-In the last six month, the violence in Turkish Kurdistan has seriously escalated. In view of this, RKR (RÃ¥det for Kurdernes Rettigheter / The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds) considers it immensely positive that both parties to the conflict now seem to nurture a wish for peace, says RKR spokeswoman Liv Kjølseth (right) (30-AUG-05)
 
In addition, says Kjølseth, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has for the first time acknowledged the existence of the problems in Kurdistan and thus also the existence of Kurds as an ethnic minority within Turkey. RKR encourages both parties to make the most of this newly opened window of opportunity and stick to peaceful, democratic means in whatever negotiations might materialise.

-You don´t exist
The point of departure for the Kurdish people in any negotiations with Turkish authorities will be a full recognition of the Kurds as an ethnic and cultural entity of its own. So far, Turkish authorities have not granted this, but instead considered Kurds as an ethnic minority non-existant. This stance has legitimised denial of rights such as education in their own language, establishment of Kurdish political parties, forced deportation from Kurdish villages and other violent means of suppression. In addition, a surveillance guard has been established an operated with the sole purpose of controlling possible PKK sympathisers.

-Recognise their rights
PKK is short for Partiya Karkari Kurdistan and is known as the Kurdish guerrilla movement. These light-armed troops fought the Turkish Army for thirteen years. It is estimated that more than 30.00 people have been killed in this war. In the late nineties, PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire, which lasted until September 2003. Now, another one-month ceasefire has been declared by PKK. With the establishment in the meantime of Leyla Zana´s Democratic Society Movement which has its major ambition to urge both Turkish authorities and PKK to use only dialogue and non-violent means to reach a peaceful agreement, Kjølseth sees this as yet another chance to open negotiations. -The international community must also cease this opportunity and mount havy pressure on both Turkish authorities and the Kurdish leadership for both to enter negotiations with a genuine wish for peace, democracy and for the fundamental human rights of the Kurds to be recognised and respected.