Turkey’s horrific chemical attack on PKK fighters – this cannot lead to peace

By Mufid Abdulla:

There is a common wise saying in our land that violence brings violence and whoever first started it must be blamed.

This is a report about Turkey’s military operations in the south east of Turkey/North of Kurdistan. Shockingly the Turkish army and air force has used chemical weapons against PKK fighters. Furthermore, a delegation of IHD (Human Rights Association) and BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) members has travelled to the Kukurca Hakari area to investigate these killings and the use of chemical weapons against the PKK in a recent attack.  There is clear evidence from the bodies lying in the morgue that Turkey has used unconventional weapons. These 24 bodies have been kept in the Malatiya forensic institute  and the IHD has confirmed that they are torn apart and covered in burns – evidence of the use of chemicals. Against this background we can remember the recent dire threats made by the President and the Prime Minister of Turkey following the killing of 33 members of the Turkish security forces. According to an IHD report  this is not the first time Turkey has used chemical weapons and up to now more than 437 fighters (and others, including 22 students) have been killed by them. In 2010 German politicians demanded an investigation into another similar atrocity.

The Turkish regime is in a desperate state and that is the reason for its desperate action. This is  reminiscent of Saddam’s atrocity against the Kurdish people in south Kurdistan but history has proven that he was wrong and the demands of the people were legitimate. The more aggressive and brutal is the Turkish state, the greater will be the sympathy of the people towards the PKK fighters. I believe the Turkish state should be condemned by the European community, the USA and all peace-loving nations. At the same time the international community should increase political  pressure on Turkey to engage in constructive dialogue and negotiation with the PKK. We live in the age of globalisation. The biggest danger that the President and Prime Minster of Turkey now face is that a black cloud of dissent will accumulate and drift across the Turkey over the next year and explode like thunder over the North of Kurdistan.

The key question which Turkey should address is for how long must the blood of the two nations of Kurds and Turks be wasted. The two sides of the conflict should agree bilaterally to a ceasefire and start talking with international mediation.

I invite readers to watch this shocking video about the atrocity and gauge for themselves what is really happening in today’s Turkey, despite all the talk of economic prosperity and human dignity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aAwbV6tFdxs

 

5 Responses to Turkey’s horrific chemical attack on PKK fighters – this cannot lead to peace
  1. john
    November 2, 2011 | 11:11

    Turkey is breaking international law by using these weapons of mass destruction. Where is the ‘coalition of the willing’ to oppose them? As well as international support, Kurds deserve the support of millions of humanitarian, freedom-loving people in Turkey – freedom for the Kurds can mean freedom for the Turks too.

  2. Hushang
    November 2, 2011 | 11:45

    this is crime against human, human organization should bring turkey government to justice. it does not matter what they have done. This is disgrace for turkey government such racist attack to Kurdish people which they are fighting for their freedom and rights.
    بيژي كردستان

  3. Sam
    November 2, 2011 | 13:55

    Turkey’s military has no right to use chemical weapons against the PKK fighters, it is against the international law. However the biggest blame is for European Union and USA who support them. The current strategy will never lead to peace in this area.

  4. Baqi Barzani
    November 2, 2011 | 16:37

    PKK must change its war strategies by adopting the following tactics:

    1- Strive to delist itself from EU list of terrorist Organization.

    2- Press charges of war crimes against Turkish armed forced in international tribune, provide and present sufficient evidence to substantiate the case

    3- Capitalize more on media hypes and lobbying efforts, especially in the US and EU

    4- Increase cooperation and further consolidate its relations with the US

    5- Convert the PKK struggle more into Kurdish-Turkish dilemma

    6- Develop more ties with major world Human Rights organizations and draw their focus to the HR violations happening in Turkish Kurdistan.

  5. Mary
    November 2, 2011 | 16:42

    This article and video absolutely shocked me. It is so sad that the Turkish government have resorted to these most extreme measures of chemical weapons which can only have devastating outcomes…what use is this action in any kind of peace-making or negotiations? The Kurdish people have suffered enough and it is time for the Western world to realise just how extreme this situation is.

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