KCK Declines Responsibility for Bomb Attack - Ceasefire Extended

The Steering Council Presidency of the Democratic Confederation of Kurdistan (KCK) announced to have "no connection" with the bomb attack in Istanbul on 31 October that left 32 people injured. The KCK is the intent to organize the Kurdish people. As an umbrella organization it also includes the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

As reported by the Fırat News Agency, the KCK declared, "Our movement decided to extend the no-action period. It is impossible for us to carry out such an action on a day we prepared a historic step for peace and democracy".

"It is out of the question for both the management of our movement and any unit affiliated to us to plan and carry out such an action. Even if this is implied in contrary to the truth, it is not right and does not reflect reality to point at certain sections of our movement. We have no connection to this action in any aspect. Besides, actions that cause harm to civilians do not correspond with the methods of our movement. This is being announced to the public and the democratic sections [of society]".

Ceasefire extended till general elections

In another announcement, the KCK proclaimed to have extended the ceasefire until the general elections in June 2011. The so-called "no-action period" which had already been extended for one more month in the end of September was about to expire on 31 October. "It is the obligation of the Turkish government to comply with the ceasefire in any aspect in order to transform the process into a definite ceasefire", the organization added.

The KCK Steering Council hereby made an urgently expected statement. The organization had initially declared its decision for a ceasefire on 13 August which was then extended for another month on 30 September. The KCK now announced another extension of the ceasefire and linked up its transformation into permanent peace to five steps.

KCK pronounced five steps for permanent peace

The KCK demanded to stop military and political operations and to release Kurdish politicians who are unjustly detained. The organization also requested to enable imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan's active participation in the process. According to the KCK, the dialogues should go beyond negotiation. In order to advance the process, the organization suggested establishing an investigative commission into the constitution and to remove the second-to-none election threshold of 10 percent. (EÖ/VK)