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Kurdish PKK rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan
seeks commission for peace with Turkey
18.1.2007 |
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Ocalan calls for independent panel to 'disclose
truth' of 22-year war
January 18, 2007
Ankara, -- Jailed Kurdish rebel leader
Abdullah Ocalan has asked for an independent
commission to look into the bloody 22-year conflict
with Turkey to pave the way for reconciliation, the
pro-Kurdish Firat news agency reported Wednesday.
"Let us mutually forgive each other. Let us not just
forgive each other, but also bring to light, confess
our mistakes and disclose the truth," the agency
quoted Ocalan as saying in a letter he sent to
members of Parliament and civic organizations last
week.
"That is the only way for reconciliation," said
Ocalan, the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) who is serving a life prison
term. |
Jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan (APO) |
He proposed a "Truth and Justice Commission"
comprising intellectuals, jurists and academics that
would advance a unilateral cease-fire declared by
his rebels and open the way for the PKK to lay down
arms.
"If we come to the point of laying down arms, we can
do so only through this commission," Ocalan said.
He did not elaborate on the commission, but said it
should "ensure and promise justice." Lawyers for
Ocalan said there had so far been no response to his
letter.
Since his capture and conviction for treason in
1999, Ocalan has said on several occasions that he
wants greater political and cultural rights for the
Kurds and denied intentions to carve out an
independent Kurdish homeland.
The PKK declared a unilateral cease-fire on October
1, which Turkey rejected.
AFP
The use of the term "Kurdistan" is vigorously
rejected due to its alleged political implications
by the Republic of Turkey, which does not recognize
the existence of a "Turkish Kurdistan"
Southeast Turkey. The Kurds have no rights in
Turkey.
Others estimate as many as 40 million Kurds live in
Big Kurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Armenia),
which covers an area as big as France, about half of
all Kurds which estimate to 20 million live in
Turkey.
The Kurdish flag flown officially in Iraqi Kurdistan but
unofficially flown by Kurds in Armenia. The flag is
banned in Iran, Syria, and Turkey where flying it is
a criminal offence"
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey) wikipedia
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