Damascus rejects Russia’s proposal on Kurdish autonomy in Syria

February 1, 2017 By administrator

The Syrian government has rejected Kurdish autonomy to be included in a new draft constitution being prepared by Russia, Al Masdar News reports.

Article 40 in the draft constitution called for decentralized “people’s societies”.

“The Kurdish cultural self-ruling systems and its organizations use both the Arabic and Kurdish languages equally,” the draft reads.

The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), however are refusing to budge that federalism can be the only solution.

The Syrian government has rejected local autonomy or recognition of the Kurdish language on an equal level to Arabic.

The difficulty would also mean that other minority languages would also need to be recognized including Greek, Aramaic, Turkish and many others that the PYD have not advocated for.

According to the Syrian state media, during the Syrian peace talks in Astana last week, the Syrian government envoy Bashar Jaafari, said that the issue of federalism would be decided “by all Syrians and not decided unilaterally by a single component,” adding that all ideas “even one as crazy as federalism, must be put to a democratic vote”

“It’s completely unacceptable for a group of people to decide to create a statelet and call it federalism,” Jaafari continued.

Kurdish HDP to hold rallies, workshops for autonomy in face of threats of removal of immunity

January 4, 2016 By administrator

HDP spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen. (Photo: Today’s Zaman)

In response to recent remarks by the Turkish president that signaled the immunity of the two co-chairs of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) would be lifted for their remarks about Kurdish autonomy, the HDP is preparing to organize rallies and workshops to tell people autonomy will serve to democratize the country.

The HDP will hold rallies under the banner “Self-rule and Democratic Turkey,” the Hürriyet daily’s news portal quoted HDP spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen as saying on Monday.

The party will also reportedly hold meetings, worships and conferences in Turkey’s western provinces to inform people about self-rule and autonomy.

Prosecutors in Ankara and the southeastern province of Diyarbakır last week launched investigations into HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş over his remarks in support of self-rule for the predominantly Kurdish Southeast and for supporting terrorism.

The other HDP co-chair, Figen Yüksekdağ, as well as some other HDP figures are also facing investigations for their remarks calling for Kurdish autonomy during a recent Democratic Society Congress (DTK) congress.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suggested last week that the HDP co-chairs should be stripped of their parliamentary immunity, arguing their statements calling for autonomy in the Southeast are a “constitutional crime.”

“The statements of the two co-chairs are definitely a constitutional crime,” the president said in remarks published on Saturday, arguing that lifting their immunity “would positively affect the atmosphere” in the country regarding the fight against terrorism.

Government spokesperson Numan Kurtulmuş, however; spoke against the possibility of lifting the immunities of HDP deputies at a press conference he held following a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

Stating that neither party closures nor lifting immunities of deputies yielded any positive result in the Turkish politics in the past, Kurtulmuş called on the HDP to adopt a discourse and methods that are in line with democracy.

Demirtaş is accused by the Diyarbakır Chief Prosecutor’s Office of committing a crime against the constitutional order for saying Kurds could have federal states, autonomous regions or even independent states in the future, during the DTK congress held on Dec. 26-27.

In another investigation by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office, Demirtaş is accused of provoking hatred and enmity among people and for praising crime and criminals in his remarks during the Kobani protests last year.

Currently, fighting has been ongoing for around three weeks in the Cizre, Silopi and Sur districts in the predominantly Kurdish Southeast between the security forces and the PKK.

The DTK declaration for Kurdish autonomy came at a time when clashes have been ongoing for several weeks between the security forces and members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in towns in the predominantly Kurdish Southeast.

The Diyarbakır Chief Prosecutor’s Office has also launched investigations into HDP co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ for her remarks about autonomy and supporting the PKK’s fight in towns.

Five other Kurdish figures are also facing investigations for their remarks at the congress supporting Kurdish autonomy.

HDP deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder, DTK co-chairs Hatip Dicle and Selma Irmak, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Kamuran Yüksek and former HDP deputy Sebahat Tuncel are the five individuals facing the investigation.

‘Removing them from Parliament will lead to disintegration’

Dicle of the DTK on Monday warned that stripping the HDP deputies of parliamentary immunity would have dire consequences, according to the Doğan news agency.

Removing from Parliament the political representatives of the Kurdish people will lead to the disintegration of the country rather than unity, Dicle argued in a press meeting in Diyarbakır.

Recalling that a similar step taken by the Turkish government back in 1994 against some Kurdish deputies including himself did not help to settle the problem, he said, “It appears today’s politicians have not drawn any lessons from the situation then.”

Closing democratic channels for Kurds will mean encouraging violence, Dicle warned.

The date of the HDP rallies was to be determined at Monday’s HDP Central Executive Board meeting.

The HDP argues that the Kurdish demand for autonomy has to do with Turkey’s democratization.

PKK terrorists have dug trenches and built makeshift barricades with booby-trapped explosives in districts such as Cizre, Silopi and Sur in the predominantly Kurdish Southeast as part of an effort for self-rule.

Özgür Özel, the parliamentary group deputy chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has said his party is against the removal of the parliamentary immunity of HDP deputies.

In remarks to reporters on Monday in Parliament, Özel said such a step would not help resolve the country’s Kurdish issue, and he called on the HDP to distance itself from the PKK.

An HDP that criticizes the PKK and the violence, and which seeks to resolve the issue in Parliament is needed, Özel added.

Several neighborhoods of towns where clashes are ongoing have been under curfew during this period.

Thousands of members of the security forces supported by tanks and armored vehicles are involved in the fighting.

A total of around 280 PKK terrorists were, as of Sunday, “rendered ineffective” in the fighting in the towns under curfew, according to statements by the Turkish General Staff.

The term “rendered ineffective” refers to both those killed and wounded, but it is widely assumed those who are killed make up the large majority of the General Staff figure.

Önder claims HDP deputies to be arrested

HDP deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder claimed that the parliamentary immunity of the deputies facing investigation would be stripped and that they would be arrested.

“It looks so,” he told the T24 news portal in an interview published late on Sunday.

Arguing that such a move would not help to the resolution of the Kurdish problem in Turkey the least bit, Önder challengingly added that no HDP deputy is afraid of being sent to jail.

According to Önder, a call by the HDP for the trenches in towns to be filled in would go unheeded by the PKK, unless Öcalan, the PKK’s jailed leader, is allowed have HDP deputies as visitors, as was the case during the settlement process.

Öcalan has not been allowed to have any visitors since April, Önder said.

A settlement process launched by the government to resolve the country’s Kurdish issue was suspended in March. The de facto cease-fire that had been in place since the beginning of the process in late 2012 ended in July, and clashes between security forces and the PKK were reignited.

Turkey: Kurdish HDP party co-chair faces probe for defending ‘autonomy’

December 30, 2015 By administrator

AA photo

DİYARBAKIR,

The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation against Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ over her remarks defending autonomy, a day after the party’s other co-chair, Selahattin Demirtaş, was notified of a probe against him over crimes against the constitutional order.

Yüksekdağ attended a meeting of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) held in southeastern Diyarbakır province between Dec. 26 and 27, where the establishment of “democratic autonomous regions” was presented as a solution to the Kurdish problem.

The attendees also asked for “self-governance” and embraced the “legitimate insurgency” in a number of southeastern districts, while also urging the people of Turkey to support their cause.

According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the prosecutor’s office examined videos of the convention and initiated an investigation against Yüksekdağ and Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) head Sultan Ulusoy over their remarks on “self-governance, autonomy, trenches and barricades.”

The grounds for the investigations were laid out as “making terrorism propaganda,” “inciting a crime” and “encouraging sedition,” in addition to violating Article 302 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) by “disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state.”

Since Yüksekdağ is currently a MP, a summary of the proceedings needs to be prepared to lift the HDP co-chair’s immunity.

When asked to comment on the probe, Yüksekdağ told reporters that such investigations against HDP deputies and co-chairs were quite common.

“We never enjoyed immunity. We continue to exercise politics despite attacks and pressures,” Yüksekdağ was quoted as saying by Cihan News Agency.

The co-chair was also asked to comment on whether the DTK’s declaration constituted a violation of Turkey’s constitution, to which she responded by arguing it was an anomaly to expect to have a discussion on ways to improve the constitution without actually criticizing its contents.

“To the contrary, Turkish politicians have been discussing a new constitution. How can we lead a proper discussion on this issue without criticizing the current constitution?” she asked.

According to reports by Cihan, Yüksekdağ also pointed the finger at previous remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan when he said his election to the post of Presidency constituted a “de facto change in the system of administration.”

“If they are talking of violating the constitution they should consider the president’s ‘de facto regime change’ remarks,” she said.

December/30/2015

Source: hurriyetdailynews

Kurds uprise demand autonomy in Turkey amid continuing crackdown

December 28, 2015 By administrator

A congress of Kurdish non-governmental organizations has called to grant autonomy to Turkey’s southeastern regions via constitutional reform, as Turkish forces continue their crackdown on the Kurds, Russia Today reported.

On Sunday, the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), an association of Kurdish non-governmental organizations, adopted a declaration stressing the need for Kurdish self-rule in Turkey after a two-day special meeting in Turkey’s southeastern city of Diyarbakir.

“The rightful resistance mounted by our people against the policies that degrade the Kurdish problem, is essentially a demand and struggle for local self-governance and local democracy,” the 14-article declaration said.

The document suggests the creation of autonomous regions on Turkey’s territories mainly inhabited by Kurds, which could be composed of one or several Turkish provinces.

The autonomous regions should have their own elected legislatures and governments. Central government should have no power to remove the elected members of these bodies. Additionally, the regions should also have their own security forces under control of the regional authorities.

The DTK declaration also stresses that an autonomous region should receive a share from the use of natural resources located on its territory, and says constitutional reform is needed to formalize these norms in legislation.

The congress emphasized that granting autonomy is the only way for both to ensure the democratization of Turkey and to resolve the Kurdish issue in Turkey, adding that Kurds will not stop fighting for self-rule.

“We are extending our hand [for a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish issue] for the last time. We will not give up [demanding] autonomy,” Selma Irmak, a co-chair of the DTK said, delivering a speech on the first day of the Congress, Today’s Zaman reports.
The Congress expressed its commitment to the peaceful settlement of the Kurdish issue calling for reopening dialog and re-launching negotiations. It also reiterated its call for the release of Abdullah Ocalan – the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtas, said Kurds may potentially not only have autonomous regions, but also an independent federal state in the future. In his speech at the Congress on Saturday, he said the 21st century would be the “century of the Kurds.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out any possibility of another state within Turkey’s borders.

“Now they are talking about separating our land in this country. We will never allow surgery on the unity of our country,” he said on Saturday as quoted by Reuters.
Also on Saturday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu canceled a scheduled meeting with the HDP and accused the party of seeking “polarization in the country.” The PM was reacting to HDP politicians’ recent statements, in which they criticized the government’s crackdown on Kurds and demanded its cessation before any meeting between the HDP and the government could take place.
Turkey’ security operation in the country’s southeast continues with heavy fighting in the towns of Cizre and Silopi. More than 200 Kurdish fighters have been killed in the operation over the last two weeks, according to an army statement issued on Saturday.

A two-year ceasefire between the Turkish government and Kurdish militants fell apart in July, reigniting the three-decade conflict that has already claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people.

Finally the Kurd HDP asks for autonomy, as Davutoğlu cancels meeting on constitution dialogue

December 27, 2015 By administrator

n_93079_1 The People’s Democratic Party (HDP) has insisted on self-rule in southeastern Anatolia as Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu canceled a meeting with the party over the constitution, accusing the HDP of violence.

A meeting of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) called for the establishment of “democratic autonomous regions” for the solution of the Kurdish problem. The DTK had convened to discuss operations in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır and asked for “self-governance” in a statement on Dec. 27.

The group called for dialogue and negotiations and therefore sought the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The DTK also embraced “legitimate insurgency” and called on the people of Turkey to give support them.

People’s assemblies in the southeastern towns of Silopi, Cizre and Nusaybin as well as in the province of Şırnak have declared “self-governance” following clashes between PKK and the security forces.

Meanwhile, Davutoğlu canceled a planned meeting with the HDP, which is focused on the Kurdish issue and is a member of the DTK, suggesting its politics are rooted in violence, dashing faint hopes of greater parliamentary cooperation amid continued clashes in the southeast.

A written statement released by the Prime Ministry on Dec. 26 noted that Davutoğlu conveyed requests on Dec. 22 to hold separate meetings with the leaders of all opposition parties represented in parliament in line with the results of the Nov. 1 snap election.

All parties responded affirmatively to Davutoğlu’s request and, according to an earlier statement released by the Prime Ministry, Davutoğlu was set to meet main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. and with the co-chairs of the HDP at 4 p.m. on the same day. Davutoğlu was also scheduled to meet Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli at 2 p.m. on Jan. 4, 2016.

These requests were conveyed “without making discrimination” out of “respect for democracy culture” and “the importance attached to conciliation,” although the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power as a single-party government with a sweeping victory in the Nov. 1 vote, the Prime Ministry said.

“However, statements delivered by HDP executives in the last week are a reflection of a shallow political stance that is diametrically opposed to this understanding, is aimed at polarizing the country, is far from minimum political kindness, does not comply with our nation’s ancient culture of living together and appeals to conflict and tension,” said the Prime Ministry.

“With this approach, HDP executives have once more displayed that they don’t have the maturity to consider politics as a tool for solving problems. There is no sense anymore in meeting with this unstylish approach and sharing the same table,” it said.

In addition to the constitution, the 2016 Central Governance Budget Bill, planned reforms and possible amendments to the internal regulations of parliament were expected to be on the agenda during the meetings.

Come just for a cup of tea

In remarks published on Dec. 26, a senior HDP deputy said there would be little to talk about with Davutoğlu as long as clashes and curfews continue in southeastern Turkey.

“Quite apart from the fundamental right to life, if the prime minister visits us without recognizing the people’s right to breathe and their right to bury their loved ones, then he will only be offered to a cup of ‘Kaçak Çay’ and then leave,” HDP Ankara deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder told reporters, referring to Davutoğlu’s meeting with the HDP’s co-leaders scheduled for Dec. 30.

“Kaçak Çay,” simply translated as “smuggled tea,” also known as Ceylon tea, is much praised for its strong taste and blood-red color, particularly in the southeast.

The prime minister’s meeting could produce results only if the country is brought within constitutional bounds, Önder said, noting that he hoped “the prime minister would turn this opportunity into a democratic opportunity.”

“In contrast to the perception which they have attempted to form in public, our prime minister’s request is not at all to open a discussion on his resolute stance in the fight against terror,” the Prime Ministry said, ruling out any “bargaining in the ongoing fight against terror.”

“In our country where there is no single province that he does not visit, Mr. Prime Minister has accepted all invitations for ‘offers of tea’ by our nation, and has never returned this invitation which is a symbol of the hospitality of the generous Anatolia people. There is no environment of dialogue to be held in this meaning with people who have severed their connection with this culture,” the Prime Ministry said, in an apparent reference to Önder’s remarks.

Autonomy

In a move likely to further escalate tension with the government, HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş has broached the possibility of building an independent Kurdistan.

“This resistance will end with victory, and everybody will respect the people’s will. Kurds will from now on be the political will in their own region. During these days when a historical breaking point is emerging, our people will decide whether [to live in] dictatorship or freedom and whether to live under one man’s tyranny or in autonomy,” Demirtaş said in a speech delivered at the opening of the DTK conference.

“We have made the decision on that. Turkey’s west should also join this decision that is made and lend support. There will be the reality of Kurdistan in the next century. Perhaps, Kurds will have their own independent state, the federal state, and cantons and autonomous regions as well,” he said.

December/27/2015

By next Turkeys Election almost all Kurd candidate will be in Jail, Hakkari co-mayors detained over ‘self-governance’ claims

August 20, 2015 By administrator

Hakkari co-mayors Dilek Hatipoğlu (Photo: DHA)

The co-mayors of the Hakkari Municipality were detained in an operation on Thursday, one police launched after claims of a declaration of autonomy in the municipality.

The co-mayors — Dilek Hatipoğlu and Nurullah Çiftçi –– were detained early on Thursday.

The co-mayors of the Sur and Silvan districts of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır have also been detained. Sur Co-mayors Seyid Narin and Fatma Şık Barut, Silvan Co-mayors Yüksel Bodakçı and Melikşah Teke, and pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) official Ali Rıza Çiçek were detained in operations staged in Diyarbakır on Wednesday.

people’s assemblies in the southeastern districts of Silopi, Cizre and Nusaybin, as well as in the province of Şırnak, declared “self-governance” on Aug. 10, following clashes between terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) supporters and police in Silopi that killed four people, including a police officer. The Yüksekova district of the southeastern province of Hakkari and the Varto and Bulanık districts of Muş followed suit soon thereafter.

In a statement on Aug. 12, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella group that encompasses the PKK, said the assemblies in Silopi, Cizre, Nusaybin and Şırnak have announced that they do not recognize any state institution, have declared autonomy and “exercise their legitimate right to self-defense if [their] self-governance is attacked.”

Source: Zaman

Turkey: Four mayor co-chairs detained over autonomy statements in Turkey’s southeast

August 19, 2015 By administrator

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

Four mayoral co-chairs from the Democratic Regions’ Party (DBP) were detained Aug. 19 in two districts of Diyarbakır over recent statements declaring autonomy from Ankara.

Security forces conducted simultaneous operations early on Aug. 19 over the declarations in Diyarbakır and detained the co-chairs of Sur Municipality, Seyid Narin and Fatma Şık Barut, along with the co-chairs of Silvan Municipality, Yüksel Bodakçı and Melikşah Teke, from the DBP.

The recent prevalence of autonomy statements from DBP officials in southeastern provinces first began on Aug. 10 in Şırnak when DBP provincial head Salih Gülenç vowed to “build their lives on the basis of democracy” on the grounds that the state had lost its legitimacy.

One day later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slammed the statements, saying they would pay heavy price for their statements.

An operation then began on Aug. 12 following Erdoğan’s remarks which targeted DBP provincial head, the mayor and the party managers. Three were detained in police raids and two managers of the DBP, Salih Ürek and Leyla İşlek, were arrested.

The second statement, meanwhile, came from Hakkari on the same day as the operations. DBP Hakkari central district co-chair İbrahim Çiftçi declared the area’s autonomy, saying, “No one assigned by the state will govern us.”

On Aug. 15 the autonomy statements came from the Silvan district of Diyarbakır and the southeastern province of Batman.

“As the people of Farqîn [Silvan], we do not want to be ruled in this fashion,” said Silvan DBP district head Barış Gülenyüzlü, adding that the residents would no longer accept the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) heavy-handed administration that operates on the notion that “everybody must follow my orders and move according to my desires.”

On the same day, Batman Municipality co-chairs Sabri Özdemir and Gülistan Akel made another autonomy statement.

The Hakkari Public Prosecutor’s Office launched Aug. 17 an investigation over the consecutive statements.

Accordingly, special operations police and counter-terrorism forces began simultaneous operations targeting DBP and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) figures in a number of districts and provinces.

The Istanbul neighborhood of Gazi, which has long been a flashpoint between locals and the state, also declared autonomy on Aug. 18.

The DBP is a sister party to the HDP and operates mostly in Turkey’s east and southeast.