TO OUR PEOPLE AND GENERAL PUBLIC

The general public is aware that we declared a period of 'no-clashes' from 13th of August to 20th of September, 2010, by withdrawing our forces from an active position to a passive one. We had laid down our reasons for the steps taken in a press conference. One of the reasons disclosed then was the dialogue developed with our leader by some competent body of the Turkish state with the consent of the government. Our leader had sent a message to our movement requesting us to give peace a chance. He decided to send such a message because of the dialogue developed with him and the calls made for a ceasefire by many NGOs and known personalities. The management of our movement evaluated this call, as well as, the fact that it is Ramadan, which is sacred for the Islamic world, and declared its 'no-action' period to the general public. Ten days have passed since then, hence, we feel the need to analyze the situation and share it with the public.

If this step, which is an important chance and opportunity for the resolution of the Kurdish issue, is properly utilized it shall bear important results for all our peoples. But, the incidents experienced in the first 10 days of our 'no-action' decision shows us that the Turkish side, that is especially the government and the Prime Minister, do not approach it in a proper manner. Whilst all our forces abide by the rules of the 'no-action' period with great reponsibility, the Turkish army and its other security forces, just as they did during the previous ceasefires, continue with their military operations and prepare the ground for clashes. These military operations are not those of coincidence, but, are highly planned and organized annihilation operations directed at the detected guerrilla forces with the help of high technology. This is nothing but an attempt to strike a blow to our guerrilla forces by taking advantage of the 'no-action' period and hence an attempt to re-initiate a new period of clashes.

In these military operations, our comrades Amed and Numan have displayed heroic resistance but have been martyred in Ercis/Van. In addition, there was a comprehensive military operation against one of our units detected around the village of Nugeyla/Şemdinli. There was much air and land technology used against them. In this operation, four of our comrades; Başur, Avesta, Beritan and Dilovan have been martyred. Our comrades Başur and Dilovan are from South of Kurdistan and it is highly meaningful that they have been martyred in this resistance heroically. Our people of South Kurdistan should claim them in a strong manner.

In addition to all the above, the forest and nature of Kurdistan is continued to be burnt and damaged. Just as we saw in Siirt, the police forces have not softened their approach to the Kurdish people on the contrary have attacked them despite the funeral ceremony. Besides, once again, the newspaper that is printed in Kurdish language, Azadiya Welat, has been closed down and hence the political genocidal operations have continued without a break. It is clear that all these are attempts to disrupt the 'no-action' period. If the Turkish army continues to make use of our 'no-action' decision in such a profiteering and wretched manner, it is clear that the 'no-action' period shall be seriously jeopardized.

The AKP and the Turkish state are far from utilizing this period in a proper manner. Instead of stopping the military operations, which is the demand of the democratic public, they continue to make provocative statements.

The real adressee of the decision we announced on 13th of August, 2010, is the AKP government and its prime minister Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan, has not only not given a positive reply to the statement made by the management of our movement and to the Chairperson of our Executive Council but is talking in a very provocative and a counter-productive manner. They have described our statement that some state officials are in dialogue with our leader as a defamation and a lie intended to influence the period of referandum. Our people and public know that our movement and its management have always acted in a true, factual and moralist manner. The statement made by our comrade Murat Karayilan, who is the Chairperson of our Executive Council, is completely true and factual. The AKP government and prime minister has allowed himself to fall into a position of making false statements upon the history, in order to gain the votes of the MHP.

Pro-government media, on the other hand, has followed a publication line that is directed at sabotaging the process through distorting the facts by writing wrong and untrue analysis.

This situation alone is enough to reveal the self-seeking and double-dealing behaviour of the AKP, when it comes to the Kurdish issue. It is clear that policies based on election concerns as well as attempts to deceive the public and Kurdish people shall not acquire any results.

It should not be ignored that such a 'no-action' period was developed at a time when we were in the most powerful position and had the capacity to advance the most comprehensive action. However, we declared this 'no-action' period due to the demands and calls, as well as, our own desire to give peace a chance. The responsibilities we hold led us to take calls and demands for a 'no-action' period into consideration. This was also for the benefit of the peoples living in Turkey. We envisaged the establishment of a peaceful and democratic conditions under which the referendum can take place. Despite all our goodwill and sincerity the insults uttered by the prime minister in calculation of election votes is a factor that puts the initiated period in danger. But, the seriousness of the situation essentially lies in the fact that the military operations are not stopped. In the case that this denial and annihilation period continues it shall not be our movement and people who shall be responsible of the future developments but the AKP governments itself. Therefore we invite the AKP government to behave in a serious and responsible manner.

We have nothing to say to MHP and CHP, the so-called opposition, who are trying to get results through their chauvinist policies and are acting irresponsibly when it comes to one of the main problems of Turkey, the Kurdish issue. They are trying to get votes through animosity against the Kurds, hence they are not the addressee of our calls at all. Indeed then, the attitude of those forces who bear responsibility for this important and historical period shall determine the result.

Hence, all the above mentioned points reveal that there are all the more reasons why the democratic circles, who are pro-peace in Turkey, must step in more actively. In fact, it is the NGOs and all the other democratic institutions, who had made the call of ceasefire to our movement, whom should step in ever more fiercely. Hence, above all, we call on the DTK (Democratic Society Congress) and all the other institutions, who called on us, to own up to their calls and to reveal the hypocritical policies of the AKP, who has not ceased fire, as well as, with all their might to prepare the conditions for a bilateral ceasefire and a permanent solution.

We, on the other hand, call on all the patriotic people to raise their struggle on the basis of a democratic autonomy perspective and to own up to the peace and democracy martyrs in order to give the necessary messages all around.

The Presidency of the Executive Council of the KCK

22 August 2010