The Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Erdogan, launched a huge and systematic operation of arrests and repression against Kurdish people, in 17 cities including Istanbul, Diyarbakir and even in the city of Van, which has to be rebuilt because of a big earthquake.

This operation was particularly targeted against people who were refusing a military conflict and call for a peaceful solution.

How could the head of the Turkish government pretend to be fighting against terrorism when he is increasing tensions and violence in its own country?

Search of premises have been carried out at the town hall of Diyarbakir and at Leila Zana's home. This brutal, humiliating and repression at such dimension, make us wonder if Turkey wants to create a civil war? This question is on the table.

BDP's members of parliament, the democratic party of the Kurdish people, within the national assembly, are persistently pointing to this dangerous escalation.

Will the EU continue, once again, to stay in a guilty accomplice silence faced with such an unbearable violence and with its obstinate rejection of freedom and peace, respect of rights of a people?

Pierre Laurent, President of the Party of European Left

Berlin, 14 January 2012