In the second part of this in-depth interview, Mustafa Karasu, member of the KCK Executive Council, said that “the success of this process will bring many benefits to the Kurdish people and all the peoples of Turkey.”
The first part of the interview can be read here.
There is a lot of talk about state forces, but where do the international friends of your movement and the democratic forces of Turkey stand in this process?
Our international friends in Turkey, in Europe, and around the world are following the process closely. They are making an effort to support this process and ensure its success. Of course, these efforts need to be further developed. But of course, the main duty lies on the Kurdish people and the democratic forces of Turkey.
We are talking about a process. We mentioned the goals that need to be achieved. The efforts, organization, and struggle of the Kurdish people are important for the realization of these goals. If the democratic forces in Turkey do not get involved, if the Kurdish people are not effective, if there is no pressure or struggle to increase the steps required by the process on the state and the government, this process may not yield the desired results.
In this regard, the people have important tasks to perform. We want this process to succeed. We believe that the success of this process will bring many benefits to the Kurdish people and all the peoples of Turkey. We have no doubts or concerns about this. If the process succeeds and develops, everyone will win. But for this to happen, the people need to expand their struggle. Surely, meetings are being held everywhere to explain the process, but this needs to be expanded further. Not only our own circles or those close to us, but everyone, every circle in Kurdistan, every circle outside our own, tribes, the grassroots of other parties – everyone needs to be reached out to and informed about this process. Because everyone can benefit from this process. When the issue is resolved, when Turkey’s democratization and the resolution of the Kurdish issue are achieved, everyone will benefit.
The root cause of all the problems currently facing Turkey – the problems of democracy, labor, unemployment, and the economy – is the lack of democracy due to the unresolved Kurdish issue. Those who say “there is no democracy” need to see this whole picture. Without resolving the Kurdish issue and addressing the fundamental problem, democracy will not come to Turkey. Those who do not want a solution to this issue are not genuinely seeking democracy. As long as the Kurdish issue remains unresolved, Turkey will not become democratic.
In this regard, our international friends around the world must also struggle with this awareness, reaching out to all circles of society in Kurdistan, not limiting themselves to meetings alone. Marches and rallies can be held on a democratic basis. The demands and wishes of society can be voiced more loudly. The democratic forces in Turkey need to take responsibility for this. They cannot just stand by and watch. If they want democracy and freedom, if the socialist forces want development in Turkey for their own purposes, they need to make the necessary efforts to advance this process. There is an effort in this direction, but this effort needs to be increased. This process does not progress on its own. Nor is responsibility fulfilled by simply saying, “This process is good.” In this regard, without waiting, without watching what is happening and how it will happen, everyone must take responsibility for the process, engage in the struggle, and fulfill their obligations.
How do you view the government’s current approach towards the state opposition, namely the CHP?
We have already previously emphasized that the pressure exerted on the CHP is not appropriate and does not contribute to the development of the process. We still hold this view.
We currently view the CHP’s approach positively. They have joined the commission and stated that they will offer their support. They have demonstrated their will to work towards democratization within this commission. These are positive developments. But I would like to emphasize that there are anti-democratic problems in Turkey, and Turkey is not democratized. This is not a problem of today. The problem of democratization in Turkey is a century-old problem. For a hundred years, the Kurdish people, socialists, democratic forces, and communities that have been oppressed for their beliefs have always been part of the struggle for democracy. So this is not a current problem. It is a historical problem of the Republic of Turkey. In this sense, when we talk about anti-democratic practices, there is a historical and sociological basis for this. Again, it is closely linked to the Kurdish issue. It is also closely linked to the freedom of belief of Alevis. There is pressure on the CHP, and there are arrests. These things are happening. All of these are, of course, anti-democratic approaches.
They use corruption within the municipalities as a pretext. What is being done to the CHP is not related to this. These are operations that go beyond this, with different aims. These are clear; everyone is discussing them. But the way to eliminate such problems is for Turkey to become more democratic. This, in turn, depends on resolving the Kurdish issue. If you do not want the Kurdish issue to be resolved, if you oppose its resolution, then you cannot talk about democratization or these anti-democratic practices. Then you are not sincere. Because the source of all anti-democratic practices is the unsolved Kurdish issue. If the Kurdish issue is resolved, Turkey will be rid of these anti-democratic practices.
The opposition should not take a cold approach to the process pushed forward by Kurdish people’s leader, Abdullah Öcalan, and our Movement, because of the repression. If they take a negative approach to this process for these reasons, or if they do not provide the necessary support, they will be the ones who are wrong. They will contradict their own words and their own criticisms. From this perspective, a significant part of the opposition is contributing to the process and providing support. But this support needs to increase further.
There are some who claim to be opposition, claiming to be against imperialism, to be against Israel, and to be against this process, because there are games being played on Turkey. They are not aware of what the main issue is that will ensure Turkey’s security. Turkey’s security is achieved through the resolution of the Kurdish issue. No one can ensure Turkey’s security by clashing with, fighting with the Kurds, and denying their existence. Ignoring and oppressing the Kurds and implementing assimilation and genocide policies will not bring security to Turkey; on the contrary, it endangers Turkey’s security. From this perspective, Kurdish people’s leader, Abdullah Öcalan, has always highlighted Kurdish-Turkish relations throughout history, pointing out that whenever Turks have improved their relations with Kurds and acted in unison, security has been achieved. In this regard, those so-called nationalists who claim to defend the security of their country are, on the contrary, implementing the policies of those states and groups that they consider a threat to Turkey’s security and serving them.
Let us now turn to developments in Syria, starting with the Turkish state’s rapprochement with northern and eastern Syria. Little seems to have changed in this regard. It appears to continue to be based on threatening rhetoric toward the Kurds in Syria.
There is a process underway in Turkey. Kurdish people’s leader, Abdullah Öcalan, referred to this as the ‘Process of Peace and Democratic Society’ and ‘Turkey’s democratization.’ For this, a change in mindset and political understanding is necessary.
It is clear that if Devlet Bahçeli, who until yesterday was demanding to close the DEM Party and to take any kind of measures against the Kurds, is now taking a step forward and talking about Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, and if this is truly such a process, then the political understanding must change. We must not act with the same understanding as a year ago. We should not approach Rojava, North and East Syria, with the same mindset as a year ago. There is a process in Turkey under the name of ‘Peace and Democratic Society,’ in which both the government and the state are involved; this is a process of fundamental political change. A corresponding change in mentality is needed. Such approaches and threats towards Rojava are contradictory. Since we are talking about Kurdish-Turkish siblinghood, aren’t the Kurds in Syria also brothers? The approach to those must also be correct. A sibling-like approach must be shown.
They talk about the Misak-ı Milli; the Misak-ı Milli also includes Mosul-Kerkuk and the Kurdish area called Rojava. On the one side they constantly talk about the Misak-ı Milli – which was adopted at the Sêwas [tr. Sivas] Congress – and on the other side they continue to act hostile toward the Kurds. The approach toward the Kurds in Syria, in North and East Syria, and in Rojava must be correct. They should not make threats. In fact, they need to support the Kurds in Syria in their quest for freedom. This is the only appropriate approach, the only approach that will benefit Turkey. Anything else would solely be a repetition of what emerged a year or two ago. This will not benefit Turkey. Such approaches must really be abandoned.