October
21, 2009
KCK STATEMENT
To The Honorable Representatives Of The Government
Of The Turkish Republic, Its Citizens and Democratic
Community
In order to unwind the current halting of the peace
initiative in respect of the Kurdish question in
Turkey and Turkey’s democratisation process, we the
peace group acting on the historical initiative of
Mr. Abdullah Ocalan, come to Turkey to contribute to
a true basis for peace.
Our decision to contribute to the peace process by
going to Turkey in no way relates to us wanting
immunity from section 221 of the Turkish penal code.
We have used our free will in our decision to
partake in this peace group. We do so to firstly
assist ceasing the bloodshed between the parties, to
put an end to our mothers’ crying, and to strengthen
the foundations for a peaceful solution. As it is
evident from this peace initiative we have taken, we
are not the root of the problem but rather the side
that wants a peaceful solution. Turkey is currently
going through a very important, critical process.
After the local elections on the 29th of March of
this year, the debate surrounding democratisation
within Turkey reached a significant level. The road
map for a peaceful solution drafted by our leader
Mr. Abdullah Ocalan was prevented from distribution
to the wider community. Despite this, the road map
has had a positive effect on ongoing debates for a
peaceful solution, and together with the
constructive announcement by government
representatives, has strengthened the possibilities
for a peaceful and democratic solution.
The fact that a very wide and diverse community
seeks to contribute to the debate (although on a
limited basis) has itself opened up the
possibilities for a real democratisation of Turkey.
Community contribution to the debate will enhance
common understanding amongst its people and respect
for the rights of its various peoples. The Kurdish
Freedom Movement is continuing its unilateral
ceasefire, and enduring significant sacrifices.
Through these developments and the debate which has
resulted, the Turkish public has come to face the
plight of the Kurdish people. These developments
have brought the democratisation of Turkey and
efforts for a peaceful and democratic solution to
the Kurdish question to the forefront of the debate
as real issues. The fact that the problems of the
Turkish and Kurdish people cannot be resolved
through violence but rather through the process of
democratic politics, has now reached firm
recognition.
As a peace group, we believe that our initiative
will assist the democratisation process by providing
a fundamental basis for understanding and
creativity. The current developments in Turkey
provide possibilities for a genuine solution more
than ever available before. A democratic solution to
the Kurdish question will provide the basis for
democratisation and stability within the region. In
order to bring this possibility to life we are
hopeful that first and foremostly, the responsible
forces and responsible communities approach the
process in a sensitive and delicate manner.
Whatever the conditions of the solution may be,
democracy will not prevail without a common will.
The obstacles provided by nationalist, self-serving,
chauvinist groups against the democratisation of
Turkey and the democratic and peaceful solution to
the Kurdish question make this explicitly clear. The
wide ranging attacks of these groups against the
democratisation of Turkey are designed to prevent a
peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. This
constitutes a real threat to the democratic
initiative that has been developed and ongoing
debates to this end.
In order to overcome these threats to the
democratisation process, Mr. Abdullah Ocalan has
called upon peace and democratic solution groups to
go to Turkey. We are therefore, using our freewill
to go to Turkey as peace ambassadors to assist the
ongoing process. Another reason for our initiative
is to uncover historical subversions in order to
strengthen the possibilities of our people living
harmoniously together.
Some of us represent the people of Maxmur who are
made to live through the heavy consequences of the
damaging policies that have resulted in the
intractable nature of the Kurdish question. During
the 1990’s the Turkish government forces burned down
and destroyed our villages. These attacks resulted
in us having to migrate from the very lands that we
were born,www.ekurd.netgrew
up in and struggled to live through unbearable
conditions in order to protect ourselves from the
falling bombs. Families and loved ones lost their
lives as a result of these unjust policies. Likewise
many members of our families and loved ones became
the victims of extrajudicial killings by the
government forces of the time.
To this day we do not know how these people were
killed and where their bodies are. Thousands of
people were disabled and hundreds were imprisoned
and remain imprisoned to this day. As the people of
Maxmur, who have been made to live through all of
this suffering, there is nobody that wants to live
in peace with the freedom of our own identities as
much as we do.
Some of us on the other hand, opted to take active
part in the Kurdish Freedom Struggle and remained in
the mountains for years under immensely difficult
conditions in order to protect an honourable
identity. This was in the face of an otherwise
unsolvable Kurdish question, with inequalities in
the living conditions of Kurds and injustices lived
by the Kurds. This became our struggle for our
existence - for a democratic, equal and freedom
based solution.
Every conflict must have its process of dialogue and
peaceful solution. Principally and ethically, we are
of the opinion that once the problem has been
grasped and made opens to public debate, that both
sides need to refrain from violence for a peaceful
solution through dialogue. We firmly believe that a
solution will only come from those who believe and
advocate peace. As has been evidenced from conflict
around the world, we can also with our unique
circumstances, reach a peaceful solution through
dialogue.
It is for this reason that we consider our
contribution to attempting to overcome the halting
of the current process to be critical. With the
consciousness of this responsibility for the
furtherance of the peace process we have responded
to the calls of our leader, and the hopes of peace
of our people to create the conditions to be able to
live together in freedom and peace. We simply ask
that the currently halted process be untangled, in
order to reignite the democratic political process
of dialogue. Despite similar attempts which have not
been successful in the past, we demonstrate the will
of the Kurdish people and our leader for a peaceful
and democratic solution once again. We believe that
all those who feel responsible for a peaceful
solution will respect and support our peace
initiative. It is as a result of this belief that we
are demonstrating this sacrifice as a toll that
needs to be paid as a demonstration of our readiness
for a peaceful resolution. We believe that Turkish
government representatives and those in favour of
peace will respond to our initiative with the
responsibility it deserves.
We list our requests below as follows in order that
our message for peace may find life:
1. For the road map drafted by our leader to find
its rightful addressees in order that a public
debate be initiated.
2. For both sides of the conflict to observe
ceasefires in order that a democratic and peaceful
process to solve the Kurdish question be initiated.
3. On the basis of recognition of our Kurdish
identity, that guarantee and protection of our
identity be provided within the constitution to live
freely, equally and together as part of a democratic
Turkey.
4. To live our mother tongue Kurdish freely: to
speak it, learn it, develop it, to live our historic
values and culture within our geography in our own
mother tongue.
5. To be able to name our children in Kurdish and to
educate them in Kurdish.
6. To live our history, culture, literature and
music as the Kurdish populace, and to develop and
protect the same.
7. To be able to unite with our people as Kurds, and
partake in the democratic political process and to
freely express ourselves within this process.
8. For the villages, towns and the cities of
Kurdistan to be free from village guards and fear of
violence by governed forces, and to live in
security.
9. For the democratisation of Turkey, with the
construction of a democratic civil constitution.
These requests form the basis with which to find a
democratic solution to the Kurdish question. We seek
to openly debate and advocate peace in Turkey with
all of the democratic community. We are taking these
steps in order to take this historical opportunity
forward. We believe that our initiative will be
successful and on this basis we salute all
communities in favour of peace.
Peace and Democratic Solution Group - October 19,
2009
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