PKK Calls for a
Democratic Solution to Kurdish issue
Kurdishaspect.com - By Karwan Simek
This week, PKK leaders have again responded to the
calls by several politicians who are requesting a
political solution to the decades-long conflict
between PKK guerillas and the Turkish military. The
KONGRA-GEL released an official declaration
reiterating their desire for negotiations with the
Turkish government.
The KONGRA-GEL declaration describes several points
for achieving a political solution to the Kurdish
question in Turkey, and has provided conditions for
the PKK's disbandment as a militant group. Seven
points were clearly highlighted in the declaration
as conditions for peace terms.
They included:
1-The recognition of Kurdish identity, and the
constitutional protection of all identities under
the citizenship of Turkey as a super-ordinate
identity.
2-The removal of all obstacles constraining the
development of the Kurdish language and culture;
the recognition of the right to an education in the
mother tongue; the acceptance of Kurdish as the
joint official language of the Kurdistan area;
respect for the cultural rights of ethnic
minorities.
3-The recognition of the right to free association
based around freedom of thought and expression, and
the removal of all inequalities not least of
gender.
4-The development of a social project for compromise
between the two peoples, through forgiveness, to
achieve peace and freedom by freeing all political
prisoners including Abdullah Ocalan and ensuring the
swift assimilation of political prisoners into
legitimate social status.
5-The retreat of all forces of the war from
Kurdistan; the abolishment of the village guard
system; the development of an economic and social
project to facilitate Kurds’ return to their
villages.
6-A rearrangement of the law to strengthen and widen
the powers of local government.
7-And parallel to the above-mentioned articles, a
timetable agreed by both sides for the inclusion of
guerrillas into a democratic social set-up through
the abandonment of arms.
The seven points along with the remaining text of
the declaration are in parallel with the various
levels of the Kurdish issue in Turkey. They include
demands for an increased social, political,
economical and cultural rights; issues that remain
in question in Turkey and have furthermore stalled
the democratic progression towards EU membership.
The declaration makes similar points to the PKK's
declaration over one year ago when they officially
offered a ceasefire. This year, Turkish officials
have not responded although several have rejected
all dialogue with the PKK and are calling for a
disbandment under no conditions.
Last year, the Turkish government refused all
negotiations and rejected the ceasefire.
