Sunday, April 27, 2003 9:06 PM

International Initiative
Freedom for Ocalan – Peace in Kurdistan
P.O. Box 100511, D-50445 Koeln
E-Mail: info@freedom-for-ocalan.com
Url: www.freedom-for-ocalan.com

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE BRIEFINGS:

Documentation: KADEK - IT IS TIME FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST!

It is time for a solution to the Democratic Unity problem.

Middle East countries have been suffering from severe national and social problems but are now involved in a new process which started with the war on Iraq. Those severe problems are forcing the regimes to improve freedom and human rights. The prerequisites required for a solution are available now. The main characteristics of the new process are that the democratic unity issue involves both war and peaceful efforts. Although concrete results have not been achieved yet, as the Iraq case proves, if diplomatic and political methods, peaceful efforts, do not resolve the problem then the only option is war. Talking about peace, without offering a solution does not make any sense to people of the Middle East, who are suffering from severe problems. The collapse of the Iraqi regime will serve the interests of the society, and lead to social improvement.

The sovereign regimes in all Middle East countries have lost their capacities of solving the problems. In spite of colossally rich natural resources, making available opportunities to develop, those regimes could not solve the problems, but on the contrary have exacerbated them. This is the main reason for lack of developments in democracy, freedom, and human rights. The existing regimes reply to peoples' demands for democracy, freedoms, and human rights by increasing pressures. Local people cannot benefit from their countries' rich resources, but suffer from poverty, hunger and poor socio-economic living conditions. In spite of all this, the regimes refuse to change, do not reply the democratic change and transformation efforts and this will require their removal.

Middle East was left with poor socio-economic conditions in an age of colossal advances achieved by humanity. Those lands, which served as the birth of humanity and civilisation, were turned into the homeland of anti-modernism. The life imposed upon those people is antiquated, defends the values of the past rather than a future of freedom and resists democratic change and transformation. The idea of the "Sacred State" is still the defining characteristic of those regimes which are rooted in the Sumer Clerical State. This is a great barrier against social improvements, democracy, freedom, human rights, and a better standard of living. That is why oppressed people, women, and the proletariat aspire to be free by removing these archaic regimes and it is legitimate. It is time for the people who are suffering to become active for a democratic life.

The 20th Century status quos of the Middle East, composed of those regimes, has imposed denying, destruction upon the Kurdish people, leaving them deprived of their basic national freedoms and human rights. All bids for freedom by the Kurdish people were met with massacres with the support of the international order. Massacre, imprisonment, torture, exile, poverty and many other inhumane practices have been part of the daily lives of Kurdish people. Sovereign countries and international forces had accepted that the denying and destructive policy had a legal base. The status quos made the Kurdish people non-existent in 1970s, and has no positive side for Kurdish people. At this point, the "National Struggle" started with the determining efforts of our president Abdullah Ocalan. The struggle resulted in a national awareness by the mid-1990s, and victory has developed further and further. In spite of many efforts, the struggle could not be stopped. That is why the international conspiracy was engineered, resulting in the arrest of our president. This conspiracy is the biggest injustice waged against the Kurdish people.

The international conspiracy is an attack made on the Kurdish people as a whole, their right of to live freely by imprisoning our president Abdullah Ocalan. At the same time, it is the biggest attack on the Kurdish people made by the 20th Century order. Limitless support was given to the Turkish state, which imposed destructive policy against the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle, during the eight years of the Bill Clinton administration. Clinton did not show any attempt to resolve the Kurdish problem but supported the regime in Turkey, which is no longer acting in the interests of the USA. The Clinton administration's policies in the Middle East provided an opportunity for the anti-modern regimes to survive. This administration also shares a large responsibility in the long-term continuity of the Saddam regime after the Gulf War. That is why Clinton was removed from power in a doubtful election and a new USA administration is focusing on making serious changes on its global, and Middle East policies.

Our president replied to the conspiracy by starting the democratic change and transformation process. Peaceful, diplomatic and political methods of struggle were preferred in order to practice democratic unity, of which the most detailed, deep ideological underpinnings were explained in the our President's defence statement presented to the European Court of Human Rights. The struggle, which has been carried on by the PKK and now by KADEK, is in this direction. The Kurdish people have been engaged in a mighty effort during the last four years, which is known as the Democratic Liberation Process. We exerted this major effort in order to encourage those powers which are sovereign in Kurdistan, namely Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, towards democratic change and transformation. Democratic Serhildan (popular uprising) struggle carried on in accordance with our President's Democratic Civilization thesis turned the Kurdish people into a great force for solution but those regimes continue their mistakes, have been incapable of showing any initiative in initiating democratic reforms, thus resolving the Kurdish problem by peaceful, political and diplomatic methods. Although the Iraqi regime was too weak it was better than Turkey in its policies, Turkey just enacted some laws, which have never been practised. Iran and Syria did not show any attempts at developing new policies. All those regimes were locked and had shown no attempts to solve the problem. "Those who don't transform themselves by their own initiative are transformed by other forces". Therefore the USA intervened on the Iraqi regime. All the countries of the Middle East will face intervention if they resist on changing or transforming themselves democratically.

USA is aware that the capitalist system of the 20th century is not serving social improvement thus showing an attempt to overcome the existing system. USA is practicing the idea of overcoming all locked regimes. We understand that the upper echelons of the system are in conflict with the base, and not paying attention to its allies, which are standing as a barrier to this. That is why the war on Iraq was started in spite of all objections from Germany, France and Russia. This is also the reason why the USA ignored Turkey in spite of all Turkey's attempts to save its position as a "strategic ally". The world system's capitalist dimension is to be overcome in 2000s similar to overcoming the socialist system dimension in the 1990s. Reordering of the world and the Middle East are inevitable. The important point is the method of change and transformation, the appropriateness to democracy, freedom, and human rights.

Whether the intervention in Iraq will succeed or not depends on the development of democracy, freedom, and human rights. The more improvements are achieved in these human values the more the US intervention in Iraq will succeed. Setting up the kind of regimes in continuity with the past will lead to chaos. Therefore, the only option for the US should be to support democratic regimes. The wider dimension of the problem is the necessity of democratic change and transformation imposed upon the regimes within the region, which is the only option in order prevent war and conflict. Radical democratic reforms will prevent war. This situation is largely the problem facing the sovereign regimes in Kurdistan. People within the region should take the initiative; the more initiative they have the more they can realise the opportunities for democracy, freedom and human rights. It is vitally important that democratic forces should be organized and strengthen their struggles. The Kurdish National Movement should reconsider its existing policies, follow the requirements of democratic civilization, and focus on democratic unity solution rather than a nationalist solution. Old nationalist policies will fail in a short time. Kurdish movement needs democratic change and transformation more than everyone. As a vital part of the solution, all Kurdish national forces should start the democratic change and transformation process as KADEK has done. KADEK thinks that it is time for democratic unity, and KADEK prefers resolving the problem through peaceful, diplomatic and political methods. As a prerequisite of this, KADEK is declaring its solution proposal to public opinion and all relevant forces.

GENERAL PREREQUISITES FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION

1. A Middle East Democracy Confederation with the participation of all governments, political parties, and non-governmental organizations without any national, sexual, religious, discrimination. Determining the democracy, freedom, human rights criterions of this confederation, which will be considered by the new regimes and all parts of society.

2. A democracy conference should be arranged with the participation of the Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria governments, political parties, and non-governmental organizations. The main principles for democratisation of these countries and the solution of the Kurdish problems should be determined.

3. Administration of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria by parliamentary democratic systems. Making legal arrangements needed for free representation of nations, women, and all social classes.

4. Rescinding the old agreements made by Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, which aimed to make the Kurdish people deprived of their freedoms, ending once and for such attempts.

5. Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria should apologise to the Kurdish people for the injustices they carried out; they should state this in the constitution.

6. Removal of all barriers faced by Kurdish people in free participation to political, economic, social and other areas, legitimately guaranteed everywhere in which they live.

7. Kurdish people should have their freedoms within the boundaries of the countries in which they live; the Kurdish national movement should not demand separatism.

8. Women should be supported in Kurdish and all societies, this support should be legally guaranteed.

PREREQUISITES FOR THE DEMOCRATIC UNITY OF TURKEY

1. Preparing a new constitution based on the universal criteria of democracy, human rights and freedoms with sufficient representation of government, political parties, and non-governmental organizations.

2. Maintaining a complete freedom in political activities, ending the practice of closing down political parties, setting up and practising an election system which will give a chance for representation of all parts of the society within the parliament.

3. Supporting those people suffering -due to the imbalances between different parts of Turkey, weakness of woman against man, ethnic differences- through private laws, guaranteed by the constitution.

4. Radical legal arrangements should be made, which would ensure better working and living conditions for the labouring class.

5. Removal of the barriers faced by non-governmental society against organizing itself and working actively. Legal and economic prerequisites should be provided.

6. In the new constitution, the solution of the Kurdish problem should be considered as a fundamental aspect, a definition of Kurdish national reality and freedoms should be made in the constitution.

a) Making legal arrangements in parties and election law in order to reflect the will of Kurdish people into the parliament.
b) Allowing Kurdish people to attend the central administration by private laws.
c) Local administrations such as councils should have more power and should be voted freely. Kurdish peoples' right to administer themselves should be made a constitutional and legal right and this should act as a model for the solution of the Kurdish problem.
d) Freedom of KADEK President Abdullah Ocalan, allowing his political and social life, urgently removal of his severe isolation conditions should be ensured. He is the architect of the democratic unity solution.
e) General amnesty for all political prisoners should be enacted, allowing political and social rights of prisoners. Allowing HPG guerrillas, KADEK and all opposing forces to attend the legal process and removal of all clashes.
f) Constitutional guarantee for the development of the Kurdish language, allowing education and broadcasting in Kurdish as a mother tongue.
g) Removal of village guards system and all other organisations which are serving the interests of war. Disappearance murders should be investigated, and all those responsible should be punished.
h) Necessary legal arrangements should be made, and practiced which will compensate victims of the war. Those villagers whose villages were burnt should be compensated to enable them to return urgently.
If Turkey fills its duties in practicing these proposals quickly then it will solve its problems, its economy will start to grow again.

PREREQUISITES FOR DEMOCRATIC UNITY IN IRAN

1. Setting up a constitution, which will support democratic parliamentary system, parallel to universal principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms. All laws should be in harmony with the new law with sufficient participation of the government, social and political groups.

2. Constitutional and legal guarantees should be provided for freedom of political activities and setting up of political parties.

3. It should be set as a constitutional right to set up labour unions, associations, and charities. Their activities should be permitted.

4. Supporting those people suffering -due to imbalances between different parts of Iran, weakness of woman against man, ethnic difference- through private laws, guaranteed in the constitution.

5. Radical legal arrangements should be made, which would ensure better working and living conditions for the labouring class.

6. A general amnesty should be enacted for political prisoners, organizations as a necessity of social peace. Also their right to freely participate in political and social life should be ensured.

7. In the new constitution, the solution of the Kurdish problem should be considered as a fundamental aspect, the definition of the Kurdish national reality and freedoms should be made in the constitution.

a) Enacting new parties and election laws, ensuring Kurdish peoples' participation in central administration with private laws and arrangements in order to ensure involvement of Kurdish peoples' will is expressed in the central parliament.
b) Rearrangement of province borders by considering residence of Kurdish people, empowering provincial administrations, considering these as a model for the solution of the Kurdish problem, guaranteed by law and the constitution.
c) Maintaining constitutional guarantees for the Kurdish language (i.e. speaking and developing it) complete freedom on Kurdish TV and radio broadcasting.
d) Removing those laws which restrict the freedom of the Kurdish people, ending their practices.

The threat of intervention in Iran will be removed if radical democratic reforms are made by considering the demands of Iranian society and if the Kurdish problem is resolved within the above framework. Then the result will be a stronger, more developed Iran, which has the support of all its citizens and will be protected against all dangers.

PREREQUISITES FOR DEMOCRATIC UNITY OF IRAQ

1. New Iraq regime should be a democratic parliamentary regime. Therefore, participation of all national, social, political forces should be ensured when setting up the new regime and the new constitution.

2. The new regime should be shaped in accordance with the universal principals of democracy, human rights and freedoms.

3. Setting up parties, freedom of political work should have constitutional and legal guarantees.

4. Non-governmental organizations should be guaranteed on a legal and constitutional basis.

5. Radical legal arrangements should be made, which would ensure better working and living conditions for the labouring class.

6. Equal and free unity of Arab, Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkmen societies should be ensured.

7. Mosul and Kirkuk should be within the borders of the Kurdistan Federation with private administration status and should be responsible to the Parliament of Kurdistan.

8. Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkmens should return to their lands. Those who were forced to leave due to political reasons should be compensated.

9. Federal status of Kurdistan and the freedoms of the Kurdish people should be mentioned as a fundamental aspect in the constitution.

a. Model for Kurdistan should be a parliament with high initiative, formed with free elections and a system of provinces with government. This should be ensured with laws and constitution.
b. Kurdistan should have a free parliament formed with free elections. This parliament should have power of legislating the laws in relation to the central and province parliaments.
c. Acceptance of the right of setting up parties, freedom of political activities in Kurdistan Federation through laws-constitution. No party should have a priority. Priority situations of KDP (Democratic Party of Kurdistan) and PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) should end.
d. Ensuring legal and constitutional basis for development of non-governmental organisations within the Kurdistan Federation. Rights of women and proletarian classes should be ensured legally and constitutionally.
e. Rights of Assyrian, Turkmen people, Yezidi and other societies should be accepted. These should be encouraged to attend the administration through private arrangements.

The Arab, Kurd, Assyrian and Turkmen people, Yezidi and Shia societies suffered too much pain. The only way to end the pains and of providing happiness is democratic unity. The US and its allies will leave the region only if this happens.

PREREQUISITIES FOR DEMOCRATIC UNITY OF SYRIA

1. Ending the period of crisis administration in Syria.
2. Setting up a new constitution parallel to universal principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms, which will lead to the setting up a democratic parliamentary system. Sufficient participation of national, social, political groups/representatives in the government should be ensured, and all laws should be rearranged in accordance with the new constitution.

3. Freedom for political activities, setting up new political parties should be ensured constitutionally and legally.

4. Setting up and activities of non-governmental organizations such as labour unions, associations, and charities should be allowed as a constitutional right.

5. Supporting those people suffering -due to imbalances between different parts of Syria, weakness of woman against man, ethnic difference- through private laws, guaranteed by constitution

6. Political, legal arrangements should be made, which are needed for the Arab, Kurd, Armenian, Suryani, Durzi etc. people to have a peaceful life together.

7. Radical legal arrangements should be made to ensure better working and living conditions for the labouring class.

8. As a necessity of social peace, a general amnesty should be enacted including political prisoners, organizations and people. Allowing those people to freely participate in political and social life.

9. The solution of the Kurdish problem should be considered as a fundamental aspect and Kurdish national reality and freedoms should be defined in the new constitution.
a) Enacting new parties and elections laws in order to reflect the will of the Kurdish people in the parliament. Allowing Kurdish people to be involved in the central administration through private legal arrangements.
b) Local administrations such as councils should have more authority, should be voted freely. Kurdish people should have the right to administer themselves as a right in law and the constitution, and this should act as the solution model for the Kurdish problem.
c) The policy of treating Kurdish people in Syria as if they are non-residents or foreigners should be ended. Status of constitutional citizen should be given to Kurdish people in Syria, they should be compensated, and their rights should be given.
d) Kurdish language should be spoken, improved freely, which is ensured by the constitution. The prohibitions on education and radio and TV broadcasting in Kurdish should be ended.

Syria will overcome its serious problems and the threat of intervention through democratic unity solution.
A strong and developed Syria can be possible only through democratization. If the sovereign countries in Kurdistan apply democratic unity, it will be beneficial for all sides. The only way to resolve the problems is to establish democratic regimes. If the above mentioned countries apply democracy, this will lead to collaboration between them and free Kurdish people will serve for the unity.
Dialogue is required for the development of democratic unity. KADEK is ready to fulfil its duties in this issue without any preconditions."

April 27, 2003 9:06 PM