ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) are again at odds: The rebels say they have completed the first phase of a landmark peace process by pulling fighters out of Turkey, and the government is contradicting that account by claiming that only a small percentage of guerrillas have pulled out.
In a meeting with Turkish MPs, the Council of Wise Men and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said that the PKK had completed the first phase of the peace process, which was the withdrawal of fighters. But Erdogan countered by saying that only 15 percent of total numbers to be pulled out had so far withdrawn.
The PKK maintains that the withdrawal of fighters, from Turkey to its Qandil Mountains command in Iraqi Kurdistan, is the first phase of the peace process, after which the Turkish government is expected to take the second step through political reforms.
Cuma Icten, MP of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Diyarbakir, claimed that the premier’s statement about the number of fighters withdrawn is backed by several civil and military intelligence reports. “I can assure you that the PKK does not intend to leave the Turkish territories,” said Icten.
Regarding the second phase of the peace process, Icten added: “In Ocalan’s letter which was read to the public on Newroz day, there was nothing called ‘phase one’ or ‘two.’ These terms have been created by the BDP politicians. We have been taking steps to solve the Kurdish issue for 10 years and our will to take these steps has nothing to do with the existence of the PKK guerillas in the mountains.”
The June 28 incident in the Kurdish town of Lice, where the Turkish military opened fire on a group of citizens protesting the creation of a new military base, created more doubts around the peace process. One person was killed and eight were injured in that incident.
İcten said that decisions about the new military bases were made three years ago, and had nothing to do with the PKK.
“Their function is not only to fight the PKK guerillas, but also to keep social peace and fight hashish farming. The BDP surely will not mention the 77 military bases that the government has shut down,” said Icten.
He believes that the Turkish government will continue taking steps toward solving the Kurdish issues.
“Regardless of the PKK decision to lay down its weapons, and to fight or not, we will continue our steps toward solving the Kurdish issue because we consider the Kurdish issue a matter of freedom and human rights,” said Icten.
Husamettin Zenderlioglu, MP of the BDP in Bitlis, said, “The first phase has not been completed yet. The PKK guerrillas in the far regions such as Dersim and the Black Sea have not withdrawn yet because it is not an easy task and needs great responsibility. But, the numbers of the guerrillas that have withdrawn so far are much bigger than what has been stated,” he said.
Zenderlioglu confessed that the AKP government has demonstrated candor in its will to solve the Kurdish issue.
“I believe the government has decided to solve the Kurdish issue, but it is taking slow steps. Delay in the peace process is dangerous because the enemies of peace are waiting for an opportunity,” said Zenderlioglu.
Regarding the BDP’s focus on new military bases and why it does not mention the ones that have been shut down by the government, he explained that, “The new military bases are in strategic locations, they are in the regions from which the PKK has withdrawn.”
After the Lice incident, the Turkish government sent two investigators to the region to find the truth. In an AKP meeting on July 2, Erdogan said that the incident was related to ongoing operations against hashish farms in the region.
But Zenderlioglu dismissed that claim, saying, “Those who plant hashish are licensed by the government and use government vehicles to transport hashish. But the victims of Lice town were innocent people who think they are part of the peace process.”
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