ANF, BEHDINAN — People’s Defense Center (NPG) member Delal Amed, People’s Defense Forces (HPG) Military Council members Bawer Dersim and Gülistan Gülhat issued a press conference at the Media Defense Areas in Behdinan on Monday. The press conference was also joined by 80 guerrillas who have recently finalized their withdrawal from Dersim to Media Defense Areas.
Reading the press statement about the withdrawal of Kurdish guerillas from northern Kurdistan and the democratic resolution process, Delal Amed strongly responded to the allegations of Turkish government and Prime Minister Erdoğan about the withdrawal process.
Amed remarked that the Kurdish Freedom Movement has played an active part and put significant decisions into practice in the new historic process Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan initiated on 21 March 2013 with an aim to achieve a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish question and democratization in Turkey.
Amed pointed out that HPG has fulfilled all its responsibilities and displayed determination in order for the accomplishment of the democratic resolution process, reminding that the Kurdish movement released the Turkish officials it held on 13 March, announced ceasefire on 23 March and started the withdrawal process on 8 May. Amed noted that the first group of guerrillas withdrawing from northern Kurdistan reached Media Defense Areas on 14 May.
Amed underlined that “In response to our leader’s and movement’s determination to ensure the advancement of the process, the AKP government has taken no concrete steps so far apart from ending its expansive military operations. Soon after the beginning of the withdrawal process, the government reinforced all military bases and guard posts in northern Kurdistan, replaced the war weary staff and buildings with new ones, started the construction of new posts, enhanced not only the reinforcement of old posts but also the building of dams and roads for the military, employed further village guards and carried out reconnaissance activities with unmanned aerial vehicles in all guerrilla-controlled areas in southern and northern Kurdistan”.
Amed remarked that the AKP government has been insisting on not starting the second phase of the resolution process which was supposed to begin in June, adding that the second phase required steps by the government and political bodies in the country. Amed added that nor has the government ended the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan and to brought his health, security and freedom problems to the agenda. Amed noted that the laws bearing hostility against Kurds have also remained unchanged within this process.
Amed criticized the AKP government for ignoring its responsibility for the second stage and trying to lay the burden of its policy and attitude on the Kurdish movement. He also criticized the government for claiming that only 20 percent of guerrillas have withdrawn from Turkish borders so far, and describing guerrillas as “children, women, old or untrained people”.
Amed remarked that the Kurdish movement has never avoided displaying transparency since the beginning of the resolution process. He commented the distortion of facts as an attitude wasting the historic opportunity to come up with a solution to Turkey’s basic problem, and denying the effort and determination of the Kurdish movement. Amed said the government has also used the Wise People Commission as a propaganda group explaining the process to the public, instead of giving them a role to monitor, follow and resolve the problems in the country.
Amed underlined that the Kurdish movement has made self-sacrifice and left aside its opportunities to enhance the war in order for the achievement of peace and a democratic solution. “However, Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan’s disregarding of all our efforts manifests his lack of goodwill. The Kurdish leader and movement have not ended this process yet, it is still continuing. However, if the AKP government continues to take no steps and brings the process to a deadlock, HPG will be ready to position for war and to step in in an effective manner”, he underlined.
Amed continued saying that “We clearly say that we are being sincere and aiming a real resolution. However, those who do not play the same sincerity towards the solution of the historical Kurdish question and intend to let our leader down will be doomed in the face of history and get the answer they deserve. Our people and the public opinion should know that within this historic process, HPG will be fulfilling all its responsibilities and achieve to play its part”.
Firat News Agency