MESOP OPINION : Osman Ocalan – PKK policies damage Kurdish interests

25.05.2014 – BasNews, Erbil – The brother of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan openly criticized PKK policies and warned that they were fueling resentment between Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian Kurdistan. “Unfortunately the PKK wants to solve issues with war and this destabilizes the south, north and west Kurdistan [Iraq, Turkey and Syria] and this is not in the Kurds’ interests,” said Ocalan in an interview published on the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official website.Ocalan also criticized PKK leader, Cemil Bayık, and described him as an anti-nationalist.

The former PKK member warned that the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) is also under PKK influence and that they are also harming Kurdish interests. “Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani is pushing for Kurdish freedom and opposes the internal war among Kurds, but PKK and Qandil in cooperation with the regional states are trying to undermine these achievements,” said Ocalan.

According to him, KDP is the mother of all Kurdish movements aiming to protect Kurds and build an independent Kurdish state. “If the Kurdistan Region continues this way it will be part of the developed countries in 10 years,” added Ocalan. Before he left the PKK several years ago, Ocalan was one of the leaders. He now lives in Koya, Kurdistan Region and is an independent politician.