Karayılan: 'Turkish state has flourished whenever it allied with Kurds'
Senior PKK figure Murat Karayılan said Turkey has "developed and grown stronger" whenever it has allied with Kurds, commenting on the ongoing process in the country.
RastinewsSenior PKK figure Murat Karayılan said the Turkish state has "developed and grown stronger" whenever it has allied with Kurds, commenting on the process underway in Turkey. Karayılan said the group wants to reach an agreement with Turkey and end the conflict, but added that he cannot call on PKK members to lay down their weapons while Abdullah Öcalan remains in prison.
In a message marking the 42nd anniversary of the PKK's launch of its armed struggle, Karayılan also criticized legislation adopted by Turkey's parliament, the TBMM, arguing that it makes no mention of the word "Kurd" and contains no reference to democracy.
Karayılan said the roughly 100-year-old Kurdish issue cannot be resolved through disarmament alone, and that Öcalan must be directly involved in the process for a solution to be reached.
"I cannot tell anyone to lay down their weapons and leave while Leader Apo is in prison," Karayılan said, adding that if Öcalan meets with PKK members and persuades them, the group is "ready to move the struggle from the battlefield to the political arena."
Karayılan also proposed setting up a truth and justice commission to investigate past events. Arguing that the PKK aims to pursue political struggle within a democratic republic, he said lasting peace would require steps from both sides.