PKK's Riza Altun: Erdogan is conducting the real coup
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—“The real coup is that which Erdogan is currently conducting,” said Riza Altun, head of foreign relations for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), in an interview with Al-Monitor published on Friday.
Altun reiterated the PKK’s stance that neither the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan nor a military-led coup government would be good for the Kurdish cause. “Even if we assumed that the coup attempt succeeded, the ensuing regime would not have been democratic, but anti-Kurdish. None of them is better than the other: neither Erdogan nor the army.”
He also had harsh words for Erdogan’s crackdown on alleged supporters of Fethullah Gulen, who the president accuses of masterminding the coup, and has no hope that a democratic solution to the Kurdish question will be pursued by Ankara now.
“[Erdogan] has reached a fork in the road: either stay in power and kill all who oppose him, or be killed. There is no other option,” said Altun. “He will try to rule Turkey despite the chaos, but will embark Turkey on an even more chaotic path.”
Altun believes that Gulen was not behind the failed coup but, rather, a traditional Kemalist movement within the army that resisted Erdogan’s policies, joined by other factions also dissatisfied with the president’s rule.
He also raised doubts as to the United States’ impartiality on the matter. Asked if the West’s silence during the first hours of the attempted coup meant that the US played a part, Altun answered, “Perhaps. It did remain silent as events unfolded.”
Addressing Kurdish aspirations in Turkey and the region, Altun denied the PKK had nationalist aspirations but rather insisted they are seeking “liberty” rather than “independence” and are focused on achieving “social freedom” for all people of the Middle East.
“With time, the term ‘independence’ was replaced with that of ‘liberty,’ because the latter is key to us and others like us. By definition, the word ‘independence’ does not include the notion of liberty, but ‘liberty’ does include that of independence.”
“A review of the history of the region reveals that whenever nationalist aspirations were the basis for the establishment of a separate entity, said aspirations invariably led to ethnic, nationalist, religious or even sectarian conflicts with other components of society. Therefore, we are trying to avoid making the same mistakes.”
Altun stated that the nationalism bred by borders drawn after World War 1 have “never led to freedom, happiness and well-being,” noting that the Arab Spring and the rise of Islamic State are two phenomena that have rejected these borders.
He warned against “national fanaticism” and said that “we must not endeavor to separate our freedom from that of those around us.”
“Ethnic variances and diversity are important. But if a crossroads is reached, either to unite or separate, then our stance favors unity within diversity.”
The PKK believes that the people of the Middle East will embrace these ideas, Altun said, as they have suffered so much and “are now in search of hope.”
When asked if the United States has expressed support for federalism in Rojava, northern Syria, Altun said no, “The United States’ policy is pragmatic. It does not back federalism, but has yet to reject it outright. It allows the idea to endure until its outcome becomes apparent.”
He also noted that the United States is giving tacit support to Kurdish ambitions to unite its cantons of Kobane and Afrin. “The US is manipulating all relevant elements to prevent them from obstructing the Kurds’ advance to Afrin,” he said. “But it also is telling Turkey that it would not recognize the Kurdish entity in Rojava.”
Altun reiterated the PKK’s stance that neither the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan nor a military-led coup government would be good for the Kurdish cause. “Even if we assumed that the coup attempt succeeded, the ensuing regime would not have been democratic, but anti-Kurdish. None of them is better than the other: neither Erdogan nor the army.”
He also had harsh words for Erdogan’s crackdown on alleged supporters of Fethullah Gulen, who the president accuses of masterminding the coup, and has no hope that a democratic solution to the Kurdish question will be pursued by Ankara now.
“[Erdogan] has reached a fork in the road: either stay in power and kill all who oppose him, or be killed. There is no other option,” said Altun. “He will try to rule Turkey despite the chaos, but will embark Turkey on an even more chaotic path.”
Altun believes that Gulen was not behind the failed coup but, rather, a traditional Kemalist movement within the army that resisted Erdogan’s policies, joined by other factions also dissatisfied with the president’s rule.
He also raised doubts as to the United States’ impartiality on the matter. Asked if the West’s silence during the first hours of the attempted coup meant that the US played a part, Altun answered, “Perhaps. It did remain silent as events unfolded.”
Addressing Kurdish aspirations in Turkey and the region, Altun denied the PKK had nationalist aspirations but rather insisted they are seeking “liberty” rather than “independence” and are focused on achieving “social freedom” for all people of the Middle East.
“With time, the term ‘independence’ was replaced with that of ‘liberty,’ because the latter is key to us and others like us. By definition, the word ‘independence’ does not include the notion of liberty, but ‘liberty’ does include that of independence.”
“A review of the history of the region reveals that whenever nationalist aspirations were the basis for the establishment of a separate entity, said aspirations invariably led to ethnic, nationalist, religious or even sectarian conflicts with other components of society. Therefore, we are trying to avoid making the same mistakes.”
Altun stated that the nationalism bred by borders drawn after World War 1 have “never led to freedom, happiness and well-being,” noting that the Arab Spring and the rise of Islamic State are two phenomena that have rejected these borders.
He warned against “national fanaticism” and said that “we must not endeavor to separate our freedom from that of those around us.”
“Ethnic variances and diversity are important. But if a crossroads is reached, either to unite or separate, then our stance favors unity within diversity.”
The PKK believes that the people of the Middle East will embrace these ideas, Altun said, as they have suffered so much and “are now in search of hope.”
When asked if the United States has expressed support for federalism in Rojava, northern Syria, Altun said no, “The United States’ policy is pragmatic. It does not back federalism, but has yet to reject it outright. It allows the idea to endure until its outcome becomes apparent.”
He also noted that the United States is giving tacit support to Kurdish ambitions to unite its cantons of Kobane and Afrin. “The US is manipulating all relevant elements to prevent them from obstructing the Kurds’ advance to Afrin,” he said. “But it also is telling Turkey that it would not recognize the Kurdish entity in Rojava.”