Resolution Process

Solution process (Turkish: Çözüm süreci),[1] also known as the Kurdish–Turkish peace process,[2] was a peace process, which had aimed to resolve the long-running Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978-present). The conflict has been ongoing since 1984 and resulted in some 40,000-100,000 mortal casualties and great economic losses for Turkey as well as high damage to the Kurdish population. Though there was a unilateral cease-fire between 1999 to 2004, the sides failed to gain understanding and the conflict became increasingly violent. The 2013 truce was working until September 2014, when the relations became strained due to spillover of the Syrian Civil War; the truce fully collapsed in July 2015, with the renewed full-scale warfare in South-Eastern Turkey.

Background

The Kurdish–Turkey conflict is an armed conflict between the Republic of Turkey and various Kurdish groups,[3] which have demanded freedom from Turkey to create an independent Kurdistan,[4][5] or to have autonomy[6][7] and greater political and cultural rights for Kurds inside the Republic of Turkey.[8] The main rebel group is the Kurdistan Workers' Party[9] or PKK (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan‎), which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States,[10] the European Union[11] and NATO.[12] However, neither the United Nations nor countries such as Switzerland, India, China, Russia and Egypt have accepted the PKK as a terrorist organization.[13][14][15][16] Although insurgents have carried out attacks in many regions of Turkey,[17] the insurgency is mainly in southeastern Turkey.[18] The PKK's military presence in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, which it uses as launchpad for attacks on Turkey, has resulted in the Turkish military carrying out frequent ground incursions and air and artillery strikes in the region,[19] as the Kurdistan Regional Government claimed they do not have sufficient military forces to prevent the PKK from operating.[20] The conflict has particularly affected Turkey's tourism industry[21] and has cost the Economy of Turkey an estimated 300 to 450 billion dollars, mainly military expenses.[22]

Since the PKK was founded on November 27, 1978,[23] it has been involved in armed clashes with Turkish security forces. The full-scale insurgency however, did not begin until August 15, 1984 when the PKK announced a Kurdish uprising. The first insurgency lasted until September 1, 1999 [5][24] when the PKK declared a unilateral cease-fire. The armed conflict was later resumed on June 1, 2004, when the PKK declared an end to its cease-fire.[25][26] Since summer 2011, the conflict has become increasingly violent with resumption of large-scale hostilities.[22]

Developments

On the eve of 2012 (28 December), in a television interview upon a question of whether the government had a project to solve the issue, Erdoğan stated that the government was in negotiations with jailed rebel leader Öcalan.[27] The negotiations were initially named the Solution Process (Çözüm Süreci) in public. While negotiations were going on, there were numerous events that were regarded as sabotage to derail the talks: Assassination of three Kurdish PKK administrators in Paris (one of them is Sakine Cansız),[28] revealing Öcalan's talks with Kurdish party to public via Milliyet gazzette[29] and finally, the bombings of the Justice Ministry of Turkey and Erdoğan's office at the Ak Party headquarters in Ankara.[30] However, both parties vehemently condemned all three events as they occurred and stated that they were determined anyways. Finally on 21 March 2013, after months of negotiations with the Turkish Government, Abdullah Ocalan's letter to people was read both in Turkish and Kurdish during Nowruz celebrations in Diyarbakır. The letter called a cease-fire that included disarmament and withdrawal from Turkish soil and calling an end to armed struggle. PKK announced that they would obey, stating that the year of 2013 is the year of solution either through war or through peace. Erdoğan welcomed the letter stating that concrete steps will follow PKK's withdrawal.

On 25 April 2013, PKK announced that it withdraws all its forces within Turkey to Northern Iraq.[31] According to government[32] and to The Kurds[33] and to the most of the press,[34] this move marks the end of 30-year-old conflict. Second phase which includes constitutional and legal changes towards the recognition of human rights of the Kurds starts simultaneously with withdrawal.[35]

Wise people committee

The government announced its long-awaited list of “wise men” on April 4, the members of a seven-region commission tasked with explaining the ongoing settlement process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to the public and promoting the negotiations. Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç announced the list of “wise people”, several weeks after the government first announced plans to set up such a commission made up of intellectuals and well-liked public figures.

The list includes celebrities who are intellectuals, writers and academics as well as singers such as Orhan Gencebay. The commission is made up of groups organized on a regional basis, and will be active in seven regions across the country. On Tuesday, while mystery still shrouded the identities of the government’s list of wise people, Erdoğan said, “We will listen to the views and suggestions of the people who are part of this delegation, consult with them and they will organize some events in [the country’s] regions and get together with our citizens and local public opinion leaders.” In a speech on March 23, the prime minister defined the role of the commission, saying they will be conducting a “psychological operation,” indicating the wise people will act as public relations agents. In a speech he made in Ankara on March 23, Erdoğan stated, “It is important to prepare the public for this and social perceptions should be created by the wise men.” He said only public acceptance can fend off nationalistic shows.

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) were critical of the wise men list, claiming that the people on the list are all supportive of the government. On April 5, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met for the first time with members of the wise men commission.[36] After five weeks of work, the Wise Persons committee gave its first report to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and shared their impressions on the level of support regarding the process. The meeting lasted over four hours.[37]

Members of wise people committee classified by region:

Aegean Region
  • Chairman: Tarhan Erdem
  • Vice Chairman: Avni Özgürel
  • Secretary: Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ
  • Hasan Karaya
  • Hilal Kaplan
  • Fuat Keyman
  • Fehmi Koru
  • Baskın Oran

Black Sea Region

  • Chairman: Yusuf Şevki Hakyemez
  • Vice Chairman: Vedat Bilgin
  • Secretary: Fatma Benli
  • Şemsi Bayraktar
  • Kürşat Bumin
  • Oral Çalışlar
  • Orhan Gencebay
  • Yıldıray Oğur
  • Bendevi Palandöken

Central Anatolia Region

  • Chairman: Ahmet Taşgetiren
  • Vice Chairman: Beril Dedeoğlu
  • Secretary: Cemal Uşşak
  • Vahap Coşkun
  • Doğu Ergil
  • Erol Göka
  • Mustafa Kumlu
  • Fadime Özkan
  • Celalettin Can

Eastern Anatolia Region

  • Chairman: Can Paker
  • Vice Chairman: Sibel Eraslan
  • Secretary: Ayhan Ogan
  • Mahmut Arslan
  • Abdurrahman Dilipak
  • İzzettin Doğan
  • Abdurrahman Kurt
  • Zübeyde Teker
  • Mehmet Uçum

Marmara Region

  • Chairman: Deniz Ülke Arıboğan
  • Vice Chairman: Mithat Sancar
  • Secretary: Levent Korkut
  • Mustafa Armağan
  • Ali Bayramoğl
  • Ahmet Gündoğdu
  • Hayrettin Karaman
  • Hülya Koçyiğit
  • Yücel Sayman

Mediterranean Region

  • Chairman: Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu
  • Vice Chairman: Lale Mansur
  • Secretary: Tarık Çelenk
  • Kadir İnanır
  • Nihal Bengisu Karaca
  • Şükrü Karatepe
  • Muhsin Kızılkaya
  • Öztürk Türkdoğan
  • Hüseyin Yayman

Southeastern Anatolia Region

  • Chairman: Yılmaz Ensaroğlu
  • Vice Chairman: Kezban Hatemi
  • Secretary: Mehmet Emin Ekmen
  • Murat Belge
  • Fazıl Hüsnü Erdem
  • Yılmaz Erdoğan
  • Etyen Mahçupyan
  • Lami Özgen
  • Ahmet Faruk Ünsal

Timeline

Public opinion

On March 21, 2013, a public opinion survey carried out by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) suggests that almost 57.7 percent of people support ongoing government-sponsored efforts for the settlement of the conflict with PKK. While 10 percent declined to comment, slightly more than 22 percent said they do not support the process. The results of the survey were discussed in a meeting held at AK Party headquarters. According to the survey, the highest support for the government efforts to end Kurdish-Turkish conflict comes from the Southeast,[56] with 81 percent. The Southeast is followed by the East, with 77 percent. However, the support is lower in the other regions. In Marmara and Central Anatolia, roughly 59 percent of participants in the survey said they support the settlement process, while 49 percent of respondents in the Mediterranean said the same. In the Aegean region, 44 percent of respondents expressed support for the peace talks, and 43 percent in the Black Sea region expressed support.[56]

In early May, the amount of supporters increased to 70 percent according to a survey carried out by the AK Party, while a survey conducted by the Konda research company showed that the amount of supporters increased to 81.3 percent.[57]

See also

External source

A visual taxonomy of the Kurdish Peace Process

References

  1. ↑ Turkey’s solution process paves the way for PYD in Syria- report
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ TÜRKİYE'DE HALEN FAALİYETLERİNE DEVAM EDEN BAŞLICA TERÖR ÖRGÜTLERİ: http://www.egm.gov.tr/temuh/terorgrup1.html
  4. ↑ Brandon, James. "The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons Emerges as a Rival to the PKK". Jamestown.org. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  5. 1 2 Globalsecurity.org Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
  6. ↑ Press TV 'PKK ready to swap arms for autonomy'
  7. ↑ "Kurdish PKK leader: We will not withdraw our autonomy demand". Ekurd.net. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  8. ↑ David O'Byrne (2010-07-21). "PKK 'would disarm for Kurdish rights in Turkey'". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  9. ↑ Bloomberg Sex Scandal Shake-Up Reinvigorates Turkish Opposition Party, May 23, 2010
  10. ↑ United States Department of State Foreign Terrorist Organizations
  11. ↑ European Union List of Terrorist Organisations, Council of the european union, updated Council Decision 2011/70/CFSP of 31 January 2011
  12. ↑ "NATO chief declares PKK terrorist group". Xinhua News Agency. 2005-12-20. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
  13. ↑ "The List established and maintained by the 1267/1989 Committee". United Nations Security Council Committee 1267. UN.org. 2015-10-14. Retrieved 2015-11-10. line feed character in |title= at position 37 (help)
  14. ↑ "Rus Aydın: PKK Terör Örgütü Çıkmaza Girdi". Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  15. ↑ List of designated terrorist organizations
  16. ↑ St.Galler Tagblatt AG. "www.tagblatt.ch – Schlagzeilen". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  17. ↑ Jenkins, Gareth. "PKK Expanding Urban Bombing Campaign in Western Turkey". Jamestown.org. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  18. ↑ Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) – Norwegian Refugee Council. "The Kurdish conflict (1984–2006)". Internal-displacement.org. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  19. ↑ "Iraq warns Turkey over incursion". BBC News. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  20. ↑ "US tells Turkey: We’ll crush Kurdish rebels". Socialistworker.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  21. ↑ PKK: Targets and activities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey), Federation of American Scientists.
  22. 1 2 Turkey: The PKK and a Kurdish settlement, September 11, 2012
  23. ↑ "Abdullah Öcalan en de ontwikkeling van de PKK". Xs4all.nl. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  24. ↑ "PKK has repeatedly asked for a ceasefire of peace since their establishment in the past 17 years". Aknews.com. 2010-11-06. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  25. ↑ Jenkins, Gareth. "PKK Changes Battlefield Tactics to Force Turkey into Negotiations". Jamestown.org. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  26. ↑ "PKK/KONGRA-GEL and Terrorism". Ataa.org. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  27. ↑ "Yes, we negotiate with Öcalan." (in Turkish). Ntvmsnbc. December 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  28. ↑ "Assassinated in Paris: Three women found shot in the head and lying side-by-side in Kurdistan Workers' Party office". Daily Mail. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  29. ↑ "Here's what was talked in İmralı" (in Turkish). Milliyet. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  30. ↑ "Turkish capital Ankara hit by twin explosions". BBC. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  31. 1 2 "Kurdish Group to Pull Armed Units from Turkey". The Wall Street Journal. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  32. ↑ "Kandil açıklaması meclis’te tansiyonu yükseltti" (in Turkish). İnternethaber. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  33. ↑ "Kandil'in Kararına Meclis'ten İlk Tepkiler" (in Turkish). Haber3. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  34. ↑ "Silahlara veda" (in Turkish). T24. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  35. ↑
  36. ↑ "PM Erdoğan, wise men meet for settlement". Today's Zaman. 2013-04-07. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  37. ↑ "Wise People report back to Turkish PM after five weeks of meetings". Hurriyetdailynews. 2013-05-10. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  38. ↑ "Kurdish PKK co-founder Sakine Cansiz shot dead in Paris". BBC. 2013-01-10. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  39. ↑ "BDP delegation to meet with Öcalan". Sabah English. 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  40. ↑ "Adını çözüm süreci koydu" (in Turkish). Taraf. 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  41. ↑ "BDP delegation heads to İmrali for second round of talks". Sabah English. 2013-02-23. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  42. ↑ "Öcalan’s prerequisite, the prime minister’s prerequisite". Hürriyet Daily News. 2013-03-02. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  43. ↑ "Delegation on its way to meet Turkish prisoners held by PKK". Fırat Haber Ajansı. 2013-03-11. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  44. ↑ "Kurd rebels free Turkish prisoners in northern Iraq". Saudi Gazette. 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  45. ↑ "Jailed Kurdish PKK rebel leader Ocalan expected to make ceasefire call". Ekurd. 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  46. ↑ "Öcalan calls on Kurdish militants to bid farewell to arms for a ‘new’ Turkey". Hurriyet. 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  47. ↑ "Militants should lay down their arms before withdrawing: PM Erdoğan". Hurriyet Daily News. 2013-03-29. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  48. ↑ "Erdogan’s ‘wise’ step to help Kurd peace talks". Arab News. 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  49. ↑ "Turkish Press Review". Turkish Press. 2013-04-06. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  50. ↑ "Wise people meet PM Erdogan". TRT English. 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  51. ↑ "PKK withdrawal to start in eight to 10 days: BDP deputy Önder". Hurriyet Daily News. 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  52. ↑ "PKK militants start withdrawal from Turkey, fueling optimism for peace process". The Christian Science Monitor. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  53. ↑ ""Wise People" to present preliminary report to Turkish PM". World Bulletin. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  54. ↑ "Kurdish militants claim 'revenge' killing of two Turkish policemen". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  55. ↑
  56. 1 2 Ahmet Dönmez (28 March 2013). "58 percent support gov't efforts for settlement, survey shows". Ankara: Today's Zaman. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  57. ↑ "KONDA'nın son anketi: Çözüm sürecine destek yüzde 81.3'e ulaştı". T24. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
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