A meeting was held in Istanbul for the supposed solution to the issues in Syria and to discuss how to overcome the issues in Idlib, as well as humanitarian matters. But there was no outcome of this meeting but a rehashing of all parties defending their own theses and voicing general common points. The only outcome of such a meeting in Istanbul has been the legitimization of the AKP fascism and its attacks against the Kurdish people and forces of democracy. A weakened and barely standing AKP-MHP fascism has been given new strength with the meeting. It has been exposed once again who it is that keeps the AKP-MHP fascism in power.

It has been seen once again that capitalist countries have no morality, conscience or values with the support given to the AKP-MHP fascism. Nothing else would have better exposed that the democratic values discourse by Europe and the EU is but a fallacy. Europe has only been forced to accept certain democratic values in order to survive due to the struggle the peoples have waged. These are rights that are accepted only under restrictions and only in their own countries. But the bourgeoisie has no democratic values whatsoever, they have no moral or conscientious values. It is just that the system in Europe has had to be made bearable for the peoples of Europe. They have had to accept this in order to keep up their exploitative system. They only voice these principles they accepted as much as it serves their interests outside their countries, but they easily forget and ignore them if it doesn’t benefit them in some way. Their silence against the genocide the Kurds are facing, their continued relationship with the AKP-MHP fascist government and even their receptions of these people with red carpets at their feet are expressions of this fact.

What kind of a country was it that the leaders of France, Germany and Russia visited? Kurdish MPs and mayors are under arrest. Thousands of political prisoners are under arrest. Dozens of Kurdish politicians and democrats are arrested every day. The smallest protest for democracy is met with attacks and arrests. The Saturday Mothers not being able to hold their demonstrations shows the character of this fascist regime. One needs no other example to describe this fascist regime, but the pressure Kurds and forces of democracy face must be exposed every day. If Merkel, Macron and Putin would go to Istanbul without any qualms, this means that the AKP-MHP fascism hasn’t been reflected on their peoples well enough. Otherwise Merkel, Macron and Putin would have feared their own peoples and the forces of democracy in their countries and would not be rushing to Erdogan’s feet this easily.

Those who turn a blind eye to the destruction of 10 Kurdish cities and murder of hundreds of civilians, the invasion of Afrin, the death of hundreds of civilians including women, children and the elderly, hundreds of thousands of Kurds being exiled from Afrin and subjected to a genocide would legitimize, normalize and support fascism, one might say. While that is true, there is still a need to expose Germany, France and other countries that say they are democratic. They should at least be unable to act all democratic, strutting themselves. They must be seen as the collaborators and supporters of fascism that they are. The Armenian genocide was carried out more through deportations than outright killings. Armenians were torn from their lands. Kurdistan and Turkey, former joint homeland of Armenians, was rid of a whole people. This is rightly and justly called a genocide today. Considering this, isn’t the forced migration of Kurds from Afrin and the gangs’ families being settled there a genocide? Isn’t Turkey the implementer of genocide through these practices? Turkey is forcibly tearing the people away from their lands not just in Afrin but in Northern Kurdistan as well, dispersing them through the world. They continue to settle people of various origins to lower the percentage of the Kurdish population in Kurdish cities. Don’t these constitute a genocide? The Turkish state has been enacting a policy of genocide through their political, cultural, educational and economic policies as well. This genocide is implemented through pressure from the police, army and judiciary. So Merkel, Macron and Putin have normalized such a fascist and genocidal state and have supported Erdogan the fascist. That is why the world must see the true faces of Merkel, Macron and Putin.

They haven’t gathered in Istanbul for the people of Syria, or humanity. Erdogan talks about a political solution for Idlib and the gangs there, and about a humanitarian issue. But he turns and threatens Rojava, the region of peace and stability to the east of the Euphrates, Northern Syria and the Kurds, Syriacs and Arabs who have built a democratic system there. He threatens to invade these lands like he did Afrin. Merkel, Macron and Putin are silent. None of them ask why Erdogan speaks of ceasefires, peace, political solutions and stability for Idlib but acts against the east of the Euphrates which has peace and stability. They all listen to Tayyip Erdogan vilely express his animosity against Kurds, with no shame and no ethics. Just this alone is proof that the visitors in Istanbul lack political ethics and a conscience.

Erdogan’s only concern is to continue his political influence on the west of the Euphrates through the gangs he feeds, and to remove the Kurdish will and autonomy from the east of the river. His biggest humanitarian issue was created by him when he pushed the people of Afrin out of their lands, but shamelessly he speaks of humanitarian issues and refugees. There is a problem of Syrian refugees in Turkey. These people have been pushed away from their lands. A majority of them have been pulled towards Turkey by Tayyip Erdogan deliberately. Through them he wanted to control ISIS, Al-Nusra and other gangs and to achieve political influence over Syria. He didn’t spend millions of dollars for the refugees, he hasn’t lost any money in this matter. He has, on the contrary, achieved financial gain through the funds he gathered through the refugees. Syrian refugees have taken their cheap labor and their life savings to Turkey, and thus have given back more than what has been spent “for them”. Meanwhile, Turkey has profited greatly through the gangs’ cheap oil. There is no doubt that Turkey has not experienced financial loss due to these refugees, but that doesn’t mean there is no tragedy about the refugees in Turkey. They have been torn away from their country, their cities have been destroyed, and they have lived through financial, social and cultural problems. But Turkey doesn’t mean these issues when they speak of refugees, they aim for political gain and financial profiteering through the presence of refugees, using them for threats and blackmail.

It is a tragic thing that Turkey is even seen as a country to contribute to the solution in Syria. Turkey is the country that has the biggest part in the destruction of Syria, the deepening of the civil war and so many refugees being created. Turkey has more responsibility in this destruction and all that has happened than Syria or any other countries. Turkey has used its border with Syria in such a destructive way. Now Turkey’s negative role is being rewarded as the country is made part of the discussions for a political solution in Syria. This is what Merkel, Macron and Putin are doing as they visit Istanbul.

No peace, stability or democratic development can come out of an initiative that Turkey is part of. Turkey is the one against democratization, like in the country and in Syria, lest Kurds benefit from it. Turkey says it’s against Assad, but they are ready to make partners in animosity against Kurds. They have been acting in joint policies to the west of the Euphrates and in Afrin through animosity against Kurds already, facilitated by Russia. How is it that Turkey, the enemy of the Syrian regime, is a partner of Russia? How can Russia, in such tight ties with Turkey, be a strategic partner for Syria? If it wasn’t for their partnership against Kurds, none of these would have happened. Animosity against Kurds will surely not produce peace, a political solution or any kind of stability in Syria. Maybe they can agree on things momentarily, but in the end these policies will create political dead ends in Syria, and lead to clashes and instability.

What does it mean that Northeastern Syria and the east of the Euphrates, the country’s most stable and democratic part, has been threatened through the Istanbul summit? What does that have to do with the discussions of a political solution, ceasefire, peace and stability in Syria? What does that have to do with the delicacies of the humanitarian issue? This meeting has only been a foundation for the AKP fascism to push their occupant, anti-Kurdish fascist policies and legitimize their fascism. Merkel, Macron and Putin have made it official through the Istanbul summit that they are supporters and partners of fascism.

*This article was written by KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Member Mustafa Karasu for Yeni Özgür Politika daily.