Kurdish opposition believes autonomy the only way for peace

A top Kurdish political organization has said the settlement of the Kurdish issue can only be achieved by granting autonomy to Turkey's predominantly Kurdish Southeast, while offering its support to terrorists that built barricades with explosives to create liberated zones in some towns.

The Democratic Society Congress (DTK) claimed in a declaration on Sunday that the armed resistance in towns where the terrorists declared autonomy would be successful. The DTK declaration came following a two-day extraordinary congress in Diyarbakır over the weekend, during which Kurdish self-rule was discussed.

There has been heavy fighting for several weeks in places like Sur, Cizre and Silopi between security forces and members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The PKK terrorists dug trenches and built makeshift barricades with booby-trapped explosives in the streets in some parts of towns as part of an effort toward self-rule. The DTK, which is considered a sort of Kurdish parliament, is closely linked with the PKK and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

Describing the PKK's fight against the security forces as right and legitimate, the DTK said in its final declaration, “This resistance will surely succeed.” The DTK statement also argued the democratization of Turkey will only be possible by creating autonomous regions across the country, which could be composed of one or several provinces.

Underlining that demands for democracy and freedom are in essence demands for some political status, the statement said the settlement of the issue should be pursued through negotiations.

The statement called for the reopening of channels of dialogue and negotiations for the settlement of the Kurdish issue and said it is necessary for Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK's jailed leader, to be released for the process to proceed smoothly.

In the DTK's final 14-article declaration, the Kurdish opposition in Turkey clearly outlined for the first time what its demands regarding self-rule are. The declaration also suggests drawing up a new constitution for the new political structure.

Other than the creation of autonomous regions, here are excerpts from the articles of the DTK declaration:

-- The autonomous regions would have their own parliaments and executive branches in line with a new democratic constitution, which would be drawn up.
-- The regions would be represented in the central legislative and executive branches.
-- The central government would lose all tutelage over the regions, including the removal of those elected representatives in the regions by the central government.
-- The justice system would be reorganized in line with the autonomous region model.
-- Autonomous regions would have a share of production from the natural resources in their region.
-- The formation of local security forces to serve under the control of the autonomous region.

The DTK said the declaration is open for discussion and proposals to reach a compromise.

• Demirtaş says Kurds may have independent states

HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş said on Saturday that Kurds may have federal states, autonomous regions or even independent states in the future, arguing this century will be the century of the Kurds.

Demirtaş's comments reveal the aspiration of Kurds in various countries in the Middle East, including Turkey, to have autonomy and independence. He offered support to PKK terrorists who dug trenches in some towns. In a veiled reference to the ongoing fight between PKK members and security forces in urban areas, Demirtaş said at the meeting, “This resistance will end in victory.”

Demirtaş also accused the government of trying to resolve the Kurdish issue by force instead of negotiations. Selma Irmak, a co-chair of the DTK who delivered a speech in Kurdish on the first day of the congress, said: “We are extending our hand [for a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish issue] for the last time. We will not give up [demanding] autonomy.”

The settlement process the ruling AK Party launched with the PKK's Öcalan to resolve the country's Kurdish issue was de facto suspended in March of this year. The de facto cease-fire which had been in place since the beginning of the process at the end of 2012, ended in July, and clashes began again between security forces and the PKK.
  http://www.todayszaman.com/national_kurdish-opposition-believes-autonomy-the-only-way-for-peace_408077.html
27/12/15