IRAQ: Kurdish leader talks about Turkey and the prospects for peace

The Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, has been battling Turkey for an independent Kurdish state since the 1970s. Now Turkey has promised to come up with a plan to give Kurds more political rights in a bid to end the conflict. At the PKK's main camp in the remote Qandil mountains in northern Iraq's Kurdistan region, the PKK leader, Murat Karayilan, spoke to Babylon and Beyond about the PKK's suspicions of the Turkish offer.

Q: Turkey has shown a willingness to resolve the Kurdish issue. How do you read the situation?

A: We are serious, and we want to resolve the Kurdish issue in Turkey, and we are working towards peace. We want to solve the issue by dialogue, away from violence and the use of weapons. If Turkey is serious and has true intentions about peace, there must be an initial step of good faith to stop the ongoing military operations against our soldiers and our bases inside Turkey.  To begin with, there should be a halt to military operations against us, then dialogue and negotiation, and then we will start talking about giving up our weapons. Any solution or peace initiative to give up our weapons will be considered at the end, not the beginning.

I see a number of politicians demanding that we should abandon our armed struggle, but they do not talk about the Turkish side and the military operations they carry out against us. On the ground, we feel their agenda is unclear and they don't have a road map.

Q: What is the PKK's stance at the moment?

A: At the present time, we are not satisfied and we doubt the policy of Turkey … and whether they are committed to peace. Within the ranks of our party we are keen to take all necessary measures to preserve our survival. We have long experience with Turkey, we fear they will attack our bases, but we also have enough strength to confront them.

Currently in Turkey there are many ways to resolve the issue. In a poll by an independent organization, 55% of citizens supported the idea of solving the Kurdish issue through dialogue and peaceful means. In the past, when they had a poll on the same subject, the number did not exceed 10%.

Q: How do you view the policy of the United States on the Kurdish issue? The U.S. has asked Turkey to resolve the issue peacefully.

A: I am doubtful of this policy by America. When [President] Obama visited Turkey he met with Ahmet Turk, the Kurdish parliamentary bloc representative in the Turkish parliament. The meeting had implications, but America does not want to resolve our cause for their own interests in the region. They want to put pressure on us to make more compromises.

Q: How do you manage to stay in Iraq? Do you get any assistance from the Kurdish Regional Government?

A: We have no relations with the KRG, we are not in need of their assistance, we rely on our own finances from our people in Turkey and our supporters abroad. The Kurdish people in Kurdistan sympathize with us and support us morally, but not materially. At the same time, we believe the current situation of the Kurds and their role in the political equation in the region is becoming weaker day after day.

-- Asso Ahmed in the Qandil Mountains

Photo: Murat Karayilan in 2006. Credit: Asso Ahmed

Comments

[Dilin]

one's terrorist is another’s freedom fighter! We have to be reasonable to look back at history. Authentic history in order to gather facks as to why these once nomadic people, the Kurds have been fighting for so lon? what are the reasons ehins their continuous struggles? Can anyone just for once, put their minds that's filled with solid, narrow views of the kurdish issue aside an really take a minute and think to themselves. The kurds were promised their land since 1920's and until that promise is complete, this issue will continue. I’m a firm believer of only supporting the truth even if goes against my beliefs, family, etc. and i believe in an autonomous Kurdistan. Thank you.

[Lorin Botan]

http://dozaciwanan.com/index.html

long live independent Kurdistan

Biji Serok Apo*(Long Live President APO*)

*:Abdullah Öcalan

[Serhildan Amed]

please watching:

Kurdish village burned down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-SA3936nyE

[B]

Murat Karayilan is a man of peace. Abdullah Ocalan is the key to peace. PKK has called out for peace for decades and the turkish state has insisted on further persecution of the kurdish people.

The only way to peace is to reach the hand of the kurdish political will (PKK and Ocalan)which been put out for a long time.

Long live Abdullah Ocalan!
Long live the kurdish freedoom movement PKK!
Long live brotherhood between all people of the world!

[la guy]

if the idea is "my terrorist is good terrorist" then the world is in big danger.Pkk killed many innocent people aspecially teachers,engineers and educated people,because they did not want for the region educated and good life standard.Even though Turkish government sending million dollars to create better education,standart and better life. WHY ????
Now PKK is threating to get money from their own Kurdish people.if not ,kill them.Those people dont understand living in peace at all,they need to get instutionilized at least 10 years to be for normal people.

[Alper]

Kurdish leader??? This man, Murat Karayilan is the head of a murderous organization and is a terrorist according to the UN,USA and EU declarations.Interviewing him is basically the same thing as a media organisation interviewing Osama Bin Laden.Both terrorists and leaders of armed groups killing and abducting innocent people.Murat karayilan has been accused and found guilty by courts of Drug Dealing.There are lots and lots of kurdish leaders in Turkey,politicians ministers even presidents.We live side by side. But people like this Karayilan(wihich means blacksnake) are just murderers with hands soaked in the blood of innocent babies,teachers,doctors.They were killing teachers because they were teaching in Turkish!!! Please ignore this culprit.

[Diego]

if people struggle for thier FREEDOM in Turkey, they are named terrorists by Turks (what a pity). Maybe Turks are DESCENDANTs of Hitler :p i travelled to Turkey and saw the situation of other nations there.You(turks) have to learn that World doesnt just belong to Turks...so STop!
You have to accept rights of other nations in Turkey...thats democracy, if you believe in democracy ,you have to do that...

[Murat]

Their soldiers in Turkey? A country has one army, one state by definition. This terrorist gang leader has no say in this matter sitting on a mountain top in another country and waging a bloody war against Turkish people. PKK is the problem. It is ludicrous that he pretends to be a political leader. He is a mini Osama. Freedom of action they enjoy in Iraq is despicable.

[Berzan Amed]

Pers,Turkish,Arabic please let's be honest and Tell the truth

Please read below:

http://9lowbranches.wordpress.com/

[kurd_boy]

We hope they,Our protective us they,they we our brother,us their sister,They protector of our identity,

thanks for freedom fighters

long live humanity,long live kurdistan

[zahead]

This is nuts. He says Turkey should give up attacking their bases in Turkey. What bases is he talking about? Are those the camps that are used to train the terrosists to kill the innocent? Nothing goes unpunished. These guys don't care if you are Turkish or Kurdish. Just last year, they bombed the tutorial center in the city of Diyarbakir which is mostly Kurdish populated city and many kids died. And those kids weren't Turkish at all. They were all Kurdish.Well, if they really believe in Kurdish cause, then why are they killing their own people?

And he says, they are getting a moral support from Kurdish people and getting financial support from illegal drug traficking. Most of the illegal drugs used in Europe and USA supplied by PKK. Just a couple of weeks ago, Turkish officials caught 10 tons of cocaine in the city of Diyarbakir Turkey that was being delivered to Europe through Turkey by PKK. It is a very lucrative business.

Turkish people and Kurdish people live side by side in Turkey and cannot live without each other. Both nations want peace and resolve this problem, but not the way PKK wants to resolve: killing innocent people. Ofcourse, in the past, Turkish government made a lot of mistakes and alienated Kurdish people.

They don't care which side wins or loses. What they only care is that to keep their lucrative business going.

[Thamir Bajalan]

There is no Kurdish state as long as there is a united states. that is an upsokute

[Jaff Sassani]

The USA interest is best served if they help Kurds and Turks to get along in Turkey. We believe the Kurds should get united with the Iranian people for their own survival. They have opportunity now to lead Iranian liberations.
PJAK the off shoot of PKK are well organized to lead Iranian for freedom. The entire Iranian people used to speak the language of Darius the Great. After finding below now Kurds have opportunity to lead the Iranian people for better tomorrow.

PKK should declare the constitutions similar to the USA constitutions and pushing for Economic Union of Iranian people. They can allow every sub-nation to have an independent country within the Economic Union.
They should fight for doable goals instead of fighting for Kurdish language right. The Language problem is solved below.

PKK should promise the USA and EU for friendship and cooperation’s.
We are from Persian people will help if they take such initiative.
The entire region from Turkey to Pakistan and From Syria to former Soviet Union countries needs Economic Union similar to EU.

The US Government should be active in such plan instead of going to war with Iran.

There are business opportunities for American, Europe and Russian too.
We are calling on PKK to lead the liberations of Iranian people.

Darius the Great answer our question and said stop the war for languages

Please read below:

http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx

Thank you

Darius the Great answer our question and said stop the war for languages
First Greek scholars, second Jewish scholars, third Arab scholars, fourth those Jewish and Arab scholars whom they claimed to be one of us, through history they called themselves Persian and made Persian to fight other branches of their own under the name of false languages of Persian, Kurds, Elamitie, Lor, Lak, Giliany, Mazanderani, Bluch, Tajick, Peshtu, Taylish, Azeri and hundred more names.

Today let celibate for the finding of scholar Hamma Mirwaisi who found out that
BEHISTUN_INSCRIPTIONS by HAMMA MIRWAISI

http://sites.google.com/site/behistunmin/from-behishtan-cuneiform-inscriptions-to-the-kurmanji-kurdish-alphabet

Is not what we have been told as Old Persian language? It is Aryan language with 80 % are used today by Kurds in Turkey and 20 % by Persian and Elamitie.
“They called in purpose
OLD PERSIAN TEXTS
http://www.avesta.org/op/op.htm#amh”

Median Empire, Cyrus the Great, Darius the Great and Parthian Empire, Sassanid Empire used the language of Prophet Zoroaster called Aryan language of Avesta.
Those scholars lie, to make us fight for 2500 years. The Islamic Arab army used us to fight each other. Today the Islamic Republic of Iran (Arab Government) is using us to fight each other, about the language.
Thank you Oh God, for your kindness, you guide honorable scholars like Hamma Mirwaisi to find out the truth. Today is the beginning of the end of Jewish and Arab scholars plus those Persian traders whom they went along to make money by having our people fight each other because of language.
We are Persian apologizing on behave of our Persian people after we read the content of BEHISTUN_INSCRIPTIONS.
They use us to fight each other for language, for religion, for regional’s, for no reason so they can destroy our unity. Since Alexander the Great they never let us have peace.
We are calling on each one of you to read the content of BEHISTUN_INSCRIPTIONS by HAMMA MIRWAISI
And then understand those people calling them self Persian and see really whom they are. You will find out very fast that majority of them are working for Israel.
We are going to fight for the establishment of Aryan Economic Union for our Aryan people much better than the European Economic Union (EU). Support us as much as you can.
We are going to give what we had during Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great.

BEHISTUN_INSCRIPTIONS by HAMMA MIRWAISI

http://sites.google.com/site/behistunmin/from-b...

Discovery of 2500 years old Aryan language (Kurdish, Elam, Persian and others language) below for you to read
From Behishtan cuneiform inscriptions to the Kurmanji Kurdish Alphabet
Note

In Darius, Behishtan (DB), Column 4, number 89 below:

He is saying I used Aryan language in my inscreptions writing.

89 ramazdâha : i(ya)m : dipîmaiy : ty(âm) : adam : akunavam : patisham : ariyâ : âha : utâ : pavast

Of God, this is the inscription which I made. Besides, it was in Aryan, and as you

know on clay tablets

Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani

[Hayri Yilmaz]

Well, I guess, about the 'financing', he conveniently forgot about drug and human trafficking..