Karayılan: We will defend ourselves if attacked

ANF – Behdinan 11.05.2013 – Speaking to journalist Erdal Er about the withdrawal of Kurdish guerrillas accross the borders, Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council president Murat Karayılan said that it will witness a deadlock and guerillas will defend themselves in the event of attacks and military operations similar to those the Turkish army launched during the previous withdrawal in 1999.

Responding to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who said that the Kurdish guerrillas should go back to Kandil just like they came to Turkey from there, Karayılan said that “We didn’t come from somewhere else, we were already here since the very beginning. Eighty percent of our units got organized and joined the guerrilla from the places where they were born and grew up ,and they have never been to Media Defense Areas so far. It is true that some comrades from other parts of Kurdistan, those from the executive command, did go to the Kurdish region in Turkey and some others from Turkey went to  Media Defense Areas for training, but they are in the minority. This is why it would not be right to say that they should go back in the same way they came”. The KCK Executive Council president remarked that the withdrawal is continuing and noted that the first groups will have reached Media Defense Areas in a few days.

Karayılan evaluated the accelerated construction of military posts and dams in the Kurdish region since the truce KCK called on 23 March as opportunism, adding, “Çukurca (Hakkari’s district) has a population of nine thousand but 18 thousand military forces are currently based in and around the district which is being used as a military base. When this is the case, it puts a question mark in the minds why more and more military posts are being built in this area now. They couldn’t build those posts and dams in the region before the ceasefire because of the fact that guerrillas would prevent these constructions.

Karayılan pointed out that guerrillas were Kurdish people’s defense power responsible for defending their basic right to exist. “It would be a distortion to point them as a threat in consideration of the situation in the Middle East where all peoples are bearing arms today in an effort to defend themselves. We are not a threat but a defense against the powers threatening us. This is why the guerrilla movement exists”, he underlined and remarked that the disarmament of guerrillas could only be achieved after finalizing all phases of the resolution project and process with success”, he underlined and remarked that it would be a wrong attitude to expect thousands of guerrillas to leave arms in an instant. Karayılan said they aimed to finalize the withdrawal as soon as possible, however warning that the activity of reconnaissance airplanes would prevent the progress of the withdrawal because of the fact that guerrillas would not make a move under the supervision of reconnaissance  airplanes.

KCK Executive Council President criticized the increasing construction of dams in the Kurdish region, those on Şırnak-Hakkari line in particular, remarking that these dams aimed to submerge the lands, historical artifacts and nature of the Kurdistan territory. Karayılan called attention to the importance of the establishment of a Commission for Truth and Justice to reveal the crimes committed by both sides, the state and Kurds, and to create an environment for mutual healing.

KCK leader also criticized the Turkish state for putting all the blame on PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) regardless of the killings and unsolved murders it has committed in the Kurdish territory so far. Remarking that PKK didn’t take up arms for no reason, Karayılan said PKK was the social reaction of the Kurdish people. He underlined that peace couldn’t be achieved without facing the past and shedding light on the truths of the history, noting that they were ready to conduct all kinds of investigations and researches in the event that the state also agreed on shedding light on the mistakes of the past. He added that the commission must however give confidence about conducting a work on equal terms for both sides.

Referring to the attitude of Republican People’s Party (CHP) towards the resolution process, Karayılan said they believed CHP should also get involved in the process as the main opposition party in the country. He remarked that CHP needed to make it clear whether or not it will take part in the construction of a new Turkey on the basis of a more contemporary perspective. KCK leader noted that the formation of a democratic unity in Turkey couldn’t be achieved without the involvement of Kurds, Alewis and all other oppressed ethnicities and groups in this unity on the basis of their free will. The resolution process will progress on this basis should the Turkish government see and accept this truth, he underlined.

Referring to the constitutional amendments to be made in the resolution process, Karayılan said that the new constitution must bring democracy to Turkey, give an end to the denial of the Kurdish people, enable Kurds to lead a free life, assure equality and freedom for all other sects and belief groups, recognize the social reality instead of denial, introduce not a monist but a pluralist perspective, base on the perspective of democratic nation and embrace all circles of the society.

“Following the finalization of the first phase of the resolution process, the second phase will require the development of constitutional reforms. The Turkish Parliament should take a short but not a long holiday in this phase to ensure that the process can make a systematic progress”, he stated.

Karayılan pointed out that with the withdrawal they intended to lead to the achievement of equality and freedom for peoples, to ensure the strengthening of the resolution process and the ending of the denial of Kurds. He noted that it was therefore important for all circles siding with peace, democracy, freedom and equality in Turkey to take part in the process to display their will and demands for the future of the country. KCK leader ended his statement by calling on all democracy powers in Turkey to make a struggle for the improvement of the second phase of the resolution process.