İSTANBUL - Retired pilot Bahadır Altan, who stated that his attacks against Northern and Eastern Syria will not bring a solution, said that lasting peace will not come with the agreement of Assad and Erdoğan, but with a democratic structure led by women that recognizes the differences of peoples.

 

The attacks against Northern and Eastern Syria, which started with the threats of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, continue with the assassinations carried out by Turkish drones. 308 people, including artists, intellectuals and writers published a statement addressing the opposition on August 12, warning them not to be an accomplice in the war crimes of the government. One of the signatories of the declaration, peace activist and retired pilot Bahadır Altan underlined that everyone, especially the opposition, should take a serious stance against the war.

 

PEACE WILL ENSURE BORDER PROTECTION

 

Stating that Turkey has been implementing expansionist policies under the pretext of a "safe zone" at a depth of 30 kilometers into northern Syria for a long time, Altan emphasized that the thing that will ensure border security is peace. Stating that the AKP has failed in every field, Altan said, “The AKP's war policy has become an argument on which it bases its power. Since the AKP government has no success in justice, democracy or economy, it uses the nationalism and aggression it has provoked inside as the only way to hold on to power. It builds its power from the policy of war."

 

THERE IS A GREAT SILENCE

 

Underlining that war policies are not for the benefit of the people, Altan said, “We called the opposition to take a stand for our statement. There is great silence about the war in Turkey. The government says they don't have eyes on no body's lands and that they just want a safe zone 'free from terrorism'. However the AKP is pumping new Ottoman dreams to its base promising expansion. He also uses it as an election argument.”

 

HOSTILE POLICIES OF THE AKP

 

Reminding that the AKP lost its chance to come to power on its own after the June 7, 2015 elections, Altan added that the AKP, which built its power on war policies, developed hostile policies with all neighboring countries, which led to economic collapse. Altan said, "People in Turkey think that we manufacture drones ourselves, but all the money spent on this war is from our taxes and our money."

 

'NO BORDER WILL BE SAFE WITHOUT PEACE'

 

Pointing out that the AKP government has a desire to annex Mosul and Kirkuk with the dreams of the New Ottoman Empire, Altan said, "The government continues to say that they won't allow a Kurdish state at its borders and that it will clear the borders from 'terrorists'. However, it doesn't matter how deep is your safe zone, if there is no nation that you made a peace agreement with there, that border won't be safe either. The government uses the word 'purge' for these borders. It clearly means genocide. So far, women, children, men and civilians have been killed by Turkish drones, planes and artillery. When instead of killing Kurds, Turkey killed Arabs in Zaxo, the world became a little aware of this massacre.”

 

THE TARGETING OF CIVILLIANS

 

Stating that Turkey attacked people fighting against ISIS and protecting their own lands with air strikes and artillery shells, Altan noted that the dead civilians were declared "terrorists". Altan said, "Even if you call these operations 'the dove of peace', this is an invasion. Those lands have been under Turkish control for years, but the problems do not end. Recently, the jihadist forces, which they supported and organized, and the gangs there, also reacted by burning Turkey's flag, because the solution to the problems is not war." 

 

FOREIGN ACTORS IN SYRIA

 

Altan said, "The agreement between Assad and Erdogan will not bring peace," and added: "There are too many foreign actors in Syria because there is no democratic environment in Turkey. This is the main reason why the USA, Russia all entered Syria. Because there is no respect and recognition for minorities and ethnic differences, neither in Syria nor in Turkey. People in Turkey keep asking Syrian refugees why didn't they stayed and defended their lands. But those who stayed and defended their lands are declared terrorists. The YPG cleared many villages from ISIS, and with the Kobanê resistance, they started to regress and defeated ISIS. You call this structure that protects their own countries and lands terrorists, and you do your best to have everyone call them terrorists. Just because Turkey calls the YPG a terrorist doesn't mean everyone is a terrorist, and the people living in that area are not terrorists either."

 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN ERDOĞAN AND ASSAD

 

Emphasizing that another reason behind Turkey's persistent desire to attack Rojava is the women's structure in the region, Altan noted that a structure has emerged in Rojava that subjectivizes women and is led by women. Altan said, “Turkey, by declaring this structure a terrorist organization, shows that it does not want a women-lead structure, but wants a region under the control of gangs and jihadist organizations. Peace will not be achieved with the agreement made between Assad and Edoğan, but by a democratic structure led by women which recognizes the differences, beliefs and sects of peoples.”

 

'THE OPPOSITON IS AN ACCOMPLICE IN THESE WAR CRIMES'

 

Underlining that the opposition does not have a clear program on the Kurdish issue, Altan said, "That's why I define the opposition alliance as an accomplice. In other words, they nurtured these policies by approving all the resolutions and applauding Turkey's sending troops to Syria. If there is to be a new attack now, they will be accomplices in these war crimes because they did nothing to prevent it. This will be an invasion, which will have much more permanent and bad consequences for Turkey. Opposition must stand up to it with the awareness that it is an occupation.” 

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal