ANKARA: Kurdish militants and politicians yesterday dismissed a set of political reforms proposed by Turkey’s ruling AK Party, saying they were not meant to end a 29-year conflict with the state and that the insurgents would present their response next week.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday announced a list of reforms ranging from changes to the electoral system to the broadening of language rights.
While Erdogan said his “democratisation package” was not driven by efforts to end the fight with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the proposed changes are viewed as an attempt to advance the peace process.
“It is apparent that the AK Party does not understand the Kurdish problem and is not serious in its approach,” the KCK — the rebels’ umbrella political group — said in a statement.
“This package shows the only thing that is being considered is winning another election,” it said, and the PKK leadership would respond next week.
Turkey will hold local elections in less than six months, the start of a voting cycle which also includes a presidential election next August.
The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), which has 29 seats in parliament, has said the reforms fall well short of their list of demands, and yesterday suggested the insurgents could return to violence.
“Our expectation and our efforts will be for the continuation of a state of non-conflict. However, desire is one thing and reality is another. We want this and we will endeavour to achieve this,” BDP co-chairwoman Gultan Kisanak said.
Kisanak said she could not predict how the militants would react as the party did not speak for the PKK, but there was now a renewed sense of discontent among Kurds. “There is frustration and there is a deadlock and the government’s stance and approach are not directed toward easing this frustration or breaking this deadlock,” Kisanak said.
REUTERS
