TODAY’S MESOP OPINION : SABRI OK MAY BE 4 CANTONS IN NORTH KURDISTAN NEXT WEEK

Ok: “Now is the time for Kurds to realise their demands”

KCK Executive Council member Sabri Ok said now is the time when the Kurds can turn their wishes into reality, not merely make demands, saying: “the elections of 30 March are elections for self-government. The 4 metropolitan municipalities can be 4 cantons. The Kurds must aim for this.”

Sabri Ok answered the questions of the ANF, on the 28th anniversary of the death of PKK Commander Mahsum Korkmaz, regarding the Newroz message of Kurdish People’s leader Abdullah Öcalan and the local elections. Ok said Mahsum Korkmaz was ‘a legendary commander’ like Che Guevara and Giap, adding with regard to the process of resolution of the Kurdish question: “It will be necessary this year to immediately get the AKP to sit down with our leadership for proper legally based negotiations. If this doesn’t happen we will establish freedom and our own system in Kurdistan with our own struggle. I won’t say parting of the ways, but the path has now become clear.” Sabri Ok gave the example of Rojava as evidence that the time of making demands has passed and that the Kurds were now in a period when they could “realise those demands”. Ok then issued a call regarding the elections.

“If the BDP wins Urfa in the south west, it will win Diyarbakır in the middle, anyway, and if it wins Mardin in Botan and Van in Serhat that will be 4 metropolitan municipalities in Kurdistan, like 4 cantons. This is what the Kurds should aim for.”  Sabri Ok recalled the attacks on the Kobanê Canton in Rojava, saying: “The YPG has issued a call. In fact the people should declare this mobilisation. Kurdish youth from all parts of Kurdistan and from abroad should help defend Rojava.” Source: ANF 29.3.2014