Turkey solves the Kurdish problem by bombarding North Iraq
Turkey's actions aim at giving a final solution to the "Kurdish issue" and at opposing the proclamation of the independent Kurdistan by all means.
From 1983 to 1999 the Turkish army has carried out all together 24 military operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party. Throughout all this time about 30.000 people were killed from both parties. So the latest bombing of the indicated bases of the Kurdish separatists in the North of Iraq is neither the first, and unfortunately, nor the last one. The official representatives of Turkey announced that the offensive aimed at the Kurdistan Workers Party's bases, situated along the border of Turkey and Iraq. "The attacks aimed at the terrorist movements. They have by no means been organized against the civil population of North Iraq," says the statement made by the Turkish military department.
The official representatives of North Iraq in their turn announced that several villages have suffered in the result of these bombings. According to some unofficial sources, one woman is killed. It is said that the night raids (according to Turkish TV companies 20 to 50 airplanes participated in them) were followed by artillery shelling of regions near the borders. The Deputy Prime Minister of the country announced that in the coming weeks other attacks against "terrorists" may still be organized. The Turkish Chief of General Staff General Yasar Buyukanit announced that the air raid over the indicated bases of the Kurdish separatists in North Iraq was accomplished by Turkey and with the knowledge of the USA.
"Last night America made Iraq's airspace available for us. With this America expressed its consent regarding the offensive," announced General Yasar Buyukanit. This sounds more than strange, as the USA have lately been emphasizing that they help Turkey only with reconnaissance. Moreover, the United States stands for the political solution to the problem. This was announced by the Coordinator for Counterterrorism of US State Department, Ambassador Dell Dailey. "We do not see any military solution to this problem. We give preference to the political regulation of the issue both in Iraq and Turkey," said Dailey. Turkish Daily News notes that for the first time the official representative of the USA has publicly called upon Turkey to finding a political solution to the problem of the Kurdistan Workers Party, though Dailey doesn't give any details on elements of this solution.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Kurdistan Workers Party in France Seven Barzani announced that in case of the Turkish army's engagement in North Iraq, the Kurds will extend the military operations to the territory of Azerbaijan. According to the independent observers, today there are 200.000 local Kurds living in Azerbaijan, and this is the force which should be taking into consideration. It is said that the Aliyev clan has Kurdish origins. In this case the viewpoint of Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, which doesn't have the slightest wish to recognize the Kurdistan Workers Party as a terrorist organization, is quite understandable.
It is natural that Turkey's actions aim at giving a final solution to the "Kurdish issue" and opposing the proclamation of the independent Kurdistan by all means. The truth is though, that in its problem solving methods Ankara is far from being original; it acts exactly like it did 100 years ago. However, the world hasn't changed much since then and the Turkish actions against the Iraqi Kurdistan gave rise to growing disorder in the cities of North Kurdistan. Teachers, intellectuals and activists of political party of Turkish Kurdistan in Diarbakir came forward with protests. The leader of the department of International Federation for Human Rights Defence in Diarbekir Ali Akilchi, in his speech in Diarbekir within the frames of the week of Human Rights, called the action of the Turkish militants an international crime and announced that violations of human rights are continuing in Turkey, the Kurdish language is vanishing, the rights of the prisoners in the jails are violated; the government of on the one hand speaks of democracy and on the other hand carries out military operations, thus showing its true colors.
President of Kurdistan Masud Barzani announced that "the attacks of the Turkish troops on the Kurdish villages are regarded as crime. "This is nothing but an insult for the Iraqi government. America is legally and practically responsible for Iraq's security and especially for the population of the Kurdish regions. I want to say it again, let no one think that he will get away with killing the Kurdish people. Nevertheless we stand for dialogue and mutual understanding. The people of Kurdistan are disappointed with the USA, as everybody knows that the Iraqi air defense is under the responsibility of the USA and without America's permission Turkey would not be able to bombard the civilians of Kurdistan," said Barzani.
"Last night America made Iraq's airspace available for us. With this America expressed its consent regarding the offensive," announced General Yasar Buyukanit. This sounds more than strange, as the USA have lately been emphasizing that they help Turkey only with reconnaissance. Moreover, the United States stands for the political solution to the problem. This was announced by the Coordinator for Counterterrorism of US State Department, Ambassador Dell Dailey. "We do not see any military solution to this problem. We give preference to the political regulation of the issue both in Iraq and Turkey," said Dailey. Turkish Daily News notes that for the first time the official representative of the USA has publicly called upon Turkey to finding a political solution to the problem of the Kurdistan Workers Party, though Dailey doesn't give any details on elements of this solution.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Kurdistan Workers Party in France Seven Barzani announced that in case of the Turkish army's engagement in North Iraq, the Kurds will extend the military operations to the territory of Azerbaijan. According to the independent observers, today there are 200.000 local Kurds living in Azerbaijan, and this is the force which should be taking into consideration. It is said that the Aliyev clan has Kurdish origins. In this case the viewpoint of Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, which doesn't have the slightest wish to recognize the Kurdistan Workers Party as a terrorist organization, is quite understandable.
It is natural that Turkey's actions aim at giving a final solution to the "Kurdish issue" and opposing the proclamation of the independent Kurdistan by all means. The truth is though, that in its problem solving methods Ankara is far from being original; it acts exactly like it did 100 years ago. However, the world hasn't changed much since then and the Turkish actions against the Iraqi Kurdistan gave rise to growing disorder in the cities of North Kurdistan. Teachers, intellectuals and activists of political party of Turkish Kurdistan in Diarbakir came forward with protests. The leader of the department of International Federation for Human Rights Defence in Diarbekir Ali Akilchi, in his speech in Diarbekir within the frames of the week of Human Rights, called the action of the Turkish militants an international crime and announced that violations of human rights are continuing in Turkey, the Kurdish language is vanishing, the rights of the prisoners in the jails are violated; the government of on the one hand speaks of democracy and on the other hand carries out military operations, thus showing its true colors.
President of Kurdistan Masud Barzani announced that "the attacks of the Turkish troops on the Kurdish villages are regarded as crime. "This is nothing but an insult for the Iraqi government. America is legally and practically responsible for Iraq's security and especially for the population of the Kurdish regions. I want to say it again, let no one think that he will get away with killing the Kurdish people. Nevertheless we stand for dialogue and mutual understanding. The people of Kurdistan are disappointed with the USA, as everybody knows that the Iraqi air defense is under the responsibility of the USA and without America's permission Turkey would not be able to bombard the civilians of Kurdistan," said Barzani.
