President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asserted that the “Kurdish brothers” are Turkey’s legitimate parties in discussions concerning the Kurdish issue, effectively sidelining formal talks with the PKK leadership. His remarks came during a party meeting in Ankara on Wednesday, amidst criticism of his government’s handling of Kurdish political representation.
Erdoğan’s comments suggest a direct engagement with Kurdish citizens, bypassing established Kurdish political movements and leaders, some of whom have faced crackdowns under his administration. “This republic is as much the Kurds’ as it is the Turks’,” he proclaimed, striving to present a unified front.
However, his assertion contrasts sharply with his government’s actions, which have been criticised for suppressing Kurdish language and culture, promoting Turkish nationalism and leading to discrimination against Kurds. Since 2016, numerous elected Kurdish mayors have been dismissed and replaced with state-appointed trustees, actions considered not only a manifestation of aversion to Kurdish inclusivity but also a systematic undermining of Kurdish political representation and rights.
In addition, Erdoğan confirmed ongoing military operations against Kurdish regions in northern Syria and Iraq, asserting, “We do not have any calls to Kandil” (a PKK stronghold in Iraqi Kurdistan). His stance indicates a continuation of Turkey’s military strategy in the region, sidestepping diplomatic engagements with Kurdish armed groups.
