Imrali Island Prison- Turkey: Kurdish National Leader Mr. Abdullah Ocalan had his weekly meeting with lawyers and as usual he provided his analysis of Kurdish conflict in the Middle East. In his latest meeting he said; “If a solution is not developing soon the Turkish-Kurdish conflict will remain on the agenda. Nobody is aware of this danger”. He also indicated that recently Turkey had insulted the Kurdish people in the person of Barzani, the president of Kurdistan regional government, similar to the way Israel had insulted Turks.
Highlighting the Gaza crisis between Turkey and Israel, Ocalan said: “The issue is not really Gaza; the issue is Kurdistan and the strategies that are being determined around it."
The Kurdish National Leader underlined that "Gaza is a mask; it is being used to cover the games being played around Kurdistan. The political storm created is about Kurdistan. From time to time I mention Urfa because it is a typical example and one that I know well. Urfa alone amounts to hundreds of Gaza. Thousands of women and children from Urfa are exiled to the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions every day. Fertile lands in Urfa that could feed millions have been left without water and people are being forced to migrate (looking for work). The suffering of these people is a hundred times worse than Gaza."
Going further in his analysis the Kurdish National Leader added that "without the Kurds, Israel would not be able to exist in this region, it would drown. For this reason Israel has been implementing a project for the past ten years. It is helping to form a nation-state in the south (Kurdistan), they need this. Turkey has only recently comprehended this. When the rulers of Turkey grasped this they became very angry.”
THE AKP IS AN OBSTACLE IN THE WAY OF A SOLUTION
Stating that the AKP government clearly represents an obstacle in the search of a solution, Ocalan commented, “There is a belief amongst liberal intellectuals that the AKP will create a solution. However on the contrary, the AKP is an obstacle. The AKP are in fear for their own future, this is why they are trying to form their own hegemonic power, the change in constitution is to open the path for this, and it is not done for democracy. The AKP have nothing to do with democracy, this needs to be fully understood.”
THE AKP ARE FORMING THEIR HEGEMONY USING FASCISM
Ocalan also noted that the AKP is trying to consolidate its hegemony using methods belonging to fascism and added: “The CHP (Republican People’s Party) established their 80 year hegemony by changing the 1921 constitution to the 1924 constitution, the AKP has been trying to do this since 2002. They are trying to achieve in 8 years what the CHP achieved in 80 years. In other words the AKP are a poor imitation of the CHP.”
The Kurdish National Leader went on adding that “the preservation of hegemonic power is only possible using fascism; this is what the AKP is doing. They are doing this with the support of Konya-Kayseri based Saudi capital and also global capital. Their essence is the same, only the form has changed.”
And commenting on the proposed Constitutional changes
Ocalan underlined that “there is no democratic content and nothing regarding the improvement of Kurdish rights. Not even the minimum conditions for democracy are in there. The removal of the 10% election threshold and inner-party democracy would have been a step, but even that isn’t in the proposal. In other words no steps were taken for a solution and the AKP made sure of this from the beginning and was an obstacle.”
EUROPE PREVENTED THE SOLUTION
Indicating that Europe had indeed prevented reaching a solution, Ocalan said: “In 2001-2002 Bülent Ecevit (then PM) wanted to solve the problem, people came on his behalf and also from the Chief of Staff. We had reached the point of resolution, there was going to be an amnesty when the ‘war lobby’ intervened and they discharged Ecevit. Exactly at that point, the EU declared the PKK a ‘terrorist organisation!’ Those who had not declared the PKK a ‘terrorist organisation’ during 20 years of war, decided to declare them as ‘terrorists’ on the eve of a peace solution! This is not a coincidence. Then they changed the amnesty to only include judicial criminals.”
A TURKISH-KURDISH CONFLICT MAY BE ON THE AGENDA
Highlighting that a Turkish-Kurdish conflict may be on the agenda if a solution does not develop, Ocalan warned: “The AKP has agreed with the Armed Forces to deadlock this issue. If a process for dialogue and a solution does not develop then the Turkish-Kurdish conflict they desire may come on to the agenda. Nobody is aware of this danger. I resemble this to the 1918 events in Russia and the civil war period (1791) in France following 1789. As is well known, a lot of blood was shed in these events. The Turkish-Kurdish conflict may deepen; I am carrying out my historical duty and warning everyone.”
IF IT CONTINUES IN THIS WAY SEMI-INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN WILL BE DECLARED
Recalling the PKK’s (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) target of declaring autonomy if the situation continues in this manner, Ocalan indicated: “The next step after this (declaring autonomy) could, with the support of Iran, Syria and other powers, lead to the declaration of a semi-independent Kurdistan, which would open the path for a very violent and bloody period where many people would die. They (Turkish state) are saying ‘we have a million of soldiers, we are strong, invincible, and we can beat them’ and they might, but I know the PKK, they will resist, they will not lose. However, this is not my choice. I want a democratic republic, a democratic nation, democratic homeland and democratic constitution. I prefer a democratic constitutional solution without bloodshed. Even if there is a lot of bloodshed, the result will have to be a solution; a solution will prevail in the end. I am struggling for a solution without bloodshed and pain. This is why I am calling on the BDP (Peace & Democracy Party) to develop and strengthen their democratic constitution initiative. They have to meet and discuss this with everyone, (all parties and political, intellectual circles.) An alliance can be formed with anyone that is principled regarding a democratic constitution.”
