in Haber Turk Newspaper of 10 August Amberin Zaman wrote so: “Those who planted the mine were most likely to be PKK members. And because it was so BDP officials neither denounced the attack not visit the families of the victims.” Then referring to the above mentioned statement by Murat Karayýlan Zaman Newspaper wrote “due to reaction” the organisation is taking steps in order to investigate the incident. However, it fails to report the sentence of ‘suspicious, unusual land mine’. Zaman also does not omit to use the official jargon concerning “thorough investigation” which has never been stated to be started by the officials. Considering the fact that there is no difficult for reaching the sources and information, writing such reports and columns cannot be considered to have been written with good faith but malicious intentions. The letter from Tutu and the approach of the Turkish media
A similar approach was performed in relation to the letter sent to PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan by Desmont Tutu, the chief architect Peace in South African in which he was proposing a peaceful democratic solution for the Kurdish problem. In his letter which he sent to Turkish Embassy in London in order to be conveyed to the Turkish PM Tutu wrote to Erdogan: “If you show the sensitivity which you showed to the Palestinians and solve this problem you will be another Nelson Mandela.” He has also mentioned that the way to the solution passes through dialog with the Kurdistan Freedom Movement. However, the Embassy while forgetting diplomatic kindness rejected the letter by one of the most prestigious person working for peace. Turkish media is dead silent. Nobody has asked the PM Erdogan or the Foreign Minister “Why’? Ahmet Altan who wrote about the letter in this column warned Erdogan about missing the chance to be Mandela. However, he even did not bother to ask “Why did you refused to receive the letter Mr. Prime Minister?”
Let us think the other way around. If Desmond sent this letter to Abdullah Öcalan or to KCK and the letter was rejected, what kind of title would Ahmet Altan have used? How would he handle this issue? It is getting harder to keep consciences clean, day by day.
Therefore, we had better look at what Karaylan said about this issue. In his interview with ANF on 6 August Karaylan said: “There is a message from our leadership on how to handle the process. Our movement has been discussing about this message for the last two weeks. We are to declare our conclusions from this message next week. Within this framework we will also share our plan regarding Democratic Autonomy.
This statement raised the hope for a ceasefire declared to be KCK. However, the circumstances in which such a basis will be provided remain unclear. Whether is will be non-conflict limited to a certain of period or what are the expectations from Ankara? The answers will be found in the expected statement. According to the schedule the statement will be released in a couple of days. Boycott and autonomy will become prominent On the other hand; even if the clashes are suspend the referendum boycott and demands for democratic autonomy will become prominent in the cities. It will be undermining to consider the boycott decision and autonomy demand of the Kurds as conjectural political manoeuvres aiming at creating an artificial agenda. Boycott and autonomy decisions are the expression of the Kurds’ strong will in terms of changing the nation-state structure which was brought under 1924 Constitution. It is likely to witness more demonstrations in the streets for the Kurdish demands until the referendum. And it will not be surprising if democratic autonomy is declared after the referendum.
However, the discussions started after the statement from Karaylan are in need of an explanation. The ‘choir’ singing always the same song that “The PKK has lost its power and trying to gain time for winter logistics” is not followed by its supporters anymore. This situation can be considered as an improvement for the supporters however, there have been no concrete steps to verify this improvement. What is claimed today is that “PKK has lost its support from the locals after recent attacks, people in the street are reactive against the PKK, Kurdish intellectuals are quite unhappy with the current situation.” Therefore, “as the PKK is losing its support which it has held since 1 June” it will declare a ceasefire. Moreover, some so-called experts stating how happy they are that they can see the Kurdish people challenging the PKK. Although it is a big lie, they like the Kurds while challenging other Kurds. In fact they don’t like the Kurd rebelling but letting them to pat him in the back.
Like it has happened in the previous cease fires, the mutual will of the KCK and Abdullah Öcalan is insistently ignored and the eyes turned blind in the face of this fact. This approach of denying which cannot exceed traditional approach of nation-state has been supported with provocations and previous ceasefires were prevented from becoming permanent. These groups which consider war as the only way to sustain the power keep disseminating their propaganda by the means of the media controlled by them. Kurdish people standing behind the Kurdistan Freedom Movement is being ignored and Kurds remain invisible. And nobody is proposing any solutions in order to make the expected ceasefire sustainable, unlike the previous ones.
The incident in Batman
The campaign started after Salih Özdemir, Sadi Özdemir Sýdýk Özdemir and Sedat Özevin have lost their lives in a explosion caused by a mine in Batman province is the most obvious example of above mentioned approach. These people who were members of Kurdistan struggle themselves were alleged to have been killed by a landmine planted by the PKK. However, the statements of Murat Karayýlan concerning the landmine used in the attack are remarkable. Expressing his condolences Karayýlan also said: “In this incidents persons who put great effort in the Kurdistan democracy and freedom struggle lost their lives. I knew Salih Özdemir in person. He was a man of struggle with whom we have been talking on the phone or meeting in person sine 1991. He was reputable, democrat and a genuine patriot. The efforts of Salih Özdemir, his brother Sadi Özdemir work at the Human Rights Association (IHD) as well as their other brother Sýdýk Özdemir’s patriotic activities are know to us. These are the people who genuinely contributed the freedom movement of the Kurdish people. Therefore, it is out of question to target such people.
We share the pain of their families and sending them our sympathy. These people were loyal to the revolution for which they worked hard and devotedly. We recognise them as martyrs of democracy. We also investigate the incident. They are questions to be answered. For example, it is not our guerrillas’ style to land mines as they use remote controlled road side bombs. Who were they? What they realised such an attack? These are serious question marks for us. And this attack is unacceptable and not legitimate.”
Although BDP officials went to Batman on the day of the explosion and paid a visit to the family in order to pass their condolences which was also covered by the Turkish media, in her column in Haber Turk Newspaper of 10 August Amberin Zaman wrote so: “Those who planted the mine were most likely to be PKK members. And because it was so BDP officials neither denounced the attack not visit the families of the victims.” Then referring to the above mentioned statement by Murat Karayýlan Zaman Newspaper wrote “due to reaction” the organisation is taking steps in order to investigate the incident. However, it fails to report the sentence of ‘suspicious, unusual land mine’. Zaman also does not omit to use the official jargon concerning “thorough investigation” which has never been stated to be started by the officials. Considering the fact that there is no difficult for reaching the sources and information, writing such reports and columns cannot be considered to have been written with good faith but malicious intentions. The letter from Tutu and the approach of the Turkish media
A similar approach was performed in relation to the letter sent to PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan by Desmont Tutu, the chief architect Peace in South African in which he was proposing a peaceful democratic solution for the Kurdish problem. In his letter which he sent to Turkish Embassy in London in order to be conveyed to the Turkish PM Tutu wrote to Erdogan: “If you show the sensitivity which you showed to the Palestinians and solve this problem you will be another Nelson Mandela.” He has also mentioned that the way to the solution passes through dialog with the Kurdistan Freedom Movement. However, the Embassy while forgetting diplomatic kindness rejected the letter by one of the most prestigious person working for peace. Turkish media is dead silent. Nobody has asked the PM Erdogan or the Foreign Minister “Why’? Ahmet Altan who wrote about the letter in this column warned Erdogan about missing the chance to be Mandela. However, he even did not bother to ask “Why did you refused to receive the letter Mr. Prime Minister?”
Let us think the other way around. If Desmond sent this letter to Abdullah Öcalan or to KCK and the letter was rejected, what kind of title would Ahmet Altan have used? How would he handle this issue? It is getting harder to keep consciences clean, day by day.
