march 3, 2021
KDP Needs to Refrain from Handing over Kurdish Politicians and Revolutionaries to Turkey
The KDP has handed over yet another Kurdish politician to the Turkish state. Because of his political activism Ömer Bartan, who was arrested by the KDP 1,5 years ago, had been convicted in Turkey. Therefore, he decided to move to South Kurdistan. He opted for South Kurdistan – led by a Kurdish government – instead of moving to Europe. Thus, he wanted to avoid being separated from his country. Unfortunately, he was faced with an unexpected situation in South Kurdistan: Despite the lack of a single reason Ömer Bartan was arrested only because Turkey had issued a warrant for the Kurdish politician. From time to time, the KDP decides to please Turkey by handing over Kurdish politicians. This practice of KDP-led administrative institutions constitutes an offense to all Kurds. We therefore call on the KDP to give up this line of conduct.
The Turkish state is the leading force when it comes to hostility towards Kurds. In North Kurdistan and Turkey, dozens of Kurdish politicians are being imprisoned every day simply for defending the most basic rights and the freedom of the Kurdish people. Ömer Bartan, too, was sentenced to imprisonment by the genocidal colonialist Turkish courts based on completely groundless accusations. The fact that the KDP has decided to hand over a politician who finds himself in such a situation amounts to the justification of excuses used by the Turkish state to imprison Kurds.
The relations of the KDP with Turkey continue to cause great harm to the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people. The KDP pursues a policy that encourages fighters to run away only to then be handed over to Turkey by the KDP. Thus it supports the Turkish state. No Kurdish party should take such a stance. Many members of the PKK and its fighters have been held in prison despite not having done anything against the KDP. Yet, the KDP asks for the release of agents who have the blood of guerrilla fighters on their hands or have reported the location of guerrilla positions to the Turkish state.
This attitude of the KDP has led to huge protests among the Kurdish people. It also sabotages and poisons the relations between Kurdish organizations. The Turkish state is the leading force when it comes to hostility towards the Kurds and aims at carrying out a genocide against them. Supporting this state causes harm not only to the freedom struggle of the Kurds in North Kurdistan, but to the freedom struggle and gains of our people in all four parts of Kurdistan. Therefore, the KDP needs to give up this attitude and refrain from handing over any Kurdish politicians and revolutionaries to the genocidal colonialist Turkish state.
KCK Executive Council