Duran Kalkan, a member of the KCK Executive Council, said on Friday that the Kurdish issue can only be solved through democratic and political methods, and called on Turkey to adopt a democratic approach on the basis of freedom for women, and for Kurds, Alevis and other minorities.
Remarking that the Kurdish issue is a serious problem that must not be used as a tool for political interests, Kalkan said, “Paving the way to a solution requires a serious and holistic approach, free from all kinds of simple political interests, games and tricks.”
“But we cannot see anything like that at the moment. We are faced with serious misunderstandings and self-deception. Everything is being simplified in Turkey. And Europe is playing games. There are a lot of conflicts of interest. These forces play tricks and games on a daily basis. They use everything as a tool for their own interests,” he added.
Kalkan also argued that genocide was being conducted against the Kurdish people, which would affect everyone before long.
“Before, genocides were committed against Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians and others. And tomorrow it will be other peoples. This will not only remain limited to Kurds. Those who think so are mistaken. Therefore, we are faced with a dangerous situation. We are definitely warning everybody about this.”
Referring to the vague information provided by the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) regarding its recent visit to İmralı Island Prison, Kalkan emphasised that the situation on the Turkish prison island İmralı was extremely critical and sensitive.
A CPT delegation travelled to Turkey from 20 to 29 September 2022 and carried out an ad hoc inspection that included a visit to Imrali Island where the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan is held along with three other inmates.
However, representatives of the delegation failed to clarify whether they had met with Öcalan during their visit. Asrın Law Bureau, the lawyers who act for the PKK leader, said on 29 November that they suspect Öcalan did not participate in an interview with the delegation.
“We only have interpretations based on assumptions. But what is the actual situation? How can it be that an organisation like the CPT says that it has visited İmralı, but now others say that this is not the case? Everyone says something according to their own interests. In other words, they are trying to use the situation in İmralı for their own interests. There is no concrete information about this issue. There is complete uncertainty.”
Kalkan also referred to Öcalan as “the only power” to help building Kurdish-Turkish peace, and said that the solution to the Kurdish question should be established on the basis of democratisation.
