Surge in terrorism leaves Kurdish supporters of peace helpless
Source: Todayszaman
Amid increasing terrorist attacks by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Kurdish intellectuals and politicians who have long supported peaceful activism over terrorism as a means to achieve their political goals are expressing dismay over recent developments and saying that there is no good reason for the PKK's terrorist attacks.
The wave of PKK attacks and the state's response to them has caused an abrupt change of tone and heightened the prospects for intensified conflict. The Turkish armed forces could launch a ground incursion against militants in northern Iraq, following up on a new round of air assaults, the first in the area since July 2010.
Kurdish writer Muhsin Kızılkaya said that supporters of peace are at loss. “We are in a position that leaves us speechless. It is impossible to comment on the PKK attack in Çukurca,” he said, referring to an ambush by PKK members on a military convoy in Hakkari province’s Çukurca district near the Iraqi border in southeastern Turkey, in which nine soldiers and a member of the state-backed village guard militia were killed. “The PKK says that its attacks are in response to Turkish military operations. However, pro-PKK press organizations say that the number of the Turkish soldiers killed last year was higher than the number of PKK members,” Kızılkaya said, adding that the Turkish government should act within the rule of law no matter what the conditions are. “For the first time, this government has been trying to employ democratic means in order to solve the Kurdish problem. Still, the government should not forget about healing the old wounds while trying to address the urgent problems,” he said.
Fethullah Erbaş, a former deputy from the southeastern province of Van, said that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has been staying within the rule of law in its fight against terrorism. “What is the PKK trying to do? Attacks have increased following the elections,” he said adding that the PKK may be being used by outside forces that are uncomfortable with Turkey’s influence in the region. “Turkey called on Syria not to attack its own people for humanitarian reasons, but this is not the way it is understood there,” Erbaş said, hinting that forces close to the Syrian regime might wish to trigger political and economic unrest in Turkey.
Writer Ümit Fırat agrees that some forces may be trying to pull Turkey into an environment of chaos like that of the 1990s. “Those forces believe that if Turkey becomes like a country like the one it was in the 1990s, there will be no competition in the region as far as democratization goes. The government should not fall into this trap,” he said. According to Fırat, the government has made a lot of progress with its Kurdish initiative and should not allow terrorism to destroy that.
Last month, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan sent word through his lawyers that he had agreed with Turkish officials to set up a “peace council” aimed at ending the conflict. Öcalan said the council should be formed within one month, although it was unclear what form it would take. His proposal came a month after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AK Party was elected to a third term, and two months after Öcalan threatened war unless the government entered talks with the PKK. But on Wednesday Erdoğan had harsh words: “From now on there is nothing to talk about. We will see what happens,” he said.
Ayhan Bilgen from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said that “the conversation should not end” in the process of peace. “Maybe this is just the right time to extend the peace pipe. Otherwise, there will be chaos. We know that this land has been witness to many painful events,” he said.
Recep Doğaner of the Kurdish Intellectuals Group said that peace cannot be obtained with weapons. “We need self-critique on each side. Democracy, rights and freedom should not be compromised. There is a need to continue the talks on democratic ground,” he said.
The Turkey Peace Assembly’s Hakan Tahmaz said that they don’t accept the prime minister’s statement that “there will be no more talks,” and it is violence that should be silenced. “We call on the government to take practical steps to open the way for a political solution. There is a need for change in the laws and constitution,” he said.
Along the same lines, lawyer and politician Mahmut Alınak said that “The blood could stop with one sentence from the prime minister. If he says that he will open democratic channels, the PKK will suspend its armed struggle.”
On Thursday Turkey continued with its second day of heavy air and artillery assault on PKK targets in northern Iraq, following a declaration by Prime Minister Erdoğan that he had lost patience with separatists fighting in southeastern Turkey.
Amid increasing terrorist attacks by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Kurdish intellectuals and politicians who have long supported peaceful activism over terrorism as a means to achieve their political goals are expressing dismay over recent developments and saying that there is no good reason for the PKK's terrorist attacks.
The wave of PKK attacks and the state's response to them has caused an abrupt change of tone and heightened the prospects for intensified conflict. The Turkish armed forces could launch a ground incursion against militants in northern Iraq, following up on a new round of air assaults, the first in the area since July 2010.
Kurdish writer Muhsin Kızılkaya said that supporters of peace are at loss. “We are in a position that leaves us speechless. It is impossible to comment on the PKK attack in Çukurca,” he said, referring to an ambush by PKK members on a military convoy in Hakkari province’s Çukurca district near the Iraqi border in southeastern Turkey, in which nine soldiers and a member of the state-backed village guard militia were killed. “The PKK says that its attacks are in response to Turkish military operations. However, pro-PKK press organizations say that the number of the Turkish soldiers killed last year was higher than the number of PKK members,” Kızılkaya said, adding that the Turkish government should act within the rule of law no matter what the conditions are. “For the first time, this government has been trying to employ democratic means in order to solve the Kurdish problem. Still, the government should not forget about healing the old wounds while trying to address the urgent problems,” he said.
Fethullah Erbaş, a former deputy from the southeastern province of Van, said that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has been staying within the rule of law in its fight against terrorism. “What is the PKK trying to do? Attacks have increased following the elections,” he said adding that the PKK may be being used by outside forces that are uncomfortable with Turkey’s influence in the region. “Turkey called on Syria not to attack its own people for humanitarian reasons, but this is not the way it is understood there,” Erbaş said, hinting that forces close to the Syrian regime might wish to trigger political and economic unrest in Turkey.
Writer Ümit Fırat agrees that some forces may be trying to pull Turkey into an environment of chaos like that of the 1990s. “Those forces believe that if Turkey becomes like a country like the one it was in the 1990s, there will be no competition in the region as far as democratization goes. The government should not fall into this trap,” he said. According to Fırat, the government has made a lot of progress with its Kurdish initiative and should not allow terrorism to destroy that.
Last month, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan sent word through his lawyers that he had agreed with Turkish officials to set up a “peace council” aimed at ending the conflict. Öcalan said the council should be formed within one month, although it was unclear what form it would take. His proposal came a month after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AK Party was elected to a third term, and two months after Öcalan threatened war unless the government entered talks with the PKK. But on Wednesday Erdoğan had harsh words: “From now on there is nothing to talk about. We will see what happens,” he said.
Ayhan Bilgen from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said that “the conversation should not end” in the process of peace. “Maybe this is just the right time to extend the peace pipe. Otherwise, there will be chaos. We know that this land has been witness to many painful events,” he said.
Recep Doğaner of the Kurdish Intellectuals Group said that peace cannot be obtained with weapons. “We need self-critique on each side. Democracy, rights and freedom should not be compromised. There is a need to continue the talks on democratic ground,” he said.
The Turkey Peace Assembly’s Hakan Tahmaz said that they don’t accept the prime minister’s statement that “there will be no more talks,” and it is violence that should be silenced. “We call on the government to take practical steps to open the way for a political solution. There is a need for change in the laws and constitution,” he said.
Along the same lines, lawyer and politician Mahmut Alınak said that “The blood could stop with one sentence from the prime minister. If he says that he will open democratic channels, the PKK will suspend its armed struggle.”
On Thursday Turkey continued with its second day of heavy air and artillery assault on PKK targets in northern Iraq, following a declaration by Prime Minister Erdoğan that he had lost patience with separatists fighting in southeastern Turkey.
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