ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey has dropped leaflets over a mountainous area of Sulaimani province telling Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters to turn themselves in, a human rights monitor said on Saturday.
“Yesterday afternoon, Turkish military aircraft dropped leaflets in the Kurmanji dialect along Asos Mountain and around the villages of Galala, Basawe, Safra, and Zaroun in the Mawat district of Sulaimani province, calling for PKK guerrillas to surrender,” Kamaran Osman, a member of the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), told Rudaw.
Hussein Qadir lives in the village of Galala. He told Rudaw that two Turkish military planes circled their area for an hour and dropped several leaflets. He picked one up off the Galala-Sulaimani road.
The leaflet refers to PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan’s call for the group to disband and urges PKK fighters to turn themselves in. “Trust yourself to the state’s forgiveness,” it said.
It also quotes alleged PKK members who have surrendered saying how happy they are.
“I am Delal. I surrendered, and the state protected me. All television stations say that Abdullah Ocalan is telling the PKK that it needs to dissolve itself. Come out of the caves, we are waiting for you,” read one quote.
“I am Jihad. They didn't tell us that Turkish soldiers are so good. I am comfortable, they gave me warm food, they took very good care of us. After many years, they allowed me to see my family,” read another.
Ocalan in February released a historic message urging the PKK to disarm and disband, and bring the struggle for Kurdish rights into the political sphere.
The message was delivered by a pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) delegation that had visited Ocalan in his Imrali island prison. It has sparked hope for the end of the nearly four-decade conflict between the Turkey state and the PKK that has claimed over 40,000 lives.
The PKK responded, declaring a unilateral ceasefire, but set a physical meeting with their jailed leader as a precondition to any successful peace process.
The DEM Party delegation mediating the peace talks most recently met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on April 10.
Despite the PKK’s ceasefire, Turkey has continued to strike alleged PKK positions in the Kurdistan Region where the group has its headquarters. Turkish artillery shelled the villages of Spindare, Gargashi, Mizhe, and Kafnamizhe in the Amedi district of Duhok province 27 times on Friday, according to Osman.
The following is the full translation of the leaflet:
Abdullah Ocalan has called for the dissolution of the PKK and disarmament. Respond to his call!
Listen to what your comrades who have surrendered are saying:
“I am Delal. I surrendered, and the state protected me. All television stations say that Abdullah Ocalan is telling the PKK that it needs to dissolve itself. Come out of the caves, we are waiting for you.”
“I am Jihad. They didn't tell us that Turkish soldiers are so good. I am comfortable, they gave me warm food, they took very good care of us. After many years, they allowed me to see my family.”
“I am Devrim Serhad. My condition is very good, my leg is being bandaged. You too should surrender and come toward a free life.”
“I am Shevger. I was in Pirdogan, I surrendered. They fulfilled all my requests.”
Come! Don't miss this opportunity! Trust yourself to the state's forgiveness. Believe us! Come out of the cave. Before it's too late, choose to live in peace with your loved ones.
