PCDK, Kani Yilmaz death and political opportunists

By: Wilat. Shiyar

Feb 20, 2006

This week with the terrible incident of Sulimania, we were all shocked and bewildered at the death of Kurdish politician and former PKK member Kani Yilmaz.

Kani Yilmaz was a member of the PKK leadership and for many years was the European representative of the organization. He had spent years in jail and fought so obstinately for PKK to be the legitimate representative of the Kurdish people in Europe. After the capture of PKK and Kurdish national leader Abdullah Ocalan Kani along with couple of high ranking lieutenants left PKK and established a new political organization Partiya Welatparezan Demokraten Kurdistan. 

The world and Kurdish media announced the death of Kani Yilmaz and his body guard in a car accident. After the preliminary investigation Sulimania security chief announced that the accident was due to a technical fault. According to security forces the car was engulfed in flames due to an electrical fault. They further reported that there was 2 gallons of petrol placed in the boot of the car which had made the blaze worse than it should have been. The driver as a direct result of the flame had lost control of the vehicle and in doing so the vehicle had flipped numerous times.

Once the news got out that Kani Yilmaz had passed away it was the perfect political opportunity for some people and factions to use the moment against PKK and PCDK. Accusations and unsubstantiated allegations were thrown against the PKK and PCDK. They accused them of plotting and later murdering Kani and his associate without any evidence. Further they publicized there accusations in the Kurdish and world media which does nothing but hinder the Kurdish status and cause. Some intellectual due to emotion had forgotten their responsibility towards the demoralized Kurdish nation by publicly and unfairly attacking PCDK and PKK. At a sensitive time like this going as far as publicizing that PKK is finished is really over reacting and unhelpful to the Kurdish people's moral and principle.

However baseless but damaging rumors, PCDK was forced to reject these claims. PCDK secretary general Dr Faiq Gulpi have stated that" there is no evidence  that PCDK in anyway is involved with this incident, in the near future if on behalf of any faction(legal) assistance is needed we are ready to cooperate and we aim to struggle against all political death. Our struggle is done through legal and political means; we hope for the future writers and intellectuals are impartial and just."  Couple of days later PKK, PCDK and HPG rejected the claims and stated in their statements that they had no link to the incident. Of course that was to no avail their was no stop to accusations.

It is almost two weeks since the dreadful incident and there is still great confusion as to what really happened. The security forces of Sulimania since then have four times stated that the incident was a mere accident and nothing more. However political opportunists and people who work against the interests of the Kurdish nation love to play the conspiracy drums and condemn the names parties for deeds which they have not committed.

 The whole matter must be looked at rationally it is ludicrous to charge PKK or PCDK of a murder which has not been committed. Doctor Muhammad Nuri Muhammad Rashid the doctor appointed by the court of Sulimania by KRG government, has stated that the two had lost their lives as a result of sever body burns and that there are no signs of explosion or materials linked to explosives. For those wish not be misled and are sincerely interested in knowing what really happened, they can contact Dr Muhammad through this phone number 07701524940. The people of Sulimania all know him as a truthful and a straightforward man who is not linked with any political party.

I believe that Mr. Murat Karayilan President of Koma Komalen Kurdistan (KKK) summarizes the situation rather well. He states that "There are numerous factions whose actions are based on mere prejudice. For example if a stone was to fall out of the sky and hits someone in the head, they quickly claim it was PKK who threw the stone". One or a hundred statement will not have any affect on this faction's mentality towards PKK and PCDK because against defying odds succeeding will bring a great blow to these factions interests.

At a time when the brave sons and daughters of our nation are struggling for their nation's mere existence I believe such baseless accusations are unhelpful and destructive. Declaring revenge and a jihad against PKK and PCDK is irrational and undeserved. In this whole sad episode not once fascist state of turkey has been mentioned. What better plot than removing a Kurdish patriot like Kani Yilmaz and at the same time PKK is accused of an act which is not in any way linked with. Truly killing two birds with one stone.

Without a doubt Kani Yilmaz was a Kurdish patriot who had worked over thirty years for PKK and the Kurdish cause. His death was a great blow to the Kurdish nation. However what we must understand is that throwing accusations around does not help Kurdish nation nor sadly will it brings Kani Yilmaz back.