Friday, September 17, 2010

Hakkari attack is a message to Ahtisaari

The timing of yesterday' attack against a minibus carrying civilians in Hakkari that killed 10 shows us that this is a well planned act with political motivations.

Hakkari is the heart of Kurdish uprising for the last few years. Kurdish guerrillas are very active in the region and public support is at the highest level.

In the last constitutional referendum Hakkari Kurds joined the boycott campaign of the Peace and Democracy Party. Only 7 percent of the voters casted their ballots. Considering the military officers, clerks and policemen participation the boycott proportion is about 98 percent.

The city's continuous resistance has a spiritual effect on Kurdish movement in other parts of Kurdistan. Traditionally Hakkari is the center of Kurdish uprisings since 19th century. It's a smallest city in north Kurdistan but the strongest in terms of resistance against Turkish oppressive policies.

In 1990's Nusaybin and Cizre had the same role. The civil uprising in 1990 was crashed by Turkish army. Nearly one thousand Kurds were killed in both towns between 1990-98 by Turkish forces Some were kidnapped and killed, some were detained and never seen again. This operation was a well planned act. The aim was to stop the resistance in both towns.

The very same operation is now started with yesterdays bomb attack in Hakkari.

The attack was carried out just days before Kurdistan Workers Party's (PKK) unilateral ceasefire's over and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisari's visit.

An international mediator best known for his work in Kosova crisis Ahtisaari was visiting Kurdistan to see some chance of peace talks or negotiations between Turkish and Kurdish side.

The attackers gave a clear message to Ahtisaari that Turkish side's intentions are to solve the Kurdish Question by military methods.

And it will definitely effect PKK's decision on unilateral ceasefire. The ceasefire will be over on Monday and PKK is still considering whether or not extending it.

The attack in Hakkari marks a new era for Kurdish struggle. It's clear that Turkish state will us every method to crash Kurdish resistance in the near future although PKK intention is to solve the problem by peaceful negotiations.

ANF / NEWS DESK

ANF NEWS AGENCY