Why are the Kurdish politicians unable to find a political party which is independent of the PKK?
The DTP has not been established in spite of the PKK. An independent party doesn’t have a chance to survive in the region right now. The PKK has been an influential organization in the region. It’s an armed movement. At this time, a party without the PKK’s backing wouldn’t be able to survive in the region. When do you foresee such an environment? This is only possible after the PKK gives up arms. There should be a normalization process in the region — only after that can there flourish independent political parties that can compete with the PKK. Some Kurdish leaders, such as Melik Fırat and Şerafettin Elçi, have tried such formations but they’ve also had some difficulties since they defended an ethnic federative system similar to Barzani’s in northern Iraq. Demanding an ethnic federation in Turkey is associated with separatism. Do you think Barzani is encouraging a federative system for Turkey’s Kurds? I’ve never heard of Barzani saying such a thing. As far as I know, he wishes [for]
