Turkey's anti –Kurds strategy carried out via PDK support

American newspaper, "The American National Interest", talked about three strategies of the Turkish state in Southern Kurdistan, against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the PKK. According to the newspaper, the first strategy includes distorting the image of the PKK in Southern Kurdistan through its own means.

The second is accusing the PKK of being the cause of the attacks on Southern Kurdistan, meaning that Turkey attacks Kurdistan under the pretext of the PKK.

As for the third strategy of the Turkish State, it is to promote among the Kurdish public opinion that the PKK seeks to create intra- Kurdish fighting. As happened during the targeting of the Peshmerga forces in Metina on which Kurdistan Workers' Party was accused.

To talk about the strategies of the Turkish State in Southern Kurdistan and the positions of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Iraqi Government, and the overall issues related to this topic, ANHA carried out an interviewed with the writer and political researcher Hussein Omar.

What are the reasons that prompted the Turkish state to adopt a plan based on three strategies?

To understand the new strategies of the Turkish state, we must go back several years. In 2008, after its defeat in Zap, Turkey completely changed the war plans against the PKK. Even before that period, Erdogan and the other major parties in Turkey did not recognize Southern Kurdistan and did not even accept political relations with it. However, after Turkey's defeat in Zap, the Turkish State began to strengthen its relations with Southern Kurdistan and in particular with the PDK. Thus, the Turkish State has taken from Southern Kurdistan a major centre and field to fight the PKK. The Turkish attacks on Southern Kurdistan are no longer limited to the goal of protecting the border, but have moved the war to Southern Kurdistan in order to prevent the PKK from advancing and to keep it occupied by the war within Southern Kurdistan border. That is why the Turkish State has developed such a strategic plan. This plan has been in place since 2008.

In that period, the AKP began to trick the Kurdish political parties, and attract them to its side, thus showing KDP as the only party advocating the rights of the Kurdish people. Based on this plan, the Turkish State began to escalate its war against the PKK. In that period, the basis for the strategy reported by the American newspaper was laid. It began to work to deepen the hostility of the Kurdistan Democratic Party against the PKK, particularly fuelling this among the PDK leadership, and the Turkish State has made some gains in this area, it worked to connect the Barzani family to Turkey through economic interests. This is corner stone of the Turkish State to defame the PKK, and show that it is it that seeks to cause internal war.

In this context, how do you look at the positions of both the PDK and the PUK?

The position of the Kurdistan Democratic Party is clear, i.e. the party has become a shield for the Turkish state to implement its strategic plans against the Kurdish people. Their aim, of course, is to eliminate the PKK, but they would fail at least they may be working to weaken the PKK on Southern Kurdistan Mountains.

As for the position of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the PUK, I think it is unclear. In other words, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is ineffective. It is working to protect its partnership with Hewler in order to preserve its interests, and to achieve family interests, the position of the PUK is ineffective and its position weak. It does not display the Kurdish position required of it at this stage. It does not support the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and sometimes states that Turkish schemes are hostile to the Kurdish people, but the PUK has so far played a negative role in practice and does not play a positive role. However, it is not the responsibility of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, but rather its responsibility to contribute to countering Turkish State schemes, and through its powers it can limit Turkish State schemes against Southern Kurdistan.

So far, the KRG and the central government in Baghdad have not taken any firm stance against the endeavors and ambitions of the Turkish State.

We have talked about the positions of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which represent the position of the KRG. As for the Iraqi Government, it is silent. As we know that the Iraqi Government is not an independent government, as the majority of it is under Iranian influence, while the Sunnis in Iraq are under the influence of Turkish policies. We must also not forget the American influence in Iraq. America is silent in order to protect Turkish interests, just as it is not in Iran's interest for the PKK to win. Accordingly, those loyal to Iranian influence within the Iraqi Government remain silent about the attacks of the Turkish State. On the other hand, the Iraqi central government believes that the Kurdistan Regional Government supports the Turkish attacks, and is happy with that.

The security authorities in Southern Kurdistan have arrested representatives of the Autonomous Administration and the Democratic Union Party. How do you view the matter, and can it be considered part of the Turkish state's plans aimed at inflaming the dispute between the Kurds?

This is, of course, one of the plans of the Turkish State. As it is known, there are dozens of Turkish military bases in Southern Kurdistan, and in particular the headquarters of the Turkish intelligence services are very effective and work in coordination with the Parastin Forces (special forces affiliated with Masrour Barzani). Accordingly, I consider that the arrest of representatives of the Autonomous Administration in Southern Kurdistan is normal, at a time when members of the peace delegation were arrested in Southern Kurdistan. Therefore, we see that Turkish intelligence MIT is very active in the areas under the control of the KDP.

 How do you assess the role of the PDK media in implementing the Turkish strategies we talked about above?

The PDK media is currently a counter media, and it plays this counter role against all Kurdish forces. In recent years, however, the Turkish State has sought to strengthen its influence in Southern Kurdistan at various levels in order to eliminate the PKK. All the media centers of the Democratic Party have become spokeswoman for the Turkish State and its policies. Turkish intelligence has not succeeded in tarnishing the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and the Turkish State has even set up a Kurdish television channel, but it has not succeeded in this task. This role has therefore been assigned in particular to the Media of the PDK, and the purpose of the PDK media organizations is therefore to discredit the PKK among the Kurdish people.

What is needed of the Kurdish people to stop these attacks? Or in other words, isn't it time for the Kurdistan Nationalist Congress ?

The Kurdish people have no choice but to resist. They have been under attack for hundreds of years. In my view, one thing that would stop or at least significantly reduce these attacks is for all Southern Kurdistan parties to take a unified stand against these attacks, to side with the people and to tell the Turkish State that they will not be on its side. Some circles say that this would harm Southern Kurdistan's economic interests if such a position were taken. In my view, this will not have a significant negative impact, as Southern Kurdistan has a common border with Iraq and with Iran. The KRG could also better open the border with Rojava. Such a common position would have a significant impact on the Turkish economy.

For the Kurdistan Nationalist Congress, it can be held in the presence of current parties. For example, if both the National Union and the Goran Movement from Southern Kurdistan, as well as Kurdish parties, participate in the other parts, the National Conference could be held successfully. But if we wait in the hope that the PDK will participate in the National Conference, it will not be held. Because the PDK never wants to hold the National Conference of Kurdistan, where the PDK will not have an important role to play if held. 

T/S

ANHA