PKK: “We Must Talk Directly With Öcalan”

PKK Executive Council Member Duran Kalkan said Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) were not their representatives.

Kalkan told Sterk TV, according to Yüksekova News, that as the PKK they see Abdullah Öcalan as the only addressee, and that they would not believe anything they are told without direct connection with him. He added:

“The committee and the government make different declarations. This leads to a breach in trust. From now on, no one can convince the guerrilla. They will only be convinced through direct contact and talk with Leader Apo.”

PKK and children

The headlines from Kalkan’s declarations are below:

* We don’t keep anybody at the mountain by force. It’s not like we have the wherewithal to do that. Whoever wants to join, indiscriminate of age, comes and goes when they want. People from all ages come willingly. 

* The PKK does not abduct anybody. Those under 18 who come to join the PKK are those who have stayed in jail, met torture, and want to bring somebody to account. People need to answer the question of why these kids go to jail at that young age. 

Talk with Öcalan

* Some people [Kurdish deputies] go [to İmralı Island] and have talks. They are in no way our representatives. HDP and BDP are not PKK, are not guerrillas. Everybody needs to know that.

* They attack BDP and HDP for the public’s resistance, for the young people going to the mountains. We are the addressees. If they’re brave enough, let them confront us; why do they confront HDP and BDP? What has this got to do with BDP or HDP? They’re not one with the PKK. Everybody has their own agenda, their own program, and they’re keeping up their struggle. 

* Our leadership is our only addressee as the PKK, the guerrilla. We are no longer in any condition to believe anything without direct contact. For this reason the guerrilla listens to nobody anymore without making direct contact and talking. 

* The committee makes one declaration; the government immediately makes a different one. This leads to a breach in trust. That’s why I said; nobody can convince the guerrilla from now on. They will only be convinced through direct contact and talks with Leader Apo. (EKN/PU/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.