Abdullah Öcalan: New mechanism needed to advance progress

ANF, ─ BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) parliamentary group deputy chair İdris Baluken spoke to Sterk Tv about Monday’s meeting with Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı prison. Baluken was accompanied by Pervin Buldan while co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş was prevented from going to the island.

Baluken said Öcalan said that he continued to work intensively on the project he has put forward for the achievement of a solution to the Kurdish question.

“Mr. Öcalan states that he is working for one year now and the result of his efforts have enabled the allayment of public concerns as well as a remarkable progress towards a solution. He expresses that the government’s opportunist and unilateral approach towards the process has however created critical problems to the creation of a favourable environment and the start of a negotiation process”, Baluken said.

Baluken said Öcalan put emphasis on the fact that it was indispensable for the government to launch a deeper negotiation process and to take some urgent steps in order for the continuation of the process.

Baluken remarked that the Kurdish leader thought his deep work for peace should get legal recognition and the state should also perform some work on a legal basis.

BDP group deputy chair said Öcalan suggests that a third mechanism should come into play at this stage to monitor the equity of the process. “He defines this third power as a Commission of Wise People to monitor the process. He says the state should provide some urgent conditions to ensure a legal, legitimate and righteous aspect to the work he carried out in İmralı, and remarks that these steps will pave the way for a deeper negotiation process”, Baluken said.

“The government has so far failed to satisfy the expectations for a solution, with many major problems ahead of us still waiting to be resolved today, Baluken quoted the Kurdish leader as saying and stressed that Öcalan expected to get an answer soon from the state’s delegation about the proposals he has submitted to the government for the continuation of the resolution process. BDP deputy said Öcalan attached importance to the talks he is having with the delegation representing the state.

The Kurdish leader – Baluken added – thinks the government should abandon its current reluctant approach towards the process and begin a new mechanism in order for the initiation of a deep negotiation process aimed at permanent peace, and attach priority to the solution rather than focusing only on the coming elections.

Referring to the declaration KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) has recently released in response to the democratisation package announced by the government, Baluken remarked that Öcalan said he followed the reports on the declaration through media, and thought the declaration made right points and remarks.

According to Baluken, Öcalan stresses that the Kurdish people should in the current process should work to realise the eight dimensional democratic nation project he has envisaged rather than expecting the Turkish state to concede and make arrangements to this end.

Baluken said Öcalan also commented on recent developments in Rojava and called for further solidarity with the people and struggle in West Kurdistan.

“He is closely following the developments in Rojava from his prison. He states that some urgent steps should be taken to ensure the institutionalization of the accomplishments gained in Rojava. In response to the attacks by gang groups, he says that the self-defense mechanisms should be added further dimensions”, Baluken underlined and noted that the Kurdish leader extended his condolences to PYD (Democratic Union Party) co-chair Saleh Muslim and his family, and the Kurdish people, for the death of Shervan Muslim.

Baluken said Öcalan suggested the gathering of a Democratic Islamic Congress in the main Kurdish city Diyarbakır/Amed in order to expose of the true face of these gang groups.

BDP group deputy chair noted that Öcalan also directed criticism at Turkey’s and South Kurdistan’s Rojava policy.

Referring to the wall Turkey is currently building between Mardin’s Nusaybin district and the Qamishlo city in West Kurdistan, Öcalan – Baluken said – remarked that this wall aimed to bring about a Kurdish-Turkish conflict and meant bringing the Palestine-Israel conflict to these lands. The Kurdish leader said the state should immediately correct this mistake, Baluken noted.

Öcalan – said Baluken – also underlined that the blockade and embargo on border gates, the ongoing closure of the Semelka border gate in South Kurdistan in particular, is unacceptable and has today become a cruelty against the people in Rojava. He said the political powers in South Kurdistan and the KDP should abandon their current pointless approach towards Rojava and replace it with a new approach corresponding to the spirit of Kurdish National Congress.

“He also put emphasis on how important the struggle of Rojava people is, and pointed out that this struggle will accomplish a result and should be adopted and supported by the Kurdish people in four parts of Kurdistan as well”, Baluken added.

FIRAT NEWS AGENCY