KCK Executive Council Member Cemil Bayik stressed that the ‘dirty war’ of the 1990s had been put back into practise but using different methods. He said, ‘‘there is a campaign to exterminate the Democratic Kurdish Movement,’’ and added that those fighting against this would need to be patient and resolute. Bayik stressed that the Kurdish Freedom Movement had begun the process for a solution to the Kurdish issue beginning with the March 29th local elections. Against this the Turkish State had continued its policy of denial and extermination by adopting new methods, he emphasised.

All the developments following that time had been the result of a struggle between these two policies, indicated Bayik. It was the Kurdish Freedom Movement that began the democratic resolution process and the Turkish State which has obstructed it, he stated. ‘‘The democratic resolution process began with the Kurdish Movement’s unilateral ceasefire of April 13th. It has been the Turkish State’s policy of extermination and its confiscation of (Leader Apo’s) Road Map that has obstructed this process. If this period is to be understood then it is the Kurdish Freedom Movement that began it and the Turkish State that blocked it.’’

Bayik stated that the (AKP) government’s policy of extermination, codenamed ‘the democratic initiative’ had baulked at the reality of a people who want an equal and resolute resolution and that this had become evident with the arrival of the peace groups.

According to Bayik, the attacks against the democratic Kurdish politics deepened and turned into a political lynching against the DTP following this. With these attacks they wanted to intimidate and suppress the Kurdish people to the point where they would accept the policy of extermination, he added.

The banning of the DTP has shown once again that it is impossible to practise free democratic politics in Turkey, said Bayik. ‘‘The threat of closure will continue until everyone toes the line of the State. It must be understood that there is great pressure on democratic politics. Those involved in democratic politics must be aware of this, be patient, controlled, principled and resolute in struggling against this.’’

Bayik assessed and defined the December 24th operation against Kurdish politicians as being the result of this policy of extermination and an operation to uproot democratic Kurdish politics. ‘‘The operations begun on April 14th continued on December 24th, these are political operations and are aimed at uprooting and exterminating the strong and free Kurdish political movement. This is simply a political genocide. In the 1990s political genocide was mainly implemented with extrajudicial killings. Political Kurds were being killed daily. The KCK operations are targeting the same thing that the policies of the 1990s were targeting. The methods are different but the aim is the same.’’

KCK Executive Council Member Cemil Bayik objected to the association made between the KCK and arrested Kurdish politicians and said, ‘‘in a normal country the KCK would be legal and legitimate.’’ Bayik went on to summarise the form and structure of the KCK.

He said that the KCK was the Kurdish people’s democratic political institution and summarised it by saying, ‘‘the KCK has an annual general assembly which is attended by delegates from all parts of Kurdistan, and this is where the KCK Executive Council is chosen. The KCK aims for a complete democratic system. It is an organisation outside and beyond the State. It organises from below and aims to solve society’s problems within society’s means. It organises from society’s foundations and aims to make the whole of society a democratic force. The KCK ensures that the economic, cultural and social problems of society are resolved with society’s own organisations and the power these organisations create. The KCK is a model that overcomes the mentality of awaiting solutions from the State and creates a system outside and beyond the State that addresses the problems and needs of humanity. There are many communities in all the parts of Kurdistan that believe in this system and the freedom and democracy it is going to create. There are many people who are working amongst the people to create this system by raising awareness regarding organisation and its importance. Those people who are working in society to organise and raise awareness regarding organisation are assisting the KCK system whether they are part of it or not. The essence of the KCK system is the creation of a democratic consciousness and the democratic organisation of society.’’

Cemil Bayik also responded to those still voicing the ‘democratic initiative’ following so many operations against Kurdish politics. ‘‘Those who are saying that this initiative will get better following the KCK operation are ridiculing the Kurds,’’ said Bayik, and added that Turkey was trying to create a new Kurdish organisation. Bayik also warned intellectuals who were presenting the AKP’s extermination plan as a solution.

Bayik drew attention to the attempts by the Turkish State and government in trying to form a new Kurdish organisation to divide the Kurdish Freedom Movement. He emphasised that the Turkish State was pressuring the democratic Kurdish political movement to distance itself from the PKK and brand guerrilla activity as terrorist activity. Bayik added that Kurds would not be fooled by this.

Cemil Bayik also highlighted the efforts by the AKP government to install itself into the depths of the Deep State. ‘‘Political Islamists know that without settling into the Deep State they cannot be influential within the State,’’ said Bayik, and attributed the search in the Special Warfare Department to this.

KCK Executive Council member Cemil Bayik assessed the searches in the Special Warfare Department. ‘‘We (the PKK) are the movement that has suffered the most from this war department. Of course we want things to be revealed; however it is impossible for the AKP to expose the crimes of this department.’’ Bayik added that political Islamists had been accepted within the State and that the AKP’s 7 years in government was proof of this. Bayik also underlined that the AKP was waging a psychological war using the media and that it was not believable that a party like the AKP would ‘clean up’ the Special Warfare Department.

In his interview, Bayik also attracted attention to the conditions of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and said that the policies of isolation and intimidation implemented could not be seen anywhere else in the world. Bayik added that Öcalan’s involvement with the outside world had been reduced to a minimum, ‘‘if the political climate permitted they would exert more pressure and restrictions. The only prisoner in Turkey who cannot watch television and read the newspapers he wants, is the Leader of the Kurdish People. The radio that has been given to him only has one channel. Just this example is enough to portray the reality of his conditions,’’ he added.

Bayik also said, ‘‘the Road Map was going to be the key that would undo the lock that was put on the Kurdish issue. Those who are asking what the Kurds want should know that the demands of the Kurdish people are embodied in the Road Map and that it is in the hands of the Turkish State.’’

In the event that the AKP insists on extermination, the year 2010 will be full of conflict on all fronts, warned Bayik, before adding that the Kurds had explicit demands. Bayik indicated that there could be no negotiations regarding the demands of the Kurdish people and guerrilla. ‘‘Nobody should expect us to act like sacrificial lambs. Our guerrillas are ready, plans to delay or crush us will be met with great resistance.’’

Cemil Bayik also indicated that speculations regarding the Tokat attack were the propaganda of the psychological warfare department. He added that those who were continually voicing the Tokat attack were turning a blind eye to the hundreds of military operations and attacks that had taken place in the past months.

KCK Executive Council member Cemil Bayik ended his interview by underlining that if the Turkish State did not take the necessary steps for a democratic resolution and insisted on extermination and killing then they would be met by a great resistance in all areas.

Bayik invoked the responsibilities of democratic forces in 2010 and said that the delay tactics and damaging policies of the AKP government needed to be brought to an end. ‘‘Democratic forces must declare their programme for democracy in a clear and strong manner to expose the real face of the AKP and bury them in the election box in the next elections,’’ he said.