PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party) Executive Council Member Murat Karayılan made significant evaluations to Radio Dengê Kurdistan regarding the hunger strikes in prisons and the referendum on April 16.

Karayılan saluted all the prisoners joining the massive hunger strike in Turkish jails, saying: "The truth is, these comrades held captive by the enemy have undertaken this mission because of our failure to do our duty. Had we, those outside, fulfilled our duties on time, there wouldn't be such a process taking place today. Our comrades behind bars are staging this action against the AKP's genocidal policy in İmralı and all prisons. The torture perpetrated in İmralı today forms the essence of the genocidal policy pursued in Kurdistan. In this sense, the attitude of jailed comrades is appropriate but this was actually a duty of ours. We should have carried this struggle to greater achievements and directed this policy. Once again I salute these comrades whose burden is heavy. Our people should therefore support these comrades in any way possible. Whether in or outside the country, all the people of Kurdistan should stand with their children in the most influential way, and all those in Turkey that side with human rights should avoid remaining silent to this scream rising from the prisons. We believe that a stronger support will develop and the action of our comrades in jails will thus end in success. In this framework, I once again call on our people to not leave our comrades that have shouldered this heavy burden."

Commenting on the referendum of April 16, Karayılan called attention to the Turkey's urgent need for a new and democratic constitution unlike the current anti-democratic one, stressing that the current system in Turkey is not a democratic one that Kurds could consent to.

Karayılan continued: “What the AKP-MHP alliance seeks at the moment is to carry the current state backwards and lead the 12 September Coup line to success. In other words, they want to base the system on one-man, and make it a fascist and dictatorial system. For this reason, our peoples that demand democracy and freedom should absolutely stand against this.

The AKP-MHP alliance wants to achieve a result in Kurdistan on basis of genocidal politics. The MHP has made its own line dominant over the AKP as well. In other words, AKP has switched to the MHP line. For this reason, all those to vote for AKP, mainly the Kurds, should reconsider their decision as the MHP seeks to eradicate the Kurds. If this is not a genocide, then what is it? In a sense, voting 'Yes' in this referendum means approving the MHP line. Should 'Yes' win, the war will escalate and genocide will enhance in Kurdistan, and the danger upon Kurds will grow. The MHP line is a genocidal line. It is war. This is a danger that interests the entire Turkey as much as interests the Kurds. Should they win, they will develop a civil war in Turkey.

In brief, the AKP-MHP alliance is putting Turkey in jeopardy by leading it to a dictatorial regime. They want to subject the people of Turkey and Kurdistan to a truly fascist and dark system. For this reason, all those in Turkey and Kurdistan that side with peace and democracy, and want Kurds to exist but not die out, should vote 'No' in the referendum.

In the event that 'Yes' wins in the referendum, we do not think that everything will be over. We will continue our fight. However, everyone should know that in that case Kurdish enmity will rise in Turkey. For this reason, every honorable Kurd should definitely say 'No' and say stop to those wanting to darken their future. This is a duty necessitated by both humanity and patriotism. We believe that our people and the peoples of Turkey will give the necessary answer at this significant time."