NEWSCENTRE (DIHA) – Turkish Military Forces (TSK) continues its operations despite Kurdistan Workers Party's (PKK) declaration of ceasefire. Military helicopters bombarded Mazgirt, Pertek in Tunceli today.

The operation continues with support of warplanes and helicopters.
On the other hand, the cease-fire announcement of PKK is welcomed by politicians, entellectuals, NGOs and Kurdish people as well as in international arena.

NGOs and some trade unions and confederations Diyarbakır, Istanbul and Ankara Branches saluted cease fire and asked AKP administration to take step to solve the Kurdish problem. Either organizations or political platforms evaluated the cease-fire term as a good opportunity to change the conflict cycle.

Here are some of the reactions on cease-fire as follows:
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) MP Akin Birdal called the Turkish government to take necessary steps in response to the ceasefire declaration of the PKK.

"PKK's demands are reasonable and now Turkish government’s turn to take steps to stop this bloodshed" Birdal said in a BDP gathering in Diyarbakır.
Birdal called the Turkish army to stop all the military operations and said both sides must work to create a road map for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish Question.

Birdal also said that the claims of chemical weapon use during operations must be fully investigated.

Barzani welcomes PKK's ceasefire

The president of Federal Kurdistan Government Maasoud Barzani has welcomed PKK’s ceasefire declaration today. In a short statement released on Presidency's website Barzani expressed support for ceasefire and told that the Kurdish Question can be solved with peace and dialogue. "We hope that the ceasefire will continue" he said.

NGOs’ and trade chambers’ Diyarbakır branches also welcomed cease-fire and they suggested that PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan needs to be counted on during this period in order to peace dream come through in Turkey.

In addition, Van BDP Branch will organize a mass march with torches tomorrow to salute cease-fire.

Intellectuals who spoke to DIHA in Istanbul are also very grateful because of the decision. They interpreted the new term as kind of goodwill of PKK and a valuable opportunity for government who needs to take an immediate step to not waste it. They emphasized that this term must be used for peace effort instead of expanding military operations.

Democracy Platform of Şanlıurfa was one of associations which made immediate press conference on cease-fire announcement. “Finding unknown perpetrators would contribute a great help for solution. Kurdish people would take this effort as a real good faith intention” said Platform during the conference.

(gü)