Pro-Kurdish party announced that they started
preparations to meet a group of PKK members coming
from Europe.
October
22, 2009
ISTANBUL, — Pro-Kurdish DTP Istanbul branch
announced on Wednesday that they started
preparations to meet a group of Turkey's Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) members coming from Europe. A
statement released by the party said, "We will meet
PKK members from Europe with the same glory."
Democratic Society Party (DTP) Istanbul Co-Chairmans
Mustafa Avci and Hevali Mengi, held a press
conference with some civil society organizations
representatives at the Chamber of Mechanical
Engineers building.
Heval Mengi said "We, as the Peace and Democratic
Solution Platform, will meet the representatives of
Kurdish people from Europe who will come for the
democratic solution for the Kurdish issue and demand
for peace."
Co-Chairman Mustafa Avci added, "Like the people in
Silopi, we will welcome the ones coming from Europe
gloriously. We will not leave from there until they
meet with people."
Answering questions of members of the press, Avci
said they did not know the date for PKK members
arrival to Turkey from Europe,www.ekurd.netand
they expect to learn two days before they come.
Turkey on Tuesday released all PKK members who
surrendered to security forces earlier Monday. The
group of 34 PKK members
surrendered at
the Habur border gate between Turkey and Iraqi
Kurdistan region.
Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay said Tuesday
we will hear more good news in the upcoming days.
Atalay said that the Turkish government expected
around 150 terrorists to surrender to Turkish
security forces in small groups in the initial
stages.
There is a large crowd at the Makhmour (refugee)
camp and we are focusing on this large group of
people, Atalay said.
The "Democratic Move" would face difficulties if
weapons are not given up, terror does not end and
violence continues, Atalay also said.
The surrenders comes as a result of Turkish
government's efforts to launch a "democratic
initiative" which is expected to be unveiled soon.
Since 1984 the PKK took up arms
for self-rule in the mainly Kurdish southeast of
Turkey (Turkey-Kurdistan) which has claimed around
45,000 lives of Turkish soldiers and Kurdish PKK
guerrillas. A large Turkey's Kurdish
community openly sympathise with the Kurdish PKK
rebels. Turkey refuses to recognize its Kurdish
population as a distinct minority.
The PKK demanded Turkey's recognition of the Kurds'
identity in its constitution and of their language
as a native language along with Turkish in the
country's Kurdish areas,www.ekurd.net
the party also demanded an end to ethnic
discrimination in Turkish laws and constitution
against Kurds, ranting them full political freedoms.
The PKK is considered a 'terrorist' organization by
Ankara, U.S., the PKK continues to be on the
blacklist list in EU despite court ruling which
overturned a decision
to place the Kurdish rebel group PKK and its
political wing on the European Union's terror list.
Turkey refuses to recognize its Kurdish population
as a distinct minority. It has allowed some cultural
rights such as limited broadcasts in the Kurdish
language and private Kurdish language courses with
the prodding of the European Union, but Kurdish politicians
say the measures fall short of their expectations.
Ankara is currently working on a package of fresh
reforms to expand the freedoms of the Kurdish
community, but has rejected calls to halt military
action against the PKK.
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.
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