The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) shared a statement on Sunday, accusing the Turkish government policies of the devastating results of the Monday earthquakes. The government is now using the results of the earthquake as a justification for waging new wars, they added.
“It is obvious the Kurdish people, the people in Turkey and Syria have been heavily hurt by the 6 February earthquake centred in Maraş,” the PKK’s executive board said.
The PKK said that the earthquake was a natural disaster, but added that the large-scale destruction caused by the disaster was the fault of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) coalition, which failed in taking the necessary measures beforehand and used taxes collected for earthquake relief to enrich its supporters.
The PKK thanked all people who mobilised their resources to provide disaster relief despite the state’s failure.
“From now on the reality of this state and government should be correctly understood by the people. Instead of hoping for help from the state, they should prioritise determining their own fate through their own social organisations,” the party’s executive board said.
“It is clear that AKP-MHP fascism has been caught red-handed once more by the February 6 earthquake. It has become apparent that they have used the taxes they took from the people and the funds for the earthquake to benefit their supporters and for the war against Kurdish people. Now they have been trying to turn the consequences of the earthquake into a justification for war and prolong their government by declaring state of emergency,” the PKK continued.
“Of course, all peoples of Turkey and the revolutionary-democratic powers, particularly the Kurds, will not allow this and will drown AKP-MHP in the sea of pain caused by its fascism. They will hold AKP-MHP fascism accountable one by one for everything they have caused. It will not allow the postponement of elections over earthquake and will bury their fascism,” it added, referring to upcoming elections in Turkey expected to take place in May.