Kirstein: Europe owes its peace to the PKK

Andreas Kirstein, one of the participants of the Justice for the Kurds Initiative’s campaign, stated that the PKK must be removed from the “terror list” in order to achieve a lasting peace in Kurdistan and the Middle East.

The ongoing campaign to remove the PKK from the European Union’s (EU) “terror list” is endorsed by Nobel Prize-winning author Elfriede Jelinek, philosopher Slavoj Žižek, international law expert Prof. Norman Paech, EUTCC Secretary General Prof. Michael M. Gunter and the founding member of the Plaza de Mayo Mothers Organization, Nora Cortinas.

Andreas Kirstein from the Alternative Liste (AL) is also a member of the Zurich-Amed Fraternity Bridge. Kirstein spoke to ANF about the petition introduced as part of the ongoing campaign.

‘I SUPPORT THE PKK’S STRUGGLE’

Kirstein noted that there is a large Kurdish community in Switzerland and that he could not remain indifferent to the persecution, oppression and human rights violations that the Kurdish people experience. “I wanted to make visible the oppression and persecution of the Kurdish people by taking part in several campaigns and activities for the solution of the Kurdish problem. I support the PKK’s struggle and the campaign to remove the PKK from the terror list. I signed the petition in a bid to contribute to the struggle of the Kurdish people,” Kirstein said.

PRESSURE SHOULD BE PUT ON TURKEY

Kirstein remarked that the PKK must be first removed from the “terror list” in order to achieve a lasting peace in Kurdistan and the Middle East. He defended that the international community should put pressure on the Turkish state in order to end the war between the PKK, which is the representative of the Kurdish people, and the Turkish state.

‘PKK IS THE LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KURDS’

Kirstein expressed that the EU turns a blind eye to the persecution against the Kurdish people due to refugee blackmail, military and commercial agreements. “The PKK is the legitimate representative of the Kurdish people. If the criminalization of the PKK ends, Turkey will feel under pressure and come to the table with the PKK for a new round of peace talks. Europe must never forget the significant role the Kurdish guerrillas played to eliminate ISIS and the prices they have paid. Thanks to the Kurdish fighters, the peoples of Europe are protected from jihadist groups,” Kirstein underlined.