🔴The path to peace in Turkey lies through Öcalan: prominent professor calls to Erdoğan
📌Michael Gunter criticises Erdoğan's policies on Kurds and advocates for Abdullah Öcalan's role in peace talks. Read more or watch the video:#KurdishIssue | #PeaceInTurkey | #MichaelGunter… pic.twitter.com/LN0ea1YH0k
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Michael Gunter, a prominent Professor of Political Science at Tennessee Technological University, Secretary General of the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), and a MedyaNews contributor has expressed strong criticism of Turkey’s current policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, particularly regarding the treatment of Syrian Kurds and the ongoing conflict with Kurdish groups in Turkey with Erem Kansoy.
“I’m very disappointed in Turkey,” Gunter remarked. “I think Erdoğan pushes this issue much too far in order to win popular support in Turkey, claiming he is fighting against terrorists and so forth.” He highlighted the potential for the Syrian Kurds and their allies to seize the opportunity presented by Assad’s weakened position to advocate for a future built on peace and diplomacy.
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While acknowledging the limitations of such an approach, Gunter emphasised that the responsibility ultimately lies with the Syrians to reassert their territorial integrity and prevent Turkey from launching “egregious attacks” on Syrian Kurds. “The Kurds in Syria have a lot of experience with democracy and could actually play a very helpful role in the future of Syria,” he added.
Gunter stressed the critical role of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned Kurdish leader, in fostering peace in Turkey. “Öcalan is certainly the key to peace in Turkey. Erdoğan himself has recognised what a disaster this 40-year conflict has been for the country. We don’t have to do this.” He noted that Öcalan has repeatedly expressed a willingness to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the Turkish government, one that respects Turkey’s territorial integrity while granting the Kurds their social, political, and economic rights. “These rights would not harm Turkey,” Gunter argued, “they would actually help the country.”
Gunter urged the Turkish government to abandon its “fruitless, no-win situation” of isolating Öcalan and instead renew efforts to achieve a Kurdish peace. He framed this as a crucial step towards ending a decades-long conflict that has caused immense suffering and hindered Turkey’s development.
In conclusion, Gunter’s commentary underscores the importance of diplomacy and inclusive governance in addressing the Kurdish issue in Turkey and the broader region. By shifting focus from militarised strategies to dialogue, both Turkey and Syria could pave the way for a more stable and cooperative future.
Michael Gunter was one of the first academics from the United States to visit Abdullah Öcalan in Damascus during the late-1990s. A leading expert on Kurdish issues and a distinguished political scientist, Gunter has written several books and numerous scholarly articles exploring the Kurdish people’s fate and struggles. In addition to his academic contributions, he is a prominent global advocate for Öcalan’s release, viewing it as a crucial step towards a political resolution and a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish issue in Turkey, with potential positive implications for the wider region.
