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Turkey's govt vows no more PKK rallies
after surrenders
23.10.2009
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Turkish govt vows no more more PKK rallies after
surrenders, warning DTP against "irresponsibly
turning the PKK surrenders into a political
showdown.
October
23, 2009
ANKARA, Turkey, — Turkish Interior Minister
Besir Atalay warned pro-Kurdish Democratic Society
Party (DTP) against "irresponsibly turning the
surrender of 34 members from the Turkey's Kurdistan
Workers Party PKK into a political showdown with
rallies", noting that they would not allow it to
happen again.
Atalay held a press conference Friday and commented
on the celebrations during the surrender of 34 PKK
members, Anadolu news agency reported.
34 members of PKK from Makhmour refugee camp and
Qandil Mountain --8 of which were dressed in PKK
uniforms--
surrendered to
Turkish authorities at Habur border gate. Huge
rallies were held resembling victory celebrations
with the participation of
thousands of
people and DTP officials to welcome the group of PKK
members,www.ekurd.neta
scene which created strong reaction in the public,
opposition, media and the judiciary.
The opposition parties, Republican People's (CHP)
Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP),
severely criticised the government for allowing such
a scene and setting free the 8 PKK members under
Article 221 (repentance law) of the Turkish Penal
Code.
Atalay said after the PKK members surrendered to
authorities the judiciary handled the case, denying
any wrongdoing by the government in the process.
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Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay
Thousands of people gathered in the southeastern
Kurdish city of Diyarbakir on Wednesday, October 21,
2009 evening to greet a group of 34 Kurdish PKK who
surrendered to Turkish authorities. Photo: AFP |
Atalay said the
government's only aim was to prevent new deaths and
sufferings.
He said that even if certain circles (opposition)
wanted this problem to continue unresolved and tried
to prevent Justice and Development (AK) Party from
solving it, they would continue on their path.
"We are determined, we trust in our nation's
support," said Atalay.
Atalay said their administration risked many things,
made many sacrifices to carry on the democratization
initiative aimed at addressing the Kurdish issue,
accusing DTP of sabotaging the process with
irresponsible acts.
"It is impossible to accept such scenes which
disturb us all. Nobody should even think of staging
such scenes again. Nobody should even think that we
will show tolerance to such scenes again. The
Republic of Turkey is a country of rule of law,"
said Atalay calling on PKK members willing to return
their homes under the repentance law,www.ekurd.netto
abide by rules and procedures laid down by the laws.
He said President Abdullah Gul and Premier Recep
Tayyip Erdogan was also disturbed by the scenes
noting that such rallies would not be allowed in the
future.
Atalay said they understood the reaction of the
families of the soldiers who were killed in clashes
with PKK but condemned those whom he claimed were
exploiting their feelings.
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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