MESOP : PKK : THE SAME DEMANDS – BUT A VERY DIFFERENT TIME TABLE APO vs. KANDIL

Kurdish Official: PKK Wants International Guarantee Before Disarming / Kurdish politician Mohammed Amin Penjweni

ERBIL – 11 March 2015 – A Kurdish official believes that in the current climate, Turkey has no choice but to agree to the 10 point plan set out by the Kurdistan’s Workers Party (PKK) and its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan. Mohammed Amin Penjweni, is a Kurdish politician who is close to PKK leaders, says there are no differences between PKK and Ocalan’s demands.

“The PKK’s demands are the same as Ocalan’s. They have offered the plan as one. The points are preconditions for the Kurdish peace process in Turkey, and they should be implemented before the coming election,” said Penjweni. He went on, “If Turkey does not accept the points before the election, the PKK will not disarm and won’t continue the peace process. “The PKK won’t lay down arms unless the constitution of Turkey is amended, or they are given an international guarantee if the amendment of the constitution is delayed until after the election. Those articles in the constitution that are against the Kurdish rights and existence of a ethnicity called Kurds shall be removed and replaced with articles acknowledging the existence of the Kurds that have the right to demand legal rights,”

Penjweni said that there is no division or disagreement between the PKK leaders regarding to the 10 points Ocalan offered. He pointed out that all PKK factions are agreed.

“It depends on Turkey. If Turkey wants to be in a stable and quiet environment, and protect its economy, they have to enforce these 10 points. They often state that the peace process will be adhered to. Turkey is obliged to agree on the points its relations with other countries are not good at the moment.” He continued, “Regional and European states, the US and Israel are all concerned about Turkish policies. Because Turkey helps Islamic State (IS) militants and assorted Muslim Brotherhood affiliated people in the country, it has marginalized them from the world. It is true that Turkey has been progressing and developed economically recently, but international pressure will oblige Turkey to abide by the peace process in today’s situation.”

Commenting on what Ocalan’s 10 point plan will do for Kurds in Turkey, Penjweni said, “There is a point that is an indication that there is not only Turks in Turkey [as it is mentioned in the constitution] but also Kurds. If this point gets amended changes will follow. Other issues with be solved with greater freedom given to minorities and ethnic groups within the state of Turkey.”

Penjweni noted that in the letter, Ocalan says, ”I ask my friends in the Qandil Mountains to hold a meeting and discuss disarmament and the advantages and disadvantages it will bring for them.” Ocalan asked them to hold the meeting this spring and make a final decision on it and commit to it.