Solving The Deteriorating Conflict Between The Turkish And The Kurdish

As the Kurdish-Turkish fight comes close to 40 years, it is hard to believe that two years ago peace was once the top priority on the agenda for the Turkish towards the recognised terrorist group Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The two year ceasefire broken in July of last year has reignited the battle between the government and outlaw group that has claimed 40,000 lives since 1984.

Most recently, the failed coup attempt in Turkey and the growing fight against ISIS in Syria have infuriated the Turkish government and created angst among its leaders, with fears that the two events will work in favour of the PKK and their statehood goal.

Each situation has pushed the Turkish government further away from peace negotiations with the PKK. It has only done the opposite and increased violence in the south eastern region of Turkey, which is predominantly occupied by the Kurdish people.

As the fight against ISIS continues, so does the U.S. support for Syrian Kurds-Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the fight against the deadly terrorist group, a move which greatly infuriates Turkey and strains tensions between the two countries. Turkish capital, Ankara, fears that the YPG are an extension of the PKK group and have an overarching aim of connecting three autonomous Kurdish regions—a move which they believe will fuel separatist ambition in their own country.

Less than a month ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave orders to shell towns in the north-east of Aleppo, targeting the YPG. The attack killed around 200 combatants. The aggressive attack was a clear demonstration of Turkey ensuring that its own interests are fulfilled.

Erdogan commented earlier that week saying “…We will not wait for problems to come knocking on our door, we will not wait until the blade is against our bone and skin, we will not wait for terrorist organisations to come and attack us.”

Violence against the YPG was seemingly justified by this comment. But to Western countries in the fight against ISIS, the move was outrightly ineffective, self-centered and a clear demonstration of power to all Kurds fighting for autonomy. A backwards step in peace.

At home, the battle between Ankara and the PKK continues. Following the failed coup attempt in July of this year, President Erdogan granted a state of emergency for all of Turkey, yet on October 3, the provision was extended until next year, a move that has been criticised internationally as unreasonable.

In a previous article I wrote on the continuing impacts of the coup in July (Turkey Coup, Four Months On…), I describe how the Erdogan’s crackdown on the coup has expanded to include pro-Kurdish leaders and supporters.

In the past few months, the government has now commenced the removal of pro-Kurdish prominent figures, a move which is proving to be a consolidation of power and removing any potential political opponents fighting for an autonomous Kurdistan.

These have included, the arrests of democratically elected leaders of south-eastern towns, the closure of newspapers and TV stations, the arrest of journalists and academics, all of whom have been labelled as suspects in supporting the fight of the PKK.

Despite Erdogan’s actions, the European Union has called upon these anti-terror measures to be proportionate and respect the inalienable human rights awarded to all.

Rather than demonstrating a proportional exercise of power within a state emergency, Erdogan is increasingly becoming an overbearing and feared political figure for his relentless actions towards pro-Kurdish supporters following the failed coup.

Turkey’s fight with the PKK within its own borders is also producing a humanitarian crisis of its own, one that, by the Kurdish people, is being regarded as forgotten not just by their government but by Western leaders as well.

Home to already 2.7 million refugees fleeing from war-torn Syria and crossing into Europe, the Turkish government is now producing up to half a million internally displaced Kurdish people through destruction of towns and cities in the country’s south-east.

Bordering the European Union, and given the current migrant crisis facing the world, Turkey is proving to be a threat to those it is housing, but also by greatly contributing to the crisis.

Shortly after fighting began again between the opposing groups last year, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation released a report that found 1.3 million Kurdish people were victims to human rights violations in the south-eastern region of Turkey where curfews had been imposed on the group.

Roughly a year on from intense conflict, the only question is, how many more defenceless victims have been deprived of their universal rights?

With the current conflict between the PKK and Ankara rapidly deteriorating, Rudaw Media has commented that the number of casualties more than double the number of the last major clash over five years ago.

The International Crisis Group has been tracing casualties caused by the battle since its reemergence in 2015, with the number of deaths currently standing at 2,300, including both military and civilians on both sides.

Ankara’s policy has become undeniably warped and consumed with the Kurdish question of how to contain the group from reaching autonomy. The focus and effort has entirely morphed Turkey’s once peaceful position in such a tumultuous region into one of chaos that is fast emulating neighbouring countries.

Its pathway to membership in the European Union is rapidly growing thin, and its lack of consideration for human rights and a peace deal to end the internal war is proving to EU members the great risk the country could prove to EU stability. Losing this position and the support of western countries in negotiating a peace deal to end the 40 year war could be detrimental to Turkey and its people.

Erdogan has previously mentioned that the war against the PKK is one that can not be achieved militarily and advocated for a lasting peace agreement with the Kurdish group.

But now, as the war continues to rage internally against the Kurds, and is only growing against the sister group in Syria, it is becoming increasingly evident to Western leaders that action will have to be made on behalf of the Turks. Effective non-violent intervention will have to be made by Western leaders to contain the grave violations of human rights being made by Erdogan’s government, before the gateway country to Europe becomes a greater threat to global peace.

An EU Commission Report published  on the 9th of this month covering the current situation in Turkey, has as well supported the idea of a settlement between the Turks and the Kurds through a political process. The group pushed for reconciliation and reconstruction, as the only way forward for the country.

Tamara Bilic

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