CPT meets with Turkish vice consul

On May15th, members of CPT Iraqi Kurdistan visited with Abdullah Topçu, Vice Consul in the Turkish consulate of Hawler, Iraqi Kurdistan, to deliver a new report about the consequences on the civilian population of the cross-border military actions in the Pshdar district of Iraqi Kurdistan. CPT members specifically questioned Turkey’s military actions on the Iraqi side of the border which are stated as aimed against the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) but that extensively impact and disrupt civilian life in the Iraqi Kurdish villages as well. 

CPT expressed concerns for the ongoing physical and psychological damage to civilian life produced by Turkish military action in the borders, and asked about the motivation for these attacks. Vice Consul Topçu replied that Turkey desires peace and is looking for a peaceful solution to the conflict, stating that “attacking civilians and farmers is not acceptable to us”, but he also said that Turkey government’s hands where tied and they had to protect their borders with military violence.

When asked about past attacks that have seemingly been directed towards the civilian population the Vice Consul stated that “there has not been any attack against civilians intentionally”, and when CPT continued to ask about the safety of civilians in the borders he said, “We will never attack innocent people”.

CPT Iraqi Kurdistan has monitored cases where civilian lives have been put in danger due to the cross-border military actions. Some of these attacks have resulted in civilian deaths, physical and emotional injuries, loss of crops and livestock, damage to property, and regular displacement for long periods of time each year.

CPT insisted that violence will not solve Turkey’s conflict with the PKK nor will it help against the Kurdish population of Turkey struggling for their rights, CPT does not condone violence, especially when directed towards civilians and believes that only a peaceful and open dialogue and the full acknowledgement of the human and civil rights of the Kurdish people will put an end to these conflicts.

...

CPT Iraqi Kurdistan does not condone the violence perpetrated by Turkey and Iran against the Kurdish people.

CPT Iraqi Kurdistan does not condone the sanctions against Iran emplaced by the U.N, that collectively punish the Iranian and Kurdish People of Iran.

CPT Iraqi Kurdistan does not condone the calls for “military action” against Iran.