Confederation Isnt the Solution

Ocalan, who advocated the idea via his lawyers, said the new Kurdish confederation would not be a sovereign state. Certain Kurdish circles didn't find the proposal feasible.

Kurdish intellectuals, who are distant to Ocalan's PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party, said Ocalan's proposal is a "fantasy" and a direct result of the "isolation psychology" he is in.

The pro-Kurdish political party Democratic People Party (DEHAP) is insisting that the proposal is seriously debated.

Leyla Zana, who is one of the founders of the Democratic Society Movement, also advocated the proposal during the Newroz celebrations in the province of Diyarbakir on Monday.

The proposal calls for the Kurdish entity to have its own "flag and a name" without being a sovereign state.

Ocalan, in his proposal, said the Kurdistan Democratic Confederalism project, which calls for uniting the Kurdish areas of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, is a social system. Ocalan has been jailed at the prison island of Imrali for the last six years.

"I believe I have earned my people a new philosophy and system of life," said Ocalan, and went on to explain the basics of the proposed system:

"This confederalism takes its strength from the historically rich cultural assets of Mesopotamia. It is based on the communal structure of the natural society, from the clan system to tribe confederations, that didn't, throughout the history of civilization, want to become a part of the centralization of the state society."

Ocalan's proposal was found "surprising" at a time when the Kurdish groups in northern Iraq are talking about "a state" and when the Kurdish groups in Turkey have, until recently, advocated a "democratic republic."

Tanrikulu: "What happened to the democratic state?"

Nimet Tanrikulu, the head of the Cultural Center of Tunceli, spoke to bianet about Ocalan's proposal. "I wonder what happened to the argument of 'democratic republic,' which the Kurds in Turkey seemed to agree on until recently," said Tanrikulu.

"A democratic republic seemed more applicable to Turkey's realities. It corresponded to a situation where all peoples could freely express themselves."

Tanrikulu said it's natural for every idea to be discussed, and added it's important that Kurds openly say what they want and that the people's desires are taken into consideration.

"But I don't understand how this proposal will meet the needs of the people," said Tanrikulu.

Tanrikulu said that efforts should be spent instead to "form a culture of coexistence."

Bakirhan: Democratic Republic is a must

DEHAP head Tuncer Bakirhan said they would under no condition give up the "Democratic Republic" approach but added the proposal should be debated:

"This is a very detailed issue. As a political party, we don't want to say anything about it yet. The proposal has to be studied."

Bakirhan believes that Ocalan's proposal of a confederation isn't an obstacle in front of a unitary state.

"We should discuss whether it's suitable or not for our country."

DEHAP's deputy head Naci Kutlay believes that "scientific opinions" shouldn't be consumed at once. "Ocalan has put forward a subject of theoretical discussion" said Kutlay.

"I don't believe such a proposal would be contradictory to the issue of "democratization of the republic."

What would be called a confederation?

Under the law of states, confederation is the union of two independent political entities under a single structure. For example, in Cyprus, the Turkish side's thesis is the coexistence of two states under one structure.

The perspective that the European Union, and the Independent States' Union is moving toward becoming a confederation is another example.

But experts underline that this model is not a state model. They point out that the Swiss Confederation of Switzerland, the only state in our time, which has the word "confederation" in its name, is a federal state just like the United States of America.

Kalyon: Does Nation-State exist?

Political analyst Kenan Kalyon said Ocalan has been for some time talking about the idea of Democratic Confederalism during his court hearings. Kalyon believes the proposal is problematic because of the flag, name and borders issues.

"Nation-state doesn't necessarily have to be a unitary state. It can be in the form of a confederation or a federation. But in Ocalan's proposal, confederation is presented as a transition from having a state into not having a state. And thus, using state symbols such as name, flag and borders, makes the proposal a problematic one."

Ocalan: Three laws

According to Ocalan's proposal, "three laws will be in force in Kurdistan. EU law, unitary state law and democrative conferative law."

Ocalan said if the unitary states (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran) recognize the Kurdish peoples' confederal law, the Kurdish people will recognize theirs. He said reconciliation will be reached this way.

Ocalan said he is the founder of the confederalism, which he described as an "urgent, indispensable, historic mission, which can't be postponed." He said the flag would have a red star embedded in a yellow sun against a green background.

"It has positive sides to it"

Kalyon said the proposal isn't feasible in today's circumstances. He added that the proposal is positive since it is an expression of Ocalan's desire to "reinterpret the people's right to designate their own faith, and to update the content."

"The solutions to two national and ethnic problems, the Kurdish problem and the Palestine problem, can be searched in different perspectives," said Kalyon. "It's Ocalan's right to give tongue to that.

Prof. Turgut Tarhanli: "It would bring about clashes"

Professor Turgut Tarhanli, an expert on state law and an academic at the Law Faculty of Istanbul University, also spoke to bianet about Ocalan's proposal. "It's certain that the proposal would bring about conflict and clashes in Turkey," said Tarhanli.

"It would be much more rational to propose that the democratic participation within the already existing state is strengthened. But it doesn't seem feasible to form an entity across borders, and one, which would directly affect the structure of four states. It has no legal basis either."

"Zana: Free equal unity"

Leyla Zana, one of the leaders of the Democratic Society Movement, who gave a speech during the Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakir, said the idea could be brought to life.

"People in Diyarbakir have embraced the project Ocalan has developed in the last six years," said Zana. She added nobody should misunderstand her. "We want the free and equal unity of people," she said.

"We are part of this country. We have changed and we will make them change too."

But other Kurdish circles aren't that "warm" to the proposal.

Firat: What do Kurds want

Independent Kurdish intellectual Umit Firat accuses Ocalan for coming up with issues that aren't on people's agenda.

Ocalan isn't putting forward the system, he claims to have founded, in a certain unity," said Firat.

"The definition of confederalism is very vague. It's not obvious where it begins and where it ends."

Firat argued that Ocalan made the proposal in a bid to seem nice to Turkey and to keep warm relations. He believes the government is pleased about the proposal too.

Firat said that the political priority of the Kurdish people is not "confederation." The main discussion should be focused on issues like "being from Turkey, main element/secondary element, and what do Kurds want..."

Elci: "Nothing more than a fantasy..."

Former Transportation minister, Kurdish politician Serafettin Elci told bianet that he doesn't understand the new philosophy proposed by Ocalan. He said philosophical ideas don't match reality.

"A society without a state is only possible in the world of angels" said Elci. "But these people are no angels."

"The idea of a democratic confederation would keep the people busy for a while, but would do nothing more," he said.

Elci said the Kurds in Turkey, except an organized group, don't take such proposals seriously.

Their main concern is democracy and equality, he added. (AK/EK/EA/YE)