BRUSSELS, — In a written statement the Kurdish National Congress (KNK) based in Brussels has called on Europe to end its silence about the bombing of Kurdish areas by Turkish warplanes.
Turkey has been shelling the border area in southern Kurdistan (North-Iraq) for three successive days. Reports speak of settlement areas were hit. On the pretext of destroying PKK forces Turkey has bombed the area countless times.
The KNK statement points out that “for a long time the Turkish AKP government has been preparing itself for a new war. While the AKP promised at the national elections on 12th June as a priority to prepare a new democratic constitution, Turkey is now carrying out cross-border military operations and setting up a broad political operation against Kurds in the country. For weeks politicians, judiciary, security forces and media have created the basis for such a war of extermination”.
The KNK also stressed that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared at any given opportunity no one should expect good will. The knife has reached the bone; a point has been reached when words have lost their meanings. Erdogan had added that Turkey will take action with a new strategy and new methods against the PKK as well as everybody who is not distancing themselves from the PKK will pay a high price.
Simultaneously with the inciting of the public against the Kurds, the Turkish media has been discussing the “Tamil solution” to the Kurdish question. “This “Tamil solution” – reads the KNK statement – means a military solution with many thousands of deaths”.
These cross-border operations are part of a master plan. Since 16th July the Iranian military has been also carrying out cross-border operations in southern Kurdistan. That Iran will not start an occupation offensive separate from Turkey was clear. It was expected that over time the Turkish military would join in actively. The target is the siege of southern Kurdistan. Both Turkey and Iran see the existence of a Kurdish regional government as a threat and therefore they want to bring the area under their control.
The efforts of the Kurdish opposition and of the Kurdistan National Congress, says the statement “for national unity are to be suppressed. It is no secret that Turkey has been trying to involve military forces from South-Kurdistan. They try to attack the Kurdish guerrilla at the same time from three sides to destroy them. Turkey can be sure that it has the support of the international community. It had already stayed calm during the Iranian military operation”.
The KNK also expressed “serious concern that the attacks against the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan on the prison island Imrali has again increased”. Indeed since July 27 visits from his lawyers were banned for arbitrary reasons. “Only a few days ago – says the statement – the certificates of four of his attorneys were withdrawn. Kurds explain again and again that the attitude against their leader is the same as the attitude towards the Kurdish question. The AKP government blocks all opportunities for the political solution. The BDP is pushed from parliament with the withdrawal of electoral mandates and arrests; the DTK is being criminalized and is threatened by severe sanctions. The initiated dialogue with Abdullah Ocalan is abused as a delaying tactic”.
Pointing out that “Turkey is playing with fire” the KNK called on “the international community of states, primarily the European Union, to take action against the cross-border military operations undertaken by Turkey since these represent a clear offence against international law. The solution of the Kurdish question should not be addressed through military measures, but within the framework of a democratic constitution and democratic actions”.
In addition the KNK also called on “the European Government and all political parties, NGOs, peace movements and democratic forces to speak out clearly against this illegal war against the Kurds and to implement measures to stop it”.