In a statement on the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, the KCK calls for a comprehensive discussion on Kurdish-Turkish relations and their impact on Turkey's past, present and future.https://t.co/k7upc7xskt pic.twitter.com/4AqJVrhDpQ
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In a statement issued on Friday, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey by calling for a reflective dialogue on the historical Kurdish-Turkish relations and their impact on the past, present and future of the nation.
The statement emphasised the importance of recognising the role of the Kurds in the history and political structure of Turkey and the need to address the deteriorating relations that have caused suffering and loss for both Kurds and Turks.
The KCK statement began by recognising the milestone of the Republic’s centenary and the discussions about the next century. It emphasised the need for a correct and comprehensive discussion of the past century in order to lay a solid foundation for shaping the future, and stressed that the consideration of Kurdish-Turkish relations is indispensable for a fruitful dialogue.
The statement said: “The Kurds are a reality of this geography. They have been an essential element of the political and administrative structure established both in the establishment of the Republic and in previous periods”. It argued that any discussion of the history of the Republic that ignores Kurdish-Turkish relations is incomplete and wrong.
The KCK pointed out that the deterioration of Kurdish-Turkish relations since the establishment of the Republic has had significant negative consequences that have affected not only Kurds, but also Turks and the whole nation. It stressed the urgency of recognising this historical reality and taking corrective measures to address it, stating that “a correct and corrective discussion can only be possible with this”.
The statement further claimed that the deterioration of Kurdish-Turkish relations has undermined the ideals expected from the Republic, including democracy, and allowed nationalism to become a tool of power, pushing the Turkish people with a constant emphasis on Turkishness. This, in turn, has prevented Turkish society from making democratic demands and progress.
According to the KCK, the historical policy of what it defines as the genocide against the Kurds and the disregard for social responsibility by those in power had led to a society divided and exploited by sects and moneylenders, and it argued that the state had even fallen behind the old state in many respects.
The statement pointed out that the republic was initially founded as a struggle against the capitalist imperialist powers and then turned to genocide against the Kurds and dependence on foreign powers for support. It claimed that the enmity against the Kurdish people has become the only principle of the state’s policy.
The KCK noted that the deterioration of Kurdish-Turkish relations has also affected the whole Middle East, leading to the division and fragmentation of the peoples and benefiting capitalist modernity and imperialism. The statement emphasised that maintaining the relations that led to the foundation of the Republic could have changed the course of developments in the Middle East.
Finally, the KCK recognised the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as a movement of rebellion and liberation that aims to restore Kurdish-Turkish relations. The statement acknowledged the PKK’s role in preventing the end of Kurdishness and emphasised the interconnectedness of Kurds and Turks.