December 30, 2023
Now that the end of the year is approaching, how do you evaluate the year 2023? Where do you see developments and what are your goals for the coming year?
The year 2023 which we have previously defined as a year of hope and resistance is coming to an end. It was indeed a year of great struggle, of total resistance on all fronts. Of course, there was also the earthquake on February 6. In this sense, it was also a year of pain.
But first of all, I would like to congratulate all comrades, especially Rêber Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), our people and our international friends on the new year. I wish everyone who is waging the struggle for freedom and democracy great success in 2024. Also I respectfully, gratefully and with love commemorate all our heroic martyrs in the person of our comrades Leyla Sorxwin and Axîn Mus, the great martyrs of 2023.
2023 was a year of great struggle. It also brought great gains and accomplishments. On this basis, we believe and hope that the year 2024 which we are now entering, will be a a year of a broader, bigger and more comprehensive struggle. In all areas, on all fronts, the struggle for freedom and democracy will spread, grow, deepen and achieve greater gains. 2024 will be the year of revolutionary victory. It will be the year of victory for the struggle for freedom. In this sense, 2023 entrusts an important legacy to the new year. In 2023, we really resisted as a people, as women and as youth.
The year 2023 was above all a year of great struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. It was a year of resistance on all fronts. The developments created by these resistances have also renewed and restored hope. The results of the struggle in 2023 clearly showed that an equal, free and democratic life is possible, that it can develop in every field, and that it is possible to create a new world on the basis of such a life. In this sense, we also call 2023 a year of clarification, a year of crystallization. Who is friend, who is enemy, who is right, who is wrong, who is narrow minded, who is progressive; these have been revealed. It was clearly seen that great gains can be achieved through struggle. All pessimism and despair were broken and destroyed. Instead, the hope, belief, will and assertion that resistance and struggle will always create great gains and bring about victories developed and strengthened more. It was a year of revolutionary claim and will, a year of revolutionary faith. It was a year in which all pessimism collapsed, a year in which we regrouped, gained hope, gained a deeper consciousness of freedom and democracy and embraced the struggle more strongly. Everyone evaluates this in their own way. But of course the revolutionary democratic forces should evaluate it the most, as well as our people, international friends, women and youth should. Because they lived the year to the fullest. They left their mark with their actions, their consciousness and what they did. Therefore, they are the ones who understand the results of the year best. They are the ones who will make the most accurate evaluation.
We believe that Rêber Apo makes the most powerful evaluations. He definitely defines the year the best. Now we feel and understand this in our hearts and consciousness. But of course, the maltreatment on [the prison island] Imrali is known. In order to deprive all humanity, our people, everyone of Rêber Apo’s correct and profound thoughts, a system of torture, isolation and genocide is being carried out on Imrali. But we can also understand and feel what Rêber Apo’s evaluations would be. We are also waging a struggle. Therefore, we can make sense of what we are doing and what we should do. Rêber Apo taught us how to make sense of it, that we have the power to make sense and give meaning. If we are good disciples, we can define the year by giving it meaning, by looking upon its achievements. Accordingly we can make accurate and adequate predictions for the following.
The year 2023 has already come to an end. We define it as a year of hope and resistance led by the resistance in Imrali. In every sense, it has been a year of great resistance against the torture and isolation system of Imrali, in order to destroy this system and in order to achieve the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. In all four parts of Kurdistan and abroad, the guerrilla, people, women, youth, our international friends, all patriotic and democratic forces participated in this resistance. The peak of this was the October 10 when the global campaign for freedom was launched. The campaign developed under the slogan of ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ was the finale of this resistance. We can also say that the most meaningful and important mobilization of 2023 was the campaign of October 10, which also left its mark this year because it showed determination, a comprehensive goal, integrity, insistence, will and belief.
The campaign will surely bring about positive results. The assertiveness and determination is clearly seen in all our patriotic people, in the women and youth who are leading the action, and in all our democratic friends. There is not the slightest weakness or pessimism. Everyone is focused on this action and its success. They are saying, “The torture and isolation system of Imrali will be destroyed and Rêber Apo’s physical freedom will be achieved.” Two and a half months have passed. Every day for the past two and a half months, there have been demonstrations, new participants, new statements. There have been great participation in the last period as well. The hunger strike resistance of revolutionary prisoners, which hast started on November 27 has completed its first month, which also added strength and motivation. The campaign was like a new beginning, it mobilized everyone around itself. On the other hand, there are marches and rallies everywhere. The mass actions of the youth and women never stopped, as well as the statements and participation never stopped.
There was also a reading campaign on December 10. It was called upon to read the books of the Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan. What can you tell us about this?
The aim of the reading campaign was to better understand the Rêber Apo. This was a really interesting action and a very important and meaningful action. It was an action to be carried out precisely for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. In other words, it was an action that corresponded to the reality of him. Because Rêber Apo means consciousness. Rêber Apo means a new mentality. Rêber Apo means a new lifestyle and way of life. Rêber Apo means the power of meaning. He defined himself as a power of meaning and described his point of view as “meaningism”. He saw giving meaning to life as more valuable than anything else. And he created such a perspective and philosophy. Consciousness and the power of giving meaning are essential attributes of Rêber Apo. He opened us the door to everything.
In the struggle for the physical liberation of Rêber Apo, the effort to read his books, to discuss his thoughts, in other words, to educate oneself, to raise one’s consciousness, to liberate one’s mentality, is an effort that completely corresponds to the reality of Rêber Apo. In this respect, the campaign was correct and meaningful. Those who organized it must have understood the reality of him well. I can only add that this should be continuous. The days of reading Rêber Apo should be continuous, the time should be continuous. Everyone should read Rêber Apo, read the prison writings, study the new paradigm whenever they are in difficulty, are stuck, helpless, or left without a solution. They will find the solution to every problem there. The perspective of the solution is there, the ways and methods are there. All our people should read it, our international friends should read it. In this regard I especially call on the youth.
In regard of the struggle for the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, how do you evaluate the progress and how big are the chances that you achieve your goal in the upcoming year?
During a program last week, our friend criticized why knowledge on Rêber Apo is weak in Turkey and weak in the Middle East. She was right. In fact there is a misconception, a very dangerous one as the friend pointed out, that because Rêber Apo is Kurdish and we are Kurds too we think we know everything that Rêber Apo knows. This is a very wrong point of view. Those who say that the defense writings were “published in Turkish first, later translated into Kurdish, we have read and learned it before anyone else, we understood it well enough,” are actually those who do not understand at all. Rêber Apo once said at the beginning of a lecture. “My criticisms concern mostly those who say ‘these points are not for me’.” Therefore, we can organize this saying as follows: those who understand Rêber Apo the least are those who think they understand him the most. I don’t mean that he is incomprehensible, this should not be misunderstood. But he cannot be understood by simply reviewing and looking at his work. It requires constant reading and studying.
In this respect, reading and becoming conscious with the thoughts of Rêber Apo must be continuous. Those who need it should read more. Women need to read more, because they are the most fundamental force for freedom. They need freedom more than anyone else. Young people should read more. In fact, the Kurdish people should read more and present what they understand. Otherwise they will be wrong. What they know is not enough. The peoples of the Middle East should read more. Our people in the north, the young people should read more. They must understand, study, and watch. Especially for the youth, I call for a mobilization to read constantly in order to understand Rêber Apo more deeply.
On the other hand, we also need to see that the physical freedom of Rêber Apo is necessary for all of us. The action for his freedom, is the action of liberating ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually, rather than the action of just providing physical freedom for Rêber Apo. The act of educating and organizing ourselves is the act of reaching a free personality on the basis of the sociology of freedom. The enemy tries to put obstacles between us, they put bans. There has been no news from Rêber Apo for a thousand days. No information can be received. All kinds of pressure, torture and cruelty are applied. It is indeed a center of genocidal coordination. The Kurdish genocide is organized, managed and carried out on the basis of the Imrali system. All this torture is not only to put pressure on Rêber Apo, it is actually to deprive us of Rêber Apo’s thoughts because we need them so much.
Secondly, it is because of our inadequacies. If we were sufficient, if we understood correctly, if we fought successfully, if we were all Apos, as one philosopher put it, the torture and isolation practices on Imrali would have no meaning, they would only turn into personal revenge. They are trying to take revenge on Rêber Apo for making the Kurdish people, the women, the youth conscious, and the people conscious, for making them oppose this order, injustice, exploitation and oppression. It has a vengeful dimension. These repressions can only mean that. Our inadequacies actually cause these repressions to be prolonged, to take on more weight. So we are the ones who are insufficient, the isolation and pressure is actually being imposed on us. Everything is partly based on our inadequacies and weaknesses. Let us remove ourselves from this ground of weakness and inadequacy. Let us understand Rêber Apo more correctly. Let us implement our paradigm more successfully. In every field, in the field of ideological struggle, in propaganda, in agitation, in art, in literature, in social education, in organizing and guiding society, in war, in defense, in politics, in diplomacy, in economic and social life, if we apply it everywhere, and if it is seen that everyone has become an Apo the torture system will have no meaning.
Rêber Apo has already said that wherever there are his prison writings, there he is. The prison writings have spread everywhere. Therefore everyone is reading and learning about Rêber Apo. The enemy tries to close the doors and tries to prevent even the slightest sound from coming out. But that has already been overcome. Rêber Apo has already broken the walls of isolation on Imrali with his prison writings, he shattered them and spread himself all over the world. Everyone is now educating themselves with the thoughts of Rêber Apo, reading Rêber Apo. They learn the truth about free life and the way of struggle from the thoughts of Rêber Apo. Therefore, Rêber Apo is everywhere. He is in the hearts and minds of all humanity all over the world. He is in the center and in front of the struggles for freedom and democracy.
In this respect, the torture system is being inflicted to prevent Rêber Apo. The forces of the international conspiracy hope that if they impose isolation, and prevent the thoughts of Rêber Apo from reaching the outside world, from reaching revolutionaries, patriots, the people, women and youth, they will weaken and narrow the struggle and ensure success and that we cannot do it. So let us approach this with great anger and reaction. Let’s say we can do it and let’s do it. Let’s not just make an empty claim, let’s do it. A global action campaign for freedom has been put forward. By joining it with all our strength we can achieve our goal, so let’s all participate, let’s participate everywhere. Let everyone be part of the freedom campaign all over the world with new and creative actions and forms of participation, deepen it even more, make it multifaceted. Let a great revolution of freedom, a struggle for freedom emerge. If we do this, this system of Imrali, torture, isolation and genocide will collapse. It will have no meaning anymore. Those who insist on maintaining it, cannot. So this is what we need to do. Now we are evaluating these once again on the occasion of this end-of-year-evaluation. We are questioning ourselves again and again on this basis. We understand more correctly.
We enter the year 2024 with a more accurate understanding of the reality of Rêber Apo and prepared for more successful implementation. 2024 will be a year in which the action campaign for the physical freedom of the Rêber Apo and the solution of the Kurdish question grows and develops much more and gains great victories by breaking the Imrali, torture, isolation and genocide system. 2023 was the most meaningful year of effective strategic action and 2024 will also be a year of victorious action. The absolute goal will be to bring the campaign for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the solution of the Kurdish question to victory. We do not and will not accept any goal other than this. We believe with all our hearts and minds that this will be realized, and to the extent that we develop the struggle on this basis, we will definitely be victorious. Everyone should believe and trust in this. 2024 will be the year of victory for the struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. With great faith, I call on everyone and the struggle to grow on this basis, and I salute everyone who takes action.
To look at the guerrilla struggle, what can you tell us about the latest developments of the war? And especially now that there is a lot of talk about guerrillaism in the wake of the war between Israel and Hamas, what is your stance on it?
We said 2023 was the year of the guerrilla, and it really was. At the beginning of 2023, there were glorious actions despite the most difficult conditions. After the earthquake of February 6, there was a period of ceasefire, or rather a period of inaction. The guerrilla clearly showed everyone how much it is connected to society, how it is a fundamental part of social life, with its decision and attitude of inaction. But many circles did not take this into consideration. There were many circles who had before openly and secretly said that if there was inaction, if there was a ceasefire, they would show support, “we would do this, we would do that” they said. When our movement and guerrillas got into such a position, there was no sound from these parties. We did not see any serious efforts. In fact, the AKP-MHP fascist administration perceived this as an opportunity, as if it was a weakness on our behalf, and wanted to increase its attacks and supposedly achieve results towards the goal of crushing the guerrilla. Against this, the guerrilla carried out a great resistance in all the Medya Defense Zones [areas controlled by the guerrilla], especially in [the Southern part] in Zap, Avaşîn, Metîna and all over North Kurdistan.
In 2023, there was not a single guerrilla area, no guerrilla unit that did not take action or resist. All over North Kurdistan, from Serhat to Dersim. From Mêrdîn to Botan, from Amed to Xerzan, everywhere became a guerrilla action area. Not only in the mountains but also in the cities, the ‘Civil Protection Units’ (YPS) and militias carried out major actions. There were actions that seriously challenged the enemy and dealt fatal blows to AKP-MHP fascism.
A month ago, to greet and celebrate the 45th anniversary of the founding of the party, the guerrilla came up with an action that dealt crushing blows to the AKP-MHP fascist hordes. And now, between December 23rd and 25th, there was a great offensive that dealt crushing blows to the Turkish army. First in Xakurkê, then on the Kurojahro mountain and on the west of the Amediyê mountain. There was an offensive that broke the back of the Turkish army and crushed it. On the first day they openly accepted that six soldiers were killed in Xakurkê and Metîna. Then, when the big attacks of the Amediyê and Kurojahro mountains took place, they immediately set a censure and closed it. The press has been reporting it for a few days; they say the morgues in Hakkari are full of dead bodies. How many were wounded? What happened to the rest of them in this snowy winter?
Last year, as we were going into winter, they made an assessment. They withdrew from some places. Now this year, a so-called commander came who overestimated himself. He was saying in the press, “I will stay and fight in the winter, I will strike this blow, I will strike that blow”. He stayed in the areas that they had withdrawn from last year. The ‘People’s Defense Headquarter’ (HSM) had a clear message for them:“Withdraw,” they said, “otherwise you will end badly. If you don’t withdraw, you will be crushed”. They didn’t listen, they didn’t want to understand. The result was the confirmation of what HSM said. Now they [the enemy] are in a panic, they are miserable. The commanders are all at the border trying to cheer their soldiers up. The commanders of the so-called Ministry of Defense are trying to save the situation.
There is also a questioning in Turkey as to why this happened. Why did these forces enter these areas? Why are they being kept like this in the middle of winter? This is true. In fact, Turkey needs to discuss more. What are these fascist hordes of paid goons being called soldiers doing in Zap? Then it was outcried that the guerrilla, that the PKK shot them. Of course the PKK shot you, because you are occupying the country. You want to come and kill our people. Whoever wants to shoot must be ready to be shot. You are coming to our homeland. What are you doing there? What does Zap, Metîna, Kurojahro, Rojava [South Kurdistan/North and East Syria] have to do with you? Won’t people question this? But I guess the spear no longer fits in the sack.
They have been crushed, and if they persist any longer, it has become clear what the end will be. Who is responsible for all this? The current AKP-MHP policies, the policies of the Tayyip Erdoğan administration. But still he insists. He says: “We will not give the war barons and terror barons a chance.” But I want to ask him: Who is practicing more terror than you? Who makes more war than you? Who comes out in front of hundreds of thousands of people and says, “Do you know how much a bullet costs?” or “Do you know how much that gun costs?” They deceive the Turkish society that they are domestic and national. None of these wars are domestic or national on their part. Their forces are all bought and assembled from here and there. Let people examine and research, they will realize that this is the truth.
The fascist administration are being advertised so much. Why? To kill Kurds. There is such a fascist, colonialist, genocidal mentality that has focused itself only in Kurdish enmity, Kurdish massacre and genocide. The current Tayyip Erdoğan and their so-called ‘People’s Alliance’ are responsible for this. Our HSM expressed clearly; “If they do not withdraw from here, they will die, we will not be responsible for their deaths.” Now we are not responsible for their deaths, Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration is. Whoever in Turkey is a democrat, whoever is patriotic, whoever loves their people, their young people, let them know that Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli are to blame.
They are also using funerals to win elections. They have turned funeral ceremonies into rallies to win elections. They send the sons of the society, kill them and make election propaganda over their corpses. They are so hypocritical and self-interested. They use everything for their own interests, even the dead. And they call them martyrs. Is that how you approach a martyr? Is a martyr your election propaganda?
In its 40th year, the guerrilla continues to strike crushing blows against the enemy by renewing itself on the basis of the August 15 resistance. It continues its struggle for freedom at the most advanced level. The guerrilla is the strongest participant and the biggest force in our freedom campaign. These actions have overwhelmed the enemy, raised the hopes of the revolutionary democratic forces and comforted them. Let those who are looking for guerrillaism in Hamas take a look to Zap, let them see the real guerrilla, let them watch and learn what real guerrilla action is like.
I mean, people should not look for it elsewhere, this is a mistake. What is real guerrillaism? How do the guerrilla fight, what is their style of striking, what are its target; the guerrilla of Kurdistan can be analyzed. The current actions have revealed this, they have shown it clearly.
Indeed, the guerrilla again put the final point in 2023. They showed that everything is in their hands. They have the initiative in this matter now. We were already saying that it was locked and deadlocked until now, now a new solution is starting. This is the process of sweeping the occupier. It is the process of liberating the occupied places. The current guerrilla action at this level is an action of crushing, an action of sweeping. Everyone needs to see and understand this. So, as the saying goes, the arrival of Thursday is clear from Wednesday; let’s say that the arrival of 2024 is clear from 2023. It was the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla that demonstrated this in the best and clearest way. On this basis, in the name of the central committee of the PKK I greet everyone who participated and contributed to these actions, all the commanders and fighters of the ‘People’s Defence Forces’ (HPG) and the ‘Free Women’s Units’ (YJA-Star). I congratulate them on their great success, which gives everyone excitement and hope, hope for victory. I wish them greater success in 2024. I believe they will succeed.
Let everyone believe, let our people believe, let our international friends believe. As a singer once said, “trust in the love of your mountains”. Everyone should trust in the guerrilla’s love. They are worthy of this trust to the end. Therefore, people should not expect anything from elsewhere. On this basis, I congratulate all our guerrilla forces once again. I wish them success in the new year.
How do you evaluate recent discussions between the Turkish and Iraqi state on a possible energy route?
The fight over the energy route is one of the biggest fights of this year. It is said that the Tayyip Erdoğan administration is forcing the Iraqi administration to create a common energy route. What they want is to reorganize the old route through Iraq, which was developed by England in the early 1900s, and then tried to put it into practice on the basis of the German-Ottoman alliance, but was prevented and failed because of the First World War. It was rumored that there is such an effort. There were supposedly negotiations for this. If there are such things, this has come to naught. Because there is a war and this war is being waged by the Turkish state. AKP and MHP are waging it with their Kurdish hostility and by committing a Kurdish genocide. Neither the Kurds are responsible for this, nor the PKK.
As long as the current Turkish state remains in politics with this mentality, that route will always be a battlefield. In a war zone, how would they expect to transport energy? If there was such a plan, it has all fallen apart. I guess the Iraqi state understands this. The fascist AKP administration declare war, go to the UN, say that they will seize 30 kilometers away from its borders, and then they say ‘come and make profit here’. I mean, are these capitalists so unwise? If they were that unwise, they wouldn’t have taken over the world.
So they who are expecting for this energy route to work are unwise. They haven’t understood the logic of the capitalist system. We hope that the Iraqi state and the political forces in Iraq will learn from this. No one can free themselves from a well with the rope of Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish state. They cannot win anything. Therefore, they should not be deceived. We believe that there will be no such deception. There will be pressures from the Iraqi administration, whatever happens. But then there was a statement from Iraq. They said that the Turkish state violated Iraq borders 22 thousand times. They violated the rules of war. It entered the Iraqi state, crossed its borders without permission. So if Iraq is a state, it must protect its sovereignty. They say that they have no water, but this is not the way. This water is Kurdish water. It is neither moral nor conscientious to use Kurdish water to destroy the Kurds. So it shouldn’t be like that. We believe it will not be like that.
It has become clear that there is no point in Turkey bragging about how it is “strong like this” and “strong like that”. Turkey is actually on the brink of collapse. It is in the process of collapse, trying to scare everyone and survive by attacking left and right and committing brutal massacres, but it can and will not survive. This should not be too surprising. Therefore, the countdown has started for the Tayyip Erdoğan administration. This is the process of collapse. That was already seen in the elections.
Also the Iraq elections took place the other day, and we saw the results. Where was the best outcome? It was in Kirkuk. What was revealed in Kirkuk? The results of the war in Zap were revealed. If you attack so much, if you try to occupy Kurdistan and expel Kurds from their homeland, Kurds will react. Kirkuk gave that reaction. Both with its participation and the patriotic result. I congratulate all the people of Kirkuk for their success. A similar situation happened in Şengal. These results are actually results against these occupying attacks. They are results of reaction. Let’s analyze the results well. Let everyone learn lessons. Who lost? The KDP lost. Why? Because it rode on Tayyip Erdoğan’s horse. You cannot go anywhere on the horse of Tayyip Erdoğan’s occupying, colonialist, genocidal mentality and politics. I guess those inside the KDP see this too. They will understand why this happened to them. They overestimate themselves so much, they have lost so much and they changed as a result of the policy they followed. What has emerged? Those who bowed down to the Turkish Republic, those who collaborated, those who served, lost. Those who opposed and stood against the Turkish occupation in Iraq and in the Kurdish regions won great victories. The areas and segments that the AKP-MHP administration tried to crush with attacks achieved great success in the elections. It is clear that these results are as such. Everyone should see this then. Everyone should see the truth. This is a good reaction. We understand it.
What will happen in the end? Of course we want these reactions to become more organized. We want it to be clearer. Everyone should take courage from this. There is nothing to be afraid of. The era of the Turkish state’s rule in the Middle East is over. In the past, yes, it had power and the world was behind it. The system had given the Turkish Republic the task of keeping the Middle East under control. It was made a gendarme of the Middle East. Accordingly, it was given support. That support no longer exists. The strategic position of the Turkish state has disappeared. It no longer has any function or role in the Middle East. Therefore, Kurdish politics should see this well. All other parties, organizations, Iraqi politics should see it well, everyone should see it well. That old era is over. So there is no need to be afraid. The existing state of power is already being revealed in its defeat.
More of this defeat is to come in the future and we will see what will happen. They (the Turkish army) will run full speed without looking back. Or they will be crushed like in the past days. There is no remedy for them, there is no way. Our Central Headquarters Commander made this clear. Then everyone should learn from this. Those were not empty words. In this respect, we must be stronger, we must act with more will, we must be more courageous. Let us take a more effective stance against these colonialist, genocidal, occupying attacks that do not recognize Iraqi sovereignty. Let society take a more effective stance. I call on the people of the South [Bashûr] to do this. I call on the women and youth of the South. Especially the youth, the revolutionary patriotic stance in the South must be more dynamic, more effective. They must go against the occupiers.
There were martyrs of this resistance. I commemorate comrades Helmet, Welat, Memyan and Hüseyin with respect, love and gratitude. Comrade Helmet was a valiant son of the people of South Kurdistan. He dealt the heaviest blow to the occupier in Tepê Amediyê. This is the standard, the patriotic standard of the South. This is the right line. Therefore, especially the youth of South Kurdistan should take Comrade Helmet as an example for themselves as a whole. They should struggle on this basis, fearlessly and organizationally oppose the occupier and genocide. And we believe this will happen. This is developing. The time is coming when the Turkish state will be expelled not only from Bashûr but from all of Kurdistan. Step by step we are moving towards that process. Everyone must see this. Therefore, everyone must embrace their patriotic duty and responsibility to clear the Turkish state out of South Kurdistan. Our call is on this basis. We also salute all these resisting forces.
After the lethal actions of the guerrilla, the Turkish state attacked infrastructure in Rojava. How do you evaluate these attacks?
The statement that the enemy attacked Rojava after the guerrilla actions is not right. This may have been the timing, but the guerrilla war in the Medya Defense Zones has nothing to do with Rojava. There is a war happening. It is not correct to say that the Turkish army is attacking, burning and destroying Rojava because of the guerrilla actions. The Turkish army is hostile to every Kurd, hostile to every patriotic Kurd. In fact, they are attacking less than they otherwise could because of the guerrilla. If the Turkish state was not afraid of the guerrilla, it would not only occupy Afrin, and Serekani but would also occupy its way to Qamişlo, Hesekê and everywhere. They cannot because they are afraid of the guerrilla. That is why there are less attacks because of those guerrilla actions. They already have plans. If they find the opportunity, if they can afford it, they will carry out invasion attacks. But because of the fear of the guerrilla, they can’t do it, so they carry out air strikes. First of all, we must understand this correctly. We must approach it correctly. Correction is necessary. I mean, the people of Rojava, the North East and Syria have already understood this. They took to the streets to celebrate when the guerrilla carried out actions. They celebrated the guerrilla. They know very well that the guerrilla action is the strongest act of self-defense. They are attached to the guerrilla with their souls and everything. Let’s see this in this way. On the other hand, the Turkish state is brazenly attacking Rojava and Northeast Syria whenever it has the opportunity. This man Hakan Fidan has already come out and openly said that we will hit and break everything. We will destroy all living spaces, service areas, infrastructure and superstructure, and they attack and destroy whenever they have the opportunity. These attacks are completely based on this. We see and understand this.
Our people of Rojava, the people of Northeast Syria have given martyrs. I commemorate their martyrs with respect. The people took to the streets, claiming a free life and democratic system. This clearly expresses that the people will develop resistance and grow. This is the right attitude. But we need to see this. The current AKP and MHP governments are attacking all patriotic Kurds wherever they find them. Everyone should know this well. The current attacks are all directed against the living spaces of the society, against the service areas. They are hitting hospitals, railways, schools, workplaces, production centers and roads. By hitting all areas of life and service, they actually want to bring social life to collapse. This is such a brutal, aggressive and genocidal attitude. If they could, they would invade and occupy. Everyone should see this.
If we pay attention, there is not much condemnation, not much noise. There are those who oppose Israel’s attacks in Gaza because such an occupation and genocide is going on. Right, we are also against it. But what about the situation in Rojava? Why didn’t anyone speak out when Hakan Fidan announced that they would strike? Why are they now sitting silent while the people of North and East Syria are being bombarded so much?
I mean really, the sensitive circles in Turkey should expose this situation better. Those who are democrats cannot be partners to these attacks. This is the measure of democracy. We said that the stance in Imrali, the stance against genocidal attacks, the stance against the Kurdish people’s rights to freedom is the litmus paper. The litmus paper of democracy. This is the reality. Therefore, one can never be a democrat without opposing these attacks. Everyone should know this. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a great democratization struggle against this fascist, colonialist, genocidal mentality and politics. Turkey’s revolutionaries and democrats have not emphasized this much. Everyone should try to explain this. There is nothing acceptable about this. It is a very despicable situation. The Turkish state is massacring civil society. There is no crime against humanity more serious than this. Because these are all genocidal attacks, genocidal practices.
Of course, I share the pain of our people in Rojava and the people of Northeast Syria. So there are difficulties, there are pressures. But I would like to say the following; there is no other way to achieve a free and democratic life. It is the enemy we are facing. Everyone should know it well. The Turkish state is fascist, colonialist, genocidal. It is the enemy of Kurds, the enemy of peoples, the enemy of freedom and democracy. Wherever there are Kurds, wherever there are peoples who want to live free and democratic lives, the Turkish state attacks and massacres them. This is the truth. So everyone should know and understand this. Such attacks should not intimidate or discourage us. Especially no one should leave their land. I mean, they are already doing this to make people flee, they are doing it to make people evacuate. Then they bring their mobs and settle them in those areas. We have seen this being done on our lands. Everyone should learn a lesson. There should not be even an inch of regression or leaving the land. But of course only staying is not enough. Therefore, the people must prepare themselves, train and organize themselves according to the requirements of this war and attacks. In other words, they must develop a lifestyle, a system of life, develop its infrastructure, develop its measures. In short, it is necessary to develop resistance, to retaliate, to really take revenge. Such attacks cannot go unanswered. It is unacceptable for patriotism and revolutionism to leave attacks unanswered. Measures are necessary. Everyone should take measures, measures can be taken. We should not say there are none. This means that a free and democratic life will be based on defending ourselves against all kinds of attacks. We will develop our defense system. We will establish our self-defense. Every North and East Syrian woman, youth, child, elderly person is a freedom fighter. They are a defense force, they are obliged to defend themselves, their places, their homeland. This must be their consciousness. On this basis, they must educate and organize themselves, and do whatever is necessary in the name of education and organization. This is the right thing. If we are like this, all these attacks will be broken. Once again, I commemorate the martyrs of our peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria with respect and gratitude. I salute their resistance, their attitude, their resistance. I also call on them to organize and defend themselves more strongly.