Kurdistan

KDP condemns suppression of opposition in Rojava

By Rudaw 15/3/2017

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has condemned what it calls the Kurdistan Workers Party's (PKK) conduct against "all political parties and organizations" present in western Kurdistan or Rojava, northern Syria, particularly in the wake of armed clashes in Shingal region earlier this month.

"Deeply concerned, we are hearing of rows created at the hands of the PKK offshoot in western Kurdistan as it behaves in a dictatorship way and has imposed itself through the use of weapons and intimidation and has put all the political parties and organizations under a terror and political ideology, running after their members and supporters and filling its prisons with Kurdish activists," read the KDP statement, referring to the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the ruling party in Rojava.

The statement also added that the PYD in Rojava has "prohibited any kind of political activities and without excuses they storm their shelters, loot, and burn them down. Hence, we from the KDP strongly condemn these behaviors."

The statement also accused authorities in Rojava of arresting members of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), a group of political parties in northern Syria supported by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Tensions between the KDP and the PKK sharply escalated earlier this month when Rojava Peshmerga, a KRG force made up of Kurds from Syria, and the PKK-backed Shingal Protection Units (YBS), clashed in the Shingal region, resulting in several fatalities. Each side accused the other of initiating the conflict.

On Tuesday, a protest against the Rojava Peshmerga in the Shingal region turned deadly when riot police reportedly opened fire. At least one protester was killed and as many as 10 others wounded. A commander of the Rojava Peshmerga maintained that the riot police used plastic bullets to avoid casualties among the protesters.

As Kurds clashed in the Shingal region, in Rojava several ENKS offices were stormed and some set fire to.

The leader of ENKS, Ibrahim Biro, told Rudaw earlier this week that at least 40 members of his party and independent activists had been held in prison, and he claimed a total of nine offices belonging to the party have been set ablaze by the PYD in the Kurdish enclave of northern Syria.

PYD officials have rejected claims in the past that they were behind previous attacks on their rival ENKS group.

There was no immediate counter statement from the PKK or the PYD responding to the KDP’s statement.

The KDP statement also claimed that by all means and through their ideology and conduct the PKK "are against Kurdish values and slogans and any desire towards independence."

It also accused the authorities in Rojava of standing against Kurdish interests in the region.

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3 Karim | 15/3/2017

PKK refuses to share power with other kurdish parties in Rojava. They have always and continue to crack down on all other kurdish parties. They refuse to allow any Peshmerga or other kurdish armed forces other than their own. Yet they expect KRG to accept PKK in Shingal and allow PKK to steal Shingal from KRG. Only a brainwashed PKK supporter cannot see how clear PKK's double standards are. They treat others with no respect and expect to be treated like kings. Its scary. They literally think they are above the law and better than everyone else. Not a single other kurdish party has ever operated in this self-righteous fashion. With every step PKK is provoking civil war through their provacative behaviour. KRG must protect itself against this cancer. Get PKK jaash out of Shingal as soon as possible. With force if nessescary. And then protect KRG's border with Syria and make sure PKK never get through again. Its only a matter of time before a much bigger civil war will begin if we don't solve the problem right now while its still manageable. No more waiting. You cannot talk with PKK. They don't abide by reason or logic.

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4 Faysal Bani | 15/3/2017

And this condemnation is coming from KDP who has forbidden the speaker of Kurdistan region to enter Kurdistan parliament and suspended Goran ministers from their posts,

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5 Biji Kurdistan | 15/3/2017

This statement proves it is not a "PKK vs KRG dispute" but a PKK vs KDP dispute. If Rudaw reported on the stances from other Kurdish parties (PUK+Gorran) you would see that only the KDP is calling for the PKK/YBS to leave Shingal. This KDP statement has no proof supporting it. No physical evidence to prove these claims of the PYD/YPG security forces being complicit or participating in "burning KNC offices". The KDP say the PKK "are against Kurdish values and slogans and any desire towards independence." Even though Rudaw reported today that there was a fashion show of traditional Kurdish clothing with the Ala Rengin flag displayed in all its glory in Rojava's capital of Qamishli. A Kurdish cultural event held by the supposedly "anti-Kurdish" PYD. This nonsense needs to stop.

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4 Guest | 16/3/2017

["Deeply concerned, we are hearing of rows created at the hands of the PKK offshoot in western Kurdistan as it behaves in a dictatorship way and has imposed itself through the use of weapons and intimidation and has put all the political parties and organizations under a terror and political ideology, running after their members and supporters and filling its prisons with Kurdish activists," read the KDP statement,...]........................... I just wish that the KDP leadership were as much critical of the conducts of the Turkish government against the Kurds in Turkey as they are critical of the conducts of their own brothers in Rojava.

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4 FIGHT THE REAL ENEMY | 16/3/2017

If the KDP was sincere about "adhering to Kurdish values and having desires towards independence" they would know that most Kurds are against hostile foreign troops on Kurdish soil, but I'm not talking about the PKK/YBS, I'm talking about the Turkish troops and bases all over the KRG. If you support the KDP in this statement while claiming to be a "Kurdish Nationalist" then you should be consistent in your outrage and protest Turkish bases violating Kurdish sovereignty. At least the PKK/YBS supports Kurdish/Ezidi autonomy and freedom; the Turkish military has never stood for that and actively seeks to destroy it.

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