27 november 2015: Press Release of the Kurdistan National Congress: Stop Turkish Aggression!

Stop Turkish Aggression!
November 23, 2015

To The International Democratic Opinion: Stop Turkish Aggression!

While the International Coalition, democracies and many decent people around the world are preoccupied with ISIS´s terrorist activities far beyond Syria and Iraq, Turkey is deepening its war against the Kurdish people as never before. Turkey’s war against the indigenous people in the Middle East comprises prohibiting the mother-tongue, culture and music of these people. Displacements, confiscating properties, imprisonment, persecution and committing preplanned crimes are characteristics of Turkey’s outright war.

On July 23rd Turkey declared that it would become a part of the International Coalition against ISIS, but unfortunately Turkey’s overall support for ISIS has since been intensified rather than reduced. Instead of fighting ISIS, Turkey started to attack Kurdish guerrilla forces, the only forces which are fighting and have fought successfully against ISIS/DAESH.

Turkey has been fighting Kurds despite the Kurdish people’s wish for peace and a political solution. The PKK’s leadership has extended the hand of peace and reconciliation to the Turkish people, presented a road map and concrete models for political solutions and made the proposal for countries and organizations such as the US and EU to mediate. In addition, the HPG (Kurdistan People’s Protection Force) has announced and put into practice many unilateral ceasefires, but Turkey has so far refused to enter into a bilateral ceasefire.

Turkish aggresssion, which intensifies day by day, is not only through its support for ISIS.

Repeated suicide bombs against Kurdish peaceful demonstrators, even in Ankara, gunning down children, women and the elderly, destroying Kurdish cemeteries, burning Kurdish shops and homes and enforcing arbitrary curfews are among the Turkish atrocities. The Turkish special military forces [“police”] are everywhere in Kurdistan. These forces are supported by paramilitary gangs whose identities are unknown. They use tanks, armored vehicles, cannons and helicopters. Kurdish cities such as Diyarbakır, Cizre, Gever, Şırnak, Silopi, Hakkâri and Van are turned into war-zones. The city of Nuseiybin is under Turkish military siege now for the 10th day. Only in Nuseiybin at least 8 civilians have been killed.

At the same time Turkey is attacking Rojawa Kurds (Syrian Kurds), specifically in the areas of Gire Spi and East of the Euphrates river. Turkey wants to provoke a war with Kurds inside Syria too. Its aim is to find “security” excuses to go inside Rojawa (Syria´s territory) and occupy an buffer area.

Turkey is denying the existence of the Kurdish people and waging an extermination war through assimilation and barbaric oppressive policies and ignoring the Kurds’ cry for peace. The AKP government has a problem-focusing approach not a problem-solving perspective, and therefore it does not respond for calls for dialogue and negotiation.

The Kurdish people’s call for peace, democracy and justice must not go unheard. We call on everyone who believes in peace, stability, friendship, justice and democracy to support Kurds and make a stand against this brutal campaign waged to suppress Kurds into silence and surrender. We ask everyone to contribute to a peaceful solution.

Rebwar Rashed
Co-Chairman of the Kurdistan National Congress/ KNK
November 23nd, 2015