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Top Turk general says Independent Kurdish
state risk for Turkey
2.10.2007 |
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October
2, 2007
Istanbul, -- Turkey's military chief said
yesterday that the establishment of an independent
Kurdish state in Kurdistan region 'northern Iraq'
would constitute a political and security risk for
Turkey.
Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, speaking at Turkey's War
Academy, said Iraq was moving toward becoming a
confederation, which he said could lead to Kurdistan
region 'the Kurdish northern portion' breaking away
from the rest of Iraq.
Turkey has been fighting separatist Kurdish rebels
since 1984 in a campaign that has killed tens of
thousands of people. Turkish officials fear that a
separate, Kurdish-ruled state would encourage
Kurdish guerrillas inside Turkey.
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Turkish General Yasar Buyukanit |
Since 1991, the Kurds of Iraq achieved self-rule in
part of the country. Today's teenagers are the first
generation to grow up under Kurdish rule. In the new
Iraqi Constitution, it is referred to as Kurdistan
region. Kurdistan region has all the trappings of an
independent state -- its own constitution, its own
parliament, its own flag, its own army, its own
border, its own border patrol, its own national
anthem, its own education system, its own
International airports, even its own stamp inked
into the passports of visitors.
Ankara is anxious to prevent the emergence of a
Kurdish state in Kurdistan region 'northern Iraq',
fearing this could fan separatism among its own
large Kurdish population in southeast Turkey. Turkey
is home to over 25 million ethnic Kurds.
“No power can change the secular structure of
Turkey, no power is strong enough to do this,”
Buyukanit said.
Buyukanit also vowed Monday that the military would
press ahead with its campaign against the separatist
Kurdish rebel group, the Kurdistan Workers Party, or
PKK. He complained the group was receiving foreign
support, but did not name the countries allegedly
backing the PKK. "We are leading our struggle
against terrorism with determination and will
continue to do," he said.
Kurdish politician says, Turkey is using a Kurdish
separatist PKK rebel group as an excuse to invade
Kurdistan region 'Iraq' to prevent the establishment
of Kurdistan state in the Kurdish autonomous region
in 'northern Iraq'.
More than 37,000 people have been killed since 1984
when the PKK, blacklisted by Turkey, the United
States and the European Union, took up arms for
self-rule in the country's mainly Kurdish southeast
of Turkey.
It is a well-known fact that it is not possible for
a terrorist organization to survive without outside
help," he said. "We have warned several countries on
this issue."
AP
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Kurds are not recognized as an official minority in
Turkey and are denied rights granted to other
minority groups. Under EU pressure, Turkey recently
granted Kurds limited rights for broadcasts and
education in the Kurdish language, but critics say
the measures do not go far enough.
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.
Others estimate over 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.
Turkey is home to over 25 million ethnic Kurds, some
of whom openly sympathise with the Kurdish PKK for a
Kurdish homeland in the country's mainly Kurdish
southeast of Turkey.
Before August 2002, the Turkish government placed
severe restrictions on the use of Kurdish language,
prohibiting the language in education and broadcast
media.
The Kurdish alphabet is still not recognized
in Turkey, and use of the Kurdish letters X, W, Q
which do not exist in the Turkish
alphabet has led to judicial persecution in 2000 and
2003
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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