Originally published in Roj Helat:

In a letter to Barak Obama, the General Assembly of Kurdistan’s Free Life Party (PJAK) calls upon the United States to reassess their policies in the Middle East particularly in relation to the Kurdish people. The letter reads as follow:

Your Excellency the President of the United States of America

Dear Barak Hussein Obama

On 28 December 2011, in Qilaban region of Sirnak province in Northern Kurdistan (Turkey), 35 civilian Kurds were massacred by Turkish aircrafts in a heinous way.  This fatal marked another dark page in the struggle of our people in all parts of Kurdistan. It sparked anger and widespread protestation among our people in all parts of Kurdistan as well as Diasporic community. All the awaked conscious and circles in the world condemned this monstrous slaughter and displayed their abhorrence to such an inhuman deed. Without a doubt, silence in the face of such a crime reflects its endorsement which would be of equal to the execution of such inhuman conduct.

It’s been years that Turkey as the main ally of the United States of America plays the central role in the denial and annihilation of Kurdish people causing hundreds of similar mass-killings with more serious consequences for our people. Turkey’s practices and her treatment of the Kurdish people are much more dangerous than Saddam Hussein’s with more negative effects on our people. Turkish politics and its treatments of the Kurdish people has become a model for the states of Iran, Iran and Syria in the Middle East and has taken the leading role in respect to the killing of Kurds and the destruction of Kurdistan.

It’s well evident for everyone particularly for the Kurdish nation that the United States of America all along with the interferences in the Middle East through the coming to power of the Democrats has supported Turkey with all her might and has given the leading role to Turkish state for the future changes in the region. In the meantime, the Kurdish nation along with all the Kurdish sides are well aware of the fact that Turkish government in her battle for the annihilation of the Kurds is receiving economic support, military armaments and even her major bulk of technological assistance from NATO and the United States of America.

With not doubt, this is the legitimate right of this nation to pose the question of what is the intention behind all these supports; the achievement of what pledges and the enhancement of what interests induces the United States to stand against the Kurdish nation is this way?! The last example of this standing, the latest statement of the American ambassador in Turkey uttering “we are beside Turkey”, in relation to the massacre, while Turkey had not even made a statement about it and allegedly were investigating, is really stunning!

In response, the project of Liberal-Political Islam might be alluded to, which is led by the doctrine of Fethullah Gulen and the AK Party aimed to counterbalance Fundamental and Radical Islam and tie the Islamic states and circles to the rest of universe. But what has been done so far, not only proved the failure of such a project, but the attempts for the accomplishment of such project has led to development of radical Islam, widespread violence in the region, extension of the sphere of influence of the despotic and conservative regimes or even setting up new alliances, and worst of all the region is faced with a model (Turkish Regime) that is the locus of the crisis of the Middle East and is one of the powers which directly or indirectly sponsors terrorism and causes instability. Then this question would emerge; would the United States of America promote the process of democratisation and democratic model in the region or intensification of the crisis and a tyrannical model for further massacres?

From the coming to power of the AK Party to the present, the Turkish government has become the main obstacle to the process of democratisation in Iran. The relation among these two states has brought serious changes to the regional balance and particularly emboldened the Iranian regime to strengthen it status both in and outside the country. Turkish observance of the Kurdish liberation struggle against the Islamic Republic of Iran is to prove this assertion. For example the modus operandi of the Islamic Republic in dealing with our party PJAK (Kurdistan’s Free Life Party) stems heavily from the Turkey’s experiences. Contra-guerrilla methods, transmission of intelligence to Iranian regime from your and Israeli unmanned aerial drones, submission of NATO’s armaments to Islamic Republic of Iran to fight against us, and the most importantly the Turkish imposition of our party to the terror list of the United States and the endorsement of such an issue by you, well exposes the extent to which Turkey has helped to embolden Iran and strengthen her position.
Such issues and many more have led to a great discrepancy between your slogans and the practices of the United States of America. On the one hand there are talks of democratisation of the region, on the other we witness the current bleak picture; on the one hand there are talks about rights of the nations of the region, on the other the Kurdish national leader (leader Apo) is abducted and handed over to Turkey and there is no any process to solve the problems of these people; on the one hand there are talks of the Armenian Genocide, on the other the foe of the Kurdish nation which is ostensibly regarded as a model of democracy for the region (Turkey) is armed to inflict massacre on the Kurds; on the one hand there is talk of counterbalancing of Iran, on the other a very active and dynamic party such as PJAK is designated as terrorist.

Although you are supporting the anti-Kurdish and anti-Kurdistan circles, the Kurdish people have never posed a single danger to your interests. On the contrary, the Kurds have not only refused secession but have shown to be the main potential for the change, stability, freedom and democracy in the region – owing to historic, social and political experiences the Kurds. But unfortunately such a powerful treasure has not a place in your project for the Middle East, is not given any status or mission and subjected to the cruellest type of politics. Such an issue well proves that how your projects are ignorant of the realities of the Middle East. With no doubt, the Kurdish people are well able to defend themselves and their achievements. They would take serious steps to safeguard freedom and democracy and as history has proven, they would never face deadlock as they have diverse alternative and options to determine their future.

At the end, as the Kurdistan’s Free Life Party (PJAK) we call upon you to have a serious reassessment of your politics in relation to the Middle East particularly the Kurdish people in all parts of Kurdistan. Not to further support or endorse slaughters of the Kurdish people at the hands of your allies and put an end to your support of Turkey. As one of the most ancient peoples in the Middle East, the Kurdish people is the reflection of the awakened conscious of region and any policy in dealing with the Kurds is the manifestation of that policy toward the whole region;  this is how the truth has always been reflected.  With no doubt, the Kurdish nation has the potential to take the leading role in the democratisation of the region and to this end, it has never eluded from sacrifices and it will never.

Revolutionary Greetings
The General Assembly of Kurdistan’s Free Life Party (PJAK)