After attack, calls for political will to solve Kurdish issue
The attack in Daglica should not be allowed to derail political efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue.
By Alakbar Raufoglu for SES Türkiye -- 21/06/12
Just as an atmosphere of dialogue and positive steps to resolve the Kurdish problem had been gaining momentum in recent weeks, the deadliest PKK attack of the year has threatened to derail the process.
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![A Turkish soldier patrols a road near Cukurca in Hakkari province, by the Turkish-Iraqi border. [Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/06/21/ALAKBARphoto-310_213.jpg)
A Turkish soldier patrols a road near Cukurca in Hakkari province, by the Turkish-Iraqi border. [Reuters]
![A Turkish soldier patrols a road near Cukurca in Hakkari province, by the Turkish-Iraqi border. [Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/06/21/ALAKBARphoto-800_550.jpg)
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Eight soldiers and at least two dozen PKK guerrillas died Tuesday (June 19th) in an attack on a military outpost at Daglica near the border with Iraq, as large-scale military operations against the PKK continue in the area.
The attack prompted claims the PKK is again sabotaging efforts to create a positive environment of open dialogue that would pave the way to peace. President Abdullah Gul hinted the PKK was being used as a tool by regional actors and said the organisation was trying to sabotage the state's efforts.
Selahattin Demirtas, the head of the Kurdish BDP, also urged the PKK to "stop all kinds of armed activity." He said the government should also halt operations to "give a political solution a chance." Both the CHP and AKP called on the PKK to unconditionally lay down its arms.
Following the meeting with CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, where the two mulled over the establishment of an inter-party body to discuss the Kurdish issue under the roof of parliament, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week announced plans to introduce elective Kurdish lessons in schools, in another step to address Kurdish rights.
Oktay Vural, deputy chairman of the ultra-nationalist MHP, whose party has rejected joining the quest for a political solution to the conflict, called on the government "to use all means available to eradicate the PKK terror."
"Today's violence once again shows that no matter whatever you give them, the terrorists have only one goal -- to kill as many as they can," Vural told SES Türkiye.
Ahmet Aydin, AKP's parliament group deputy chairman, questioned the timing of Tuesday's attack, arguing that "Whenever we want to take some warm steps to end the terror, the traitors [PKK] don't allow it."
"The terrorists can't change or dictate our policy," Aydin told SES Türkiye. "We will continue all of our efforts at reform while fighting against the terror."
PKK analyst Paul Kubicek, a political science professor Oakland University in Michigan, said it should be obvious by now that there are real splits among the Kurds, with some intent on continuing with violence and others more committed to a political settlement.
"Clearly, there is a real need to engage the Kurds and find a settlement. But I suspect that the PKK will continue with its attacks to undermine prospects for such success," he told SES Türkiye.
Francesco Milan, who researches the counter-insurgency campaign against the PKK at King's College in London, said some elements in the PKK want dialogue with Turkish authorities.
"Clearly there is a division within the Kurdish community. However, it would be wrong to assume that PKK would declare a ceasefire just because BDP asked it to do so; that is not the way in which PKK/BDP relations work," he told SES Türkiye.
Tuesday's attack brings the death toll to 526 for the past 12 months -- 162 members of the security forces, 288 PKK insurgents and 76 civilians -- according to an informal tally kept by the International Crisis Group.
"This worsening casualty count is the result of increasing escalations over the past year, and is a particular blow as in recent weeks both sides showed signs of goodwill to return to the positive atmosphere of the 'Democratic Opening' of 2009," Hugh Pope, Turkey and Cyprus director of the International Crisis Group, told SES Türkiye.
"As alienation deepens in both Kurdish and Turkish communities, the attack underlines just how much political courage both sides will have to summon up to head off an even worse degradation of the conflict."
What do you think of this article? (Total Votes )
51 Like(s)
17 Dislike(s)
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The aim of separatists is separation.
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[Professor] Dogu Ergil told the truth on [the TV show] Siyaset Meydani (Political Arena) on Show TV this evening – that is, the establishment of the Great Israeli Empire following the establishment of the Greater Kurdistan in Northern Iraq and Iraq and the successive occupation of Iran. In order to weaken Turkey and cause a political chaos, hit-and-run tactics will be intensified and the religious segment will be set against the Kemalists. There are already anti-Kemalist talks in politics. Sarcastic statements are made. The deputy prime minister welcomes Leyla Zana’s statements. He likes it when they praise the prime minister. I am sending my respect to Dogu Ergil.
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There are Armenians among the names you cited. These are not their real names. They are the spokespeople of the high level leaders of the separatist terrorist organization. We bury 20-year-old young men everyday and still remain silent. That is enough! What [Kurdish] opening are you talking about? Hear Turkey’s voice! Turks do not want operations. They want a massacre and that will happen.
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Help us! Yaslica is left without water. The mayor does not release the water source. Come and see for yourselves.
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They put a sack on our head, but we didn’t mind. They raided our ship, we didn’t mind again. We should say “one minute” to this at least. Turkish army should not be left that much helpless. A. Akbulut
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Turkey is serving the purposes of the US by means of the AKP. Wake up Turkey! The cross is sitting on the crescent now. Imams have started to become priests. They are using religion in politics in the East and Southeast. Imams have become priests in the town of Adilcevaz in [southeastern province of] Bitlis. Wake up people, wake up!
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Wind him up.. Just come on! Does it work with gas, brother? Where is the wisdom and logic? The ones with panic attack attitudes.
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In my opinion, leave the guns, we don’t want war, etc.
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It has been written perfectly, hey, I like this site very much.
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Turkey can not do anything. Don’t deceive yourselves. They will appear on TV one or two times, and then will sit into their seats. You waste your breath for nothing. Such things work like that.
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I think Syria should be leveled with the ground as soon as possible. Why remain silent if we are true descendants of the Ottoman?
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If it was an Israeli aircraft that was downed, that Syrian air defense battery would have been destroyed by now. This would not have led to a war either, but we would have saved our honor.
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The world has seen so many empires and super powers. Living oldies. The expiration dates of the US and Europe are fast approaching. New super powers are emerging. My Turkey, nobody can stop you. You will be the never-fading star of our nation.
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None of these would have happened if it was not for Ismet Inonu. Our great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk would have either executed or exiled all of them. However, they let them stay because the population was very small back then. But now they are trying to divide our country and establish a Kurdish state. There is only one flag, one motherland and one nation in our country.
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I don’t think the Kurdish issue can be solved through wars and operations or by arresting mayors, party members and city councils. My hope is that it would be solved through a fully functional democracy where wise democrats will step in to help wipe the slate clean for a peaceful solution. I hope all mothers, whose hearts are burning with pain, would say “Stop” to this meaningless war. I am crying out my longing for peace! People are brothers!
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Where is the rule of law? If you meddle with others’ business, they will meddle with yours, too. Turkey deserved all of this. You relied on a couple of Arab opponents and this is what you got in return. Is there plenty of freedom in [Saudi] Arabia? Leave Bashar al-Assad aside and look at the [Saudi Arabian] King instead.
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In this country, the hero soldiers who have beeen searching for PKK dogs on mountains by sacrificing their families, their homes to the benefits of this country had been put into prisons by Ergenekon charge. How shall you finish the terror, by which soldiers? Shame on you!
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I don’t understand, our religion is the same, our Allah is the same, our Prophet is the same, why can’t we manage to live under one state? Whay should we have martyrs? Why should we go to the mountains? Let’s not pur any blood of each other by acting according to the others, let’s not leave this matter half-solved behind us to the future generations.
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Everybody is talking, but where is the execution, fellows?
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The one who says "Let your Turkey go down, one flag, one nation, one … (Translator’s note: “Zıkkım” is a kind of “demon drink” in colloquial speech, however it’s not related to the context) is ignoble, ignoble like Erdogan, don’t forget.
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I don’t know what to say.
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Come, let’s do like that: Let a Turk put himself into a Kurd’s shoes for one hour and think…
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He says “solution”, where is the solution? Because, in Turkey, they talk on television to stay in the presidency seat, just for the chair. Their sons do not do the military service. Even if they do, they do it in the most beautiful places of Turkey.
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As far as I know, they are talking nonsense. Bud, they destroy the people’s houses; whether soldier or the ones on mountains, they should find a solution to this problem. And the Prime Minister does not come alongside. Bud, how he would come alongside if the died ones were his own son. They were all poor-fellows.
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