İSTANBUL - Underlining that the Kurdish question can not be solved by cross border operations, journalist Celal Başlangıç said: "Landing military choppers in Kurdish lands will not solve the Kurdish question. This is a problem that can be solved through reason, ideas, peace, democratic values and equal citizenship."

 

In addition to insisting on a deadlock in the Kurdish Question, militarist policies drag Turkey into deeper economic, social and political crises. Aside from the enormous military expenditures, the increasing violence in Turkey keeps smothering the people. The fact that the opposition parties except the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) are following similar policies with the AKP in terms of the Kurdish question, deepens this deadlock.

 

Journalist Celal Başlangıç who follows the developments in Turkey and the region closely for years, spoke to Mesopotamia Agency about this deadlock, PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's role in the solution, the attitude of the opposition parties and the cross border operations in Zap, Avaşin and Metina.

 

VIOLENCE INCREASED

 

Stating that Turkey's policies regarding the Kurdish question, has been dragging Turkey into a deadlock, Başlangıç underlined that governments trying to solve this problems in terms of military operations deepens the problems. Underlining that the Kurdish question is more visible nıw, Başlangıç pointed out that the fact that the state increases violence only deepens the problems and don't get any results. Başlangıç said: "We not only ended up in an economic crisis, we have lost lives. The villages were evacuated, the structure of the cities have changed, the sociologic base in cities have changed. We have went through an economic and sociological collapse. It also helped the nationalist wave grow bigger."

 

'THOSE WHO CAN NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM WILL PERISH'

 

Recalling Turgut Özal, Süleyman Demirel, Tansu Çiller and Mesut Yılmaz, Başlangıç drew attention to the fact that every government that failed to solve the Kurdish question have collapsed. Başlangıç said: "We have witnessed the change in Turkey during the peace process. No one died. Neither the guerilla, not the soldiers. They are all our people anyway. We have seen how good things would turn out if the peace process continued. AKP's ending this process has been a disaster for Turkey."

 

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION

 

Expressing that the Kurdish Question has been brought to the international arena with the developments in Northern and Eastern Syria, Başlangıç said: "Turkey can no longer solve this problem alone. It has turned into a problem to be solved internationally. It was the AKP that brought this problem to the international arena. The raging attack against a possible Kurdish formation in Syria and the Kurds gaining a possible status has dragged Turkey into a serious swamp both in its own country and in the region."

 

OPERATIONS ARE IN VEIN

 

Underlining that instead of establishing peace and solution, Turkey has been carrying war, blood and tears to the Kurds outside of its borders too, Başlangıç said: "The government is waging a war against Kurds in Syria and Iraq. As a journalist I have been following these developments from the day PKK fired its gun for the first time. Cross border operations continued non stop since that time. The state has faced a more strong structure every time. The Kurdish Question has gone beyond a problem that can be solved by carrying out cross-border operations, bombing the mountains, bombing neighboring countries, landing military helicopters in their territories. We can see clearly that Turkey is in a deadlock. We all have seen the failure in Garé. Now it is Zağ, Avaşin and Metina. Even Hulusi Akar, the Defense Minister says Turkish Armed Forces fail to land in those lands. This is no longer an issue that can be solved with landing military helicopters in their lands. This is a problem that can be solved through reason, ideas, peace, democratic values and equal citizenship."

 

'SOLUTION IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT ÖCALAN'

 

Pointing out that the only solution in Kurdish question is PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Başlangıç underlined that the solution will be possible with dialogue with Öcalan. Başlangıç stressed that the AKP tried to create a party in its control to sideline HDP, but that the level of consciousness of the Kurdish voters frustrated their plans.

 

Emphasizing that the state has made a lot of effort to eliminate Öcalan, but all efforts are inconclusive and that it is not possible to get results from now on, Başlangıç said: "If Turkey wants real peace, they need a political actor that the Kurds respect. That political actor is Öcalan. Those who want democracy, have to solve the Kurdish question. You will either live in an authoritarian regime that does not solve the Kurdish question or you will chose a democratic country, solving these problems. There is no other way."

 

 

 

MA / İdris Sayılğan