KurdistanObserver.com

DEHAP Mayors Call For Unconditional End To Fighting

Mayors of 57 municipalities in Turkey’s east and south eastern Turkey governed by the pro-Kurdish Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) have called on the PKK to end its armed fight against the Turkish state.

A joint press statement by 57 pro-Kurdish DEHAP mayors say they welcome the statement by the Prime Minister saying that the Kurdish question would be solved without making any compromises over democracy.

A spokesman for the 57 mayors, Osman Baydemir, the mayor of Diyarbakir, said that there should be an unconditional laying down of arms.”We are calling for a halt to armed action and operations so that not one person more loses his or her life,” Baydemir told a press conference.

The Turkish Republic had been founded by the grandfathers of all and that everyone should learn to live together, he said. Baydemir said the growing uncertainties over Turkey’s joining the EU and the increasing conflicts in the south east placed responsibilities on politicians, NGOs, civilians and institutions in Turkey.

Referring to a statement made by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday saying that a solution should be found to the Kurdish problem without compromising democracy Baydemir said, “We think it is extremely important that this message, that should create an atmosphere of debate and dialogue to have the present problems resolved by democratic and peaceful means, is supported and improved by all.”

He said that ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to Diyarbakir that locals are looking forward to hear about the context of the positive message.

Baydemir stressed that the region was clearly underdeveloped economically but it would be wrong to see the problem purely as security and economics.
“However the problems of (our region) are so multi-dimensional that they cannot be explained only as an economic development problem,” the mayor said