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The primary agenda of the Kurdish people and their international friends is the ongoing isolation and the struggle against it. The global freedom campaign ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ is about to complete its first year. First of all, let us dwell on this one-year process and the latest decision taken by the Committee of Ministers (CM) of the Council of Europe (CoE).

At the beginning, I salute the continuing resistance on Imrali and Rêber Apo¹ with respect. I also salute all those who struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and wish them success. The Imrali system of torture, isolation, and genocide continues. Rêber Apo has been held in this system for 25 years, 7 months, and 15 days now. At the same time, the struggle against this also continues. It is a great struggle that is taking place on any possible level. Particularly in the last year, the whole of humanity has been participating in the campaign aiming for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the solution of the Kurdish question. Our people, the women and youth, are the ones playing a leading role. All over the world, revolutionary and democratic forces, academics, human rights activists, and all those who strive for freedom and democracy are participating in the campaign. This struggle has reached an important level.

One of the most important developments of the last week or two has been the decision of the CM of the CoE and what followed it. Our leadership published a statement, showing the position of our movement regarding this decision. Also, our people and our international friends revealed their position on September 21 in Frankfurt. With the 32nd Kurdish Culture Festival, they made a declaration of their will. It was both a response to the anniversary of the international conspiracy² and an attitude towards the first anniversary of the global freedom campaign, striving for the development of further activism. Concretely, it can be said that the attitude of the Kurdish people, their international friends, and the democratic, socialist forces, as well as the attitude of the Committee of Ministers, were clearly put forward. On this basis, many discussions developed. Also previously, 69 Nobel laureates had taken a stance and sent letters to different places. They objected to the situation and took their initiative. Various other organizations and initiatives developed open positions in favor of the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. A general discussion developed through those efforts. Now, after ten years, the CM of the CoE took the decision once taken by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) under discussion, and as a result, they gave the Turkish state one more year to make changes in its law and find a solution to the issue of the so-called ‘Right of Hope’, which is at the center of their contradiction. Our leadership expressed some concrete criticisms in this regard. And all the actions I mentioned were actually a criticism and attitude towards this. I see no need to repeat all of them here, but some things may be added.

One of these points is that in some discussions it was said that the CM took a political decision. Of course the decision was political, since it is a political institution. The decision of the CM of the CoE should not be evaluated from a legal point of view. Such institutions are not legal institutions; they do not make decisions in terms of law. They make political decisions; they are political institutions. It is the same with the ECHR. They were the political institution responsible for following up on the implementation of that decision. Giving a one-year deadline to the Turkish state was a political decision. On March 18, 2014, the ECHR made a decision, not fully aware of the politics and without being able to correctly estimate what would develop in the course of it. But we also know that on September 30, 2014, a plan for the destruction and liquidation of the Kurdish Freedom Movement, the so-called ‘çöktürme planı’³, was revealed. The Turkish state, the AKP-MHP government, decided on this and put it into practice. It was all about the Kurds, and undoubtedly, it was also about Rêber Apo. The CM waited for ten years until they decided to take a stance. One needs to question, Why did they postpone it for so long? It waited for the PKK to be destroyed and liquidated, or at least be drastically weakened, on the basis of this collapse plan. The freedom struggle in Kurdistan would no longer be possible, the guerrilla would be crushed, the people would be cut off from Rêber Apo and freedom, and accordingly genocide would develop, as well as assimilation would advance. That was what they were hoping and waiting for. Because after that, there would be no point in discussing the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. Regardless of whether they negotiated or not, the organizations, peoples and communities that would put Rêber Apo’s ideas into practice would have disappeared. This was the hope and the expectation. Why did they wait for ten years? What did the CoE do? The CoE waited until the attacks on the basis of the collapse plan were successful, and then they would take action. But no matter what they did, they could not get results. And now they could not wait any longer. It was on this basis that they set the agenda for the meetings on September 17-19. In fact, their hopes, calculations, and plans were that this plan of annihilation and liquidation would succeed. If that had been the case, they would have taken the discussion on their agenda earlier.

Now they were forced to do this step. What does this one-year deadline mean? Obviously, the AKP-MHP government asked for time, and the CM gave it to them. They gained just a little more time for the task of destroying and liquidating the PKK. The relevant circles, including the CM, hope and calculate that within this one year the PKK will be weakened and maybe even destroyed. And then the Right of Hope for Rêber Apo would not have any meaning anymore because there would not be any more discussion about it. As long as there are no forces to implement Rêber Apo’s ideas, what can Rêber Apo do alone? This is their calculation. This needs to be seen and well understood. They want to continue the annihilation attacks based on the collapse plan for another year. They tied the implementation of the ECHR decision to this. What is the conclusion one can draw from this? For ten years, we have destroyed all their expectations and disrupted their plans. We have broken all their attacks. This is very important. Secondly, they can no longer extend the period. They have to evaluate the situation within a year. What are their hopes and expectations? The liquidation of the PKK, the crushing of the guerrilla, and the discouragement of the people from the struggle for freedom. If we understand the ongoing developments, if we develop the global campaign that we are carrying out for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo more effectively, if we carry out the freedom struggle more strongly and effectively, we will be able to force the CM and the other relevant institutions to deal with the problem without waiting for a year. We will be able to break their calculations and frustrate their expectations. What will they do after another year? If there is a much stronger organization, struggle, and stance of the Kurdish people and their international friends, if we spread Rêber Apo’s ideas to the four corners of the world more effectively, if education, organization, work, and the struggle for freedom develop more on this basis, then there is nothing more they can do. What will they do then? They will have to look for some solutions. At least they will have to look for compromise. Let’s see it like this: We have reached the final. This one year is actually the final period of this struggle. The stronger we fight, the more successful we will be. This is the truth of the matter. We have to struggle accordingly.

October 10 marks the first anniversary of the campaign, and it will enter its second year. We must now use the phase around the first anniversary, as well as the entire second year of the campaign in general, to wage an even stronger and more effective struggle and take it to all levels and all places. Because the light on the horizon has been seen. We will get results through struggle. Each one of us must struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo as if we are competing in order to contribute to the result. We must organize rallies and develop further actions wherever we are. We heard of some planned actions that are currently being propagandized. Those who are planning these actions say that they will take a very clear position through them and emphasize their demands with a clear stance. Indeed, it is necessary that the peoples, the Kurdish people with its youth, women, and workers, as well as all the other peoples, emphasize their will and demands everywhere by taking to the streets, conducting other actions, and taking the initiative. The largest rallies, continent by continent, region by region, city by city, and person by person, need to be organized. The most powerful actions need to be organized in order to protect Rêber Apo. Much more mass struggles for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo, with rich methods should be developed. Like this, we will achieve success.

The struggle is intensifying. Everywhere and all the time, actions and events are taking place in this framework. There was a conference in Geneva, and at the same time the youth were marching in Hamburg chanting ‘Bijî Serok Apo’… and so much more. I salute them all. I applaud them. Their attitude is really important. As far as I know, Hamburg is a revolutionary city in Germany. And as befits its history, it embraces the ideology and struggle of Rêber Apo. Rojava is on its feet constantly, and countless meetings and rallies are taking place in Northern Kurdistan. It is like this everywhere. Here in Amed (tr. Diyarbakir) on October 13th, they plan to enter the second year of the campaign with mass actions. Everybody that can should participate in this in order to make it the strongest success. There are calls from Turkey and Kurdistan, and we definitely support their call; everybody should join these actions. We will not let fascism, colonialism, and genocide pass. We must unite around Rêber Apo much more; we must embrace him more strongly. So much so that we must show everyone: Life will be with Rêber Apo. If there is to be a free and democratic life, it will be with Rêber Apo. There is no other way. Everyone will know that without Rêber Apo, otherwise there can be no free and democratic life. This must be expressed all over the world. Everybody should learn about this. Many rallies and other actions are also planned in Europe to mark the anniversary on October 10. Everyone should take part, and we must ensure that we enable the broadest possible participation. Everyone has an opportunity to struggle, no matter where and how. Recognizing this and acting accordingly is of the utmost importance.

The global freedom campaign has reached an important level within this one year. The friends are evaluating and discussing it, and I broadly agree with them and do not have much to add. But we should always be aware of what it has achieved. The campaign has definitely corrected our agenda. Our agenda must be the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the struggle for it, because the solution of the Kurdish question depends on it, just as the overthrow of fascism, the freedom of Kurdistan, and the democratization of Turkey depend on it. The weakening of the male-dominated mentality and politics also depends on this, as does the development of women’s freedom, and everything else depends on it. All the attacks in the framework of the special warfare can be broken like this. We have found the key; it is the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. We must link all the struggles we wage with the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. He must be a part of it. We must give it priority. Because there is no free life without Rêber Apo. Everyone’s struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo is a struggle for their own free life, for gaining freedom.

What also needs to be pointed out as one of the main achievements so far is that we have united. In this one year, strong joint actions have developed everywhere. And we have become a force of struggle that has spread from the four parts of Kurdistan to all four corners of the world. We have become very rich, practicing different methods of struggle. There are conferences, reading days are organized, and a variety of further actions follow each other. We have become very rich in this sense, and we have won many things. This one-year struggle has created important developments. Concrete results were yielded. This is very meaningful and important. So if in the second year we deepen in these forms of action in an even more widespread, rich, and effective way, then indeed the struggle within the second year will increase many times more than the first year. As I pointed out before, it is like we are entering a final year.

There are very critical processes ahead of us. There will be events that represent important global historical developments. In such a period, the struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo will not only be about demanding and ensuring the freedom of Rêber Apo as a person, but it will actually be like unlocking the door to freedom for everyone and to democratization. So let’s make good use of this anniversary. Let’s organize more different actions. Our actions should be richer in terms of form and method; they should be more numerous, and of course they should be much more massive. Let’s develop as a people a declaration of will in front of the whole world, expressing that we demand the physical freedom of Rêber Apo, that we don’t want a life without Rêber Apo, and that this is a life that is not free and democratic.

With the global freedom campaign reaching its first anniversary, the 26th anniversary of the beginning of the international conspiracy is obviously also approaching. It may have been discussed before, but once again and particularly regarding the developments over the last months; to which extent would you say has the conspiracy really been understood? And in the same context, what level has the 26 years of struggle against it brought about?

The international conspiracy took its beginning on October 9, 1998, when Rêber Apo was forced out of Syria. It is known who planned, decided, organized, and implemented the conspiracy. There is no ambiguity or uncertainty in this regard. Almost everything is in fact clear, open, and distinct. But indeed, it is necessary to dwell on the situation and attitude. 26 years. It is more than a quarter of a century. A very important time. We need to look back at these 26 years and look at the process that paved the way for the conspiracy. That means that we need to look at twenty-six years, thirty years, or maybe even thirty-five years. What happened during this period? What is the connection between the developments that we call the attack of the international conspiracy, which aims at the destruction of Rêber Apo? We also define this process as the process of the Third World War. In fact, the Third World War started in the early ’90s, preparing the ground for the conspiracy. After that, the forces waging the Third World War became involved in the conspiracy attack in order to succeed in their own goals and to make their interests dominant. They did this regardless if they contradicted each other, or if they contradicted each other. The rulers were united with the opposition in this attack. Now when we look back at this process, what do we see? What was the attack aimed at? It was aimed at the destruction of Rêber Apo. They failed, and so they put him in Imrali, in the system of torture, isolation, and genocide. If they had succeeded, they would have wanted to exterminate him. Why did they attack Rêber Apo? Why did they want to destroy him? If there had not been the international conspiracy, if Rêber Apo had struggled freely for the past 20 years, if he had led the freedom struggle of Kurdistan, if he had led the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom, if he had educated the youth and women, what would have been the result? This is what we need to question. What did Rêber Apo want? In the early ’90s, a new process began. Serhildans1 developed in northern Kurdistan. And with the Gulf War, political scope emerged in southern Kurdistan. Rêber Apo wanted unity in both parts. He wanted Kurdish freedom to develop. What would have happened if, on this basis, Rêber Apo had found the opportunity to carry out and realize these goals, his decisions, and his understanding? Kurdish freedom would have developed. Based on this, democratization would have developed in Turkey, democratization would have developed in Iraq, democratization would have developed in Syria and Iran, and democratization would have developed in the Middle East. A free Kurdistan resembles a democratic Middle East. What would a democratic Middle East mean? There would be unity, brotherhood, solidarity, and communal life. What would not have happened!

And now let’s take a look at all the blood that has been shed for the past 26 to 30 years. Let’s look at the atrocities and massacres. The Middle East has turned into a bloodbath. Kurdistan has turned into a bloodbath. The international conspiracy is the main reason for this bloodbath. The conspiracy means massacres. In fact, the free struggle of Rêber Apo would mean the prevention and elimination of all this and the development of free life, democratic administration, democratic confederal unity, and the unity of peoples against all this. How good this would be for humanity! Not only for the Kurds, not even for the peoples of the region. In fact, a democratized Middle East would have made a great contribution to humanity and its free and democratic march. All this was prevented. The conspiracy needs to be understood like this. Yes, the conspiracy was a heavy attack to realize the Kurdish genocide, to prevent Kurdish freedom, to destroy and liquidate the Kurdish people’s will for freedom. It was an unjust, very unjust, the most unjust attack in the history of humanity. But it did not only happen to Kurds. Rêber Apo evaluated the Turkish dimension of this conspiracy. Did Turkey gain or lose? Tayyip Erdogan came to power in this process, and Devlet Bahceli became the government twice. They have lined their pockets, stolen from the country, and enriched themselves. They personally benefited from the conspiracy, but what happened to Turkey? Has Turkey developed or regressed? On the other hand, let’s look at the situation in the Middle East. It is inextricably linked to the conspiracy. The conspiracy was not only against Kurdish freedom; it was also against a democratic Turkey, against the democratic Middle East, and against humanity’s life of freedom. It was also against the women’s freedom struggle, against the development of women’s will for freedom, and the revolution for freedom. It emerged and developed as an attack against all these. It was launched by the United States, Britain, and Israel, while all the European states and Russia participated. They included everyone they needed; they made them partners. Some by force, some for profit. Everyone was involved in this crime. Now what is the outcome? The result is obvious.

One really needs to understand these policies correctly and needs to evaluate them well in order to know how to develop a correct political attitude. But also those responsible for these policies must get it right. If they are really in favor of humanity, democracy, and human rights, as they claim all the time, they must admit that they have committed massive injustice and cruelty. They have been responsible for countless massacres and bloodshed. They should question themselves and give up on this. Whenever we evaluate this issue and voice our criticisms, these forces try to wriggle out of it. They tell us that we should not name them as responsible for this, and they do not want us to talk about it as a conspiracy. So what do they want us to say? Do they really want us to simply ignore it? The conspiracy is still going on. For now, more than 43 months, there is no information from Rêber Apo. There is no law, no justice, and no human consciousness in the system of Imrali. They committed a crime by establishing the Imrali system, and they have to solve it. We will not simply pass over this. If we would just continue, we could not build anything new on these mistakes and crimes. We couldn’t build righteousness or achieve success. Success is not born from error. Righteousness does not develop from wrong. This needs to be solved. Those who are responsible need to be solvent. They must question themselves and give self-criticism.

The Kurdish people have suffered the greatest injustice in history. The attack on Rêber Apo was the greatest injustice, the greatest oppression, and the greatest the greatest torture. But it didn’t only aim for Rêber Apo; it was an attack aimed at the entire Kurdish people. Aimed at the women, the youth, the peoples of the Middle East, the peoples of Turkey, and humanity. Kurdish youth, children, and women have been persecuted so much and subjected to so much oppression, torture, and special war practices. They have experienced so many massacres. Those responsible for this are the US government. Back then, the Democrats were in power, and today again they are in power. Today in the UK, the Labour Party is in power again. We have pointed this out many times before. These powers must admit the injustice they have done and have to make amends. They owe the Kurdish people. They have a responsibility to eliminate the oppression they have inflicted on the Kurdish people for 26 years, let alone before that. We invite them to approach this way. They need to look at the past. They need to look at what Rêber Apo wanted to do. What have they caused by preventing him? Did they do good? Did they produce a solution in Kurdistan? Did they produce a solution in the Middle East? They developed insolvency. Rêber Apo was the solution power, and they prevented the power of solution. They became responsible for so much bloodshed, massacres, and torture. On the occasion of the anniversary of the conspiracy, I want to remind all the relevant forces of what has happened. We invite them to give up what they have done, to correct it, and to apologize for the oppression and torture they have inflicted on the Kurds.

On the other hand, lays the mentioned very significant 26-year struggle against the conspiracy. They wanted to destroy Rêber Apo. The October 9th conspiracy was an extermination attack. But it was rendered unsuccessful. Again, the February 15th conspiracy was an extermination attack. They wanted to execute him. That is why they kidnapped Rêber Apo from Kenya and delivered him to Turkey in an illegal and immoral manner. This was thwarted by the struggle. In the Imrali system of torture and isolation, they wanted to make Rêber Apo rot; they wanted to make him unable to think, unable to be productive, and therefore unable to be a political power. In these 26 years, the greatest struggle in history was waged against the conspiracy. If it was the heaviest, most unjust, and most immoral attack in human history, at the same time, the 26-year struggle against the conspiracy is the most meaningful, most libertarian, and most democratic resistance and struggle in history. Rêber Apo led this struggle first and foremost. The entire Kurdish people and all our international friends gave their support. Everyone participated in this struggle and has a share in it. The struggle repeatedly defeated attacks that took place in the framework of the conspiracy; it made it fail. It frustrated many of their plans. While they wanted to make Rêber Apo incapable of thinking and producing new thoughts within the Imrali torture and isolation system, Rêber Apo became a force of thought that showed the way to liberation of all the oppressed, especially women. He became a global leader. He became the one who best understood and defined the universe. They wanted to suffocate and silence Rêber Apo in the torture and isolation system in Imrali. But now, Rêber Apo is all over the world. As he said, “Wherever my prison writings are, there I am.” The prison writings are now all over the world. Young people, women, workers, and laborers all have the books in their hands. That is why today Rêber Apo is everywhere, with everyone. The Imrali system of torture, isolation, and genocide has been repeatedly riddled and shattered by Rêber Apo. I have repeated all this to underline that struggle brings success. This is the most fundamental lesson we can learn from 26 years of struggle against the international conspiracy. If you struggle, you win. He struggles; that is why Rêber Apo is winning. Following Rêber Apo’s struggle, the Kurdish people, the Kurdish freedom forces, and the Kurdish guerrillas fight and win. Therefore, it is wrong to say that the Imrali torture and isolation system and the genocide system cannot be broken, defeated, or overcome. Victory is closer than ever. With an effective struggle, in these coming weeks, months, and days we can indeed bring about the most important libertarian and democratic developments in history. Let’s believe in this, let’s trust in ourselves, and let’s carry out our struggle against the international conspiracy in the 27th year on the line of victory, and let’s ensure the physical freedom of Rêber Apo by shattering the international conspiracy and the Imrali torture, isolation, and genocide system that tries to maintain it.

October 1 marks the first anniversary of the historic action in Ankara conducted by the comrades Rojhat and Erdal. The Turkish Republic has still not recovered from the shock of it. In this context, I would like to ask you about the current situation of the guerrilla warfare.

It is indeed the anniversary of a historic sacrifice. As you pointed out, AKP-MHP, the whole of Turkey has still not been able to recover from the shock of the action in Ankara. October 1, 2023, was a great act of heroism, an act of sacrifice. Of course, not only that. Also in the previous year, on September 26th, there was the action of the comrades Ruken and Sara in Mersin. The heroism of Mersin and the heroism of Ankara merged with each other. And while it gave hope to everyone, to all the oppressed, it also shocked the fascist, colonialist, and genocidal forces. We must always remember, embrace, and salute these actions on their anniversary. These heroic acts – and this is what is really called being superhuman – have happened many times in the Kurdish struggle for freedom. But the two mentioned actions have been the most prominent actions of recent years, actions that give us all hope and faith and draw us all into the struggle. I commemorate with respect, love, and gratitude comrades Rojhat and Erdal, comrades Sara and Ruken, and the heroic martyrs of the HPG and YJA-Star who fought sacrificially in Zap, Avashin, Metina, Khakurke, and all over Kurdistan. Every day we give martyrs because we are waging a great war. The world is at war. We are forced to wage it in order to exist and live free. Otherwise, freedom is not easily achieved. Democracy is not easily achieved. Preserving your existence and living can only be realized through struggle, and only a sacrificial struggle. I salute all the commanders and fighters of the HPG and YJA STAR and congratulate their success.

The action of the comrades Rojhat and Erdal gave a new direction and showed everyone the truth face of this struggle and of the enemy. The previous year was guided by the actions of the comrades Sara and Ruken. They symbolize the realities that determine our struggle. These are the truths that guide us. We – as a movement, as a people, as all guerrilla forces – saw and found the truth in this heroic stance and their successful actions. The Kurdistan freedom guerrilla continues their path. It continues this path all over northern Kurdistan and the Medya Defense Zones⁴. There are actions every day in Zap, Avashin, Metina, and Khakurke. There are daily activities on Mount Cudi, Mount Amediye, and Mount Bahar, in the resistance areas of Metina and the various parts of Khakurke, as well as in Heftanin. The guerrilla resistance continues to develop and deepen. At the same time, the attacks of the Turkish state also continue. Due to the betrayal of the KDP and now also the support of the Iraqi government, they are trying to continue their attacks, and since July 3rd, they have intensified their efforts in the framework of their invasion and annexation.

The state of their war is that they carry with them those who try to sell the Medya Defense Zones and a large part of southern Kurdistan to the fascists of the AKP-MHP and the Turkish state. The war continues with all its violence, intensity, and depth. It continues primarily in northern Kurdistan. From time to time, our Central Headquarters Command (NPG) also provides information and gives statements. The other day, my comrade Haki made some evaluations in this regard. He said that the guerrilla resistance is everywhere. In every resistance, the AKP-MHP fascism has great losses, but they hide them, conceal them. He was elaborating this more broadly. There is war everywhere. As he pointed out, from Bagok to all parts of Amed, the whole Botan area, there were clashes everywhere during this period. There are attacks and clashes all the way to Serhat. The fascist regime is constantly under attack, so there are military mobilizations under the name of operations. Against these fascist, colonialist, genocidal AKP-MHP attacks, it is the guerrilla’s heroic stance and struggle that defends life. The state destroys all kinds of moral values and attacks even children. They say that the number of missing children in Turkey is more than the population of some countries of the United Nations. Where do these missing children go? What is done to them? Are their organs sold? Are they used as slaves? Are they raped by the male-dominated mentality and system? This is a real situation in this country. Prostitution and drugs are deliberately spread everywhere. In Colemerg (tr. Hakkari), gangs have been established. There used to be gangs in the past in order to keep society under control in Kurdistan. The Turkish colonialism used to give various districts to specific families and organized gangs there. For example, we are talking about the struggle in Sewreg (tr. Siverek), where the struggle of the PKK began. Celal Bucak was the leader of such a gang. In Shirnekh (tr. Shirnak), Alixan Tatar was such a gang leader. These were all specially trained by the state. Now again, they continue their special warfare by developing such gangs. One should not be surprised by this. The question is, what needs to be done? A struggle is necessary. By understanding correctly what kind of power the AKP-MHP fascism, the Turkish state, is, we must fight against it in order to live and to achieve a free and democratic life. Everything one wants to achieve can only be achieved through struggle. Thirty years ago, when they could not defeat or crush the guerrilla struggle, they burned, demolished, and destroyed thousands of villages, especially in the region of Botan. They dehumanized rural areas and rendered them villageless. Now they are doing basically the same, by building mines, dams, and everything in every mountain. Currently they are building yet another dam in Shirnekh. They will drown all the historical village areas of Botan that have been inhabited for centuries, or even millennia. Thirty years ago they wanted to destroy the villages; now they want to destroy nature and, like this, achieve results against the guerrilla. They are risking this much. We must take care of them and fight against them. We need more awareness, more organization, and more effective struggle using richer methods. We must be more courageous, more sacrificial. If we really want to achieve free life, we must become freedom fighters. We must make every area of life a struggle for freedom. This is absolutely necessary. This is always necessary. This is the truth and beauty of life. If there is to be life, it will either be free or not, Rêber Apo said. Living freely can only be achieved through such a struggle.

On the other hand, the resistance in the Medya Defense Zones has left the Turkish state stranded. It has reached a dead end there and is locked in. It was saying that it would come, lock the guerrilla in, and finish it. But now look at it. They are locked and finished themselves. As mentioned before, now they begged the CM of the CoE and got permission to continue for one more year. They themselves have actually seen their failure. Even if they don’t admit it, even if they don’t say it openly, they have failed. They have been fighting on one hill for three years and cannot capture it. Our people in southern Kurdistan should follow this reality. The resistance in the Medya Defense Zones is the resistance of all Kurdistan, the resistance of humanity, the resistance of free life. All humanity must embrace those resisting in Zap, Metina, and Khakurke. They are defending southern Kurdistan, defending its honor, defending its freedom, and defending its existence. Everyone says that southern Kurdistan will come to its end. Our people of southern Kurdistan, intellectuals, politicians, youth, women, and laborers should not remain silent against this; they should be brave. They should raise their voices a little more.

It is said that there will be elections in southern Kurdistan on October 20th. We don’t know if it will really happen or not. But anyway, what is important is that this is an important opportunity to hold the fascist, colonialist, and genocidal attacks to account. The people should not say, “What can I do? I have nothing.” They should say “stop” to these occupying, annexing, genocidal attacks. They must say “stop” to the government that opened the door to this. The opportunity is in their hands. In fact, the elections can be a declaration of will. The patriotism of southern Kurdistan should be expressed through it. The people can show what kind of patriotic society southern Kurdistan is, how it fought against the genocidal attacks of Saddam’s fascism in the past, and what kind of stance it has now against the AKP-MHP fascist aggression and those who collaborate with it. That it is in favor of Kurdish freedom, existence, and will. The people must be able to make such a declaration of will. It is indeed a very important and historical opportunity. We believe that on October 20, the people of southern Kurdistan will teach a historic lesson to both the occupying, annexationist aggressive forces and those who collaborate and serve them.

After the war in Kurdistan, I would now like to talk about the war in the Middle East in general. After Gaza, Israel has been targeting Lebanon in particular over the last week or two. What can you tell us about this war and generally about the current developments in the context of the Third World War?

Yes, this is correct; also, the anniversary of the beginning of the Gaza war is approaching. The beginning of this war undoubtedly shocked everyone in the world. And now, a little less than a year later, there are similar attacks on Lebanon, and the same shocking situation is happening again. We have already evaluated this war on many occasions. Immediately after the war started, we pointed out the reasons for it, its aims, the forces waging the war, and how this war should be approached. What did we say back then? We said that Lebanon would be next. This was not unpredictable. But when we said this, we didn’t think that a war of this level would take place in Lebanon. We really didn’t think it would. We thought that the right lessons would be learned from the Gaza war, that the warring forces would approach it a little more correctly, and that such brutality would not take place in Lebanon. But that was incorrect. The Hezbollah could not show such an attitude, and Iran could not prevent it. Actually, it had an attitude in the Gaza war. Based on that, we actually thought that Iran was prudent and would not allow this. We don’t know if Iran really wanted this to happen or if it was powerless to prevent it. The newly elected president spoke about the unity of the ummah. “Hezbollah cannot fight alone,” he said. This needs to be evaluated correctly. Who has divided the ummah for centuries? The forces of power and the nation-state have torn it apart. And there is not only the unity of the ummah. If you are talking about unity within the ummah, then of course the Christians will demand unity under the Messiah and the Jews will also demand their unity. We need to want the unity of everyone, the unity of all humanity. We need to overcome this religionism. Religionism and nationalism have ravaged the Middle East for 100 years, 200 years. They are the main reasons for all these ravaging wars. The only focus lays on the destruction of the other, not on co-existence. This is wrong! If one doesn’t believe in democracy, then one should at least believe in the brotherhood of all religions. One must convince himself that all people have the right to live together and in peace. Such an understanding of life must be upheld. First of all, all religions must abandon this approach that they can only exist if all others are destroyed. The essence of basically any religion, as we know it, is the rejection of this. Religions that have begun to strive for power have developed into this. They merged with nationalism. With the nationalism of the nation-state, they have turned everyone into enemies and everywhere into a field of conflict. As a result, the people of Gaza were sacrificed. And now, the people of Lebanon are being sacrificed.

We have said it before; we have received a lot of support from the Palestinian people. As the Kurdish people, as its freedom forces, we have eaten the bread and drunk the water of the Palestinian people. We have also eaten the bread and drunk the water of the Lebanese people, especially the Shiite community. They are our brothers and sisters. We deeply share their pain. What shall one say? This should never have happened. It is a crime in itself that this was not prevented. Who is responsible for the situation? A horrible crime is being committed. Who wanted war in Lebanon the most? It was the AKP-MHP; it was Turkey. The AKP’s media and those who are invited to talk there were talking 24 hours a day about how Hezbollah and Israel would and should fight, how Iran and Israel would and should face each other in Lebanon and make war. Now they have made them fight. In Lebanon, I guess their wishes have been fulfilled; they have succeeded. Are they satisfied? Now those who did it seem to have gone limp because they know of the crime they committed.

Iran is still a little more careful in its own way. But why has Lebanon become like this, and why is there such a violent war? It is shocking to humanity. Israel’s attacks are brutal. Turkey says it opposes it, but here are the attacks carried out by the Turkish Republic. They have exploded the pagers and radios and are relying on other similar technologies. The Turkish state has been using these for ten years. We know these things. Now we have experienced the confusion that all humanity has seen in Lebanon, that Hezbollah circles have experienced. We have suffered similar experiences a lot. Our central headquarters has repeatedly made statements, pointing out that such a technique is being used. Technology and weapons that violate the laws of war and constitute human rights crimes are used regularly. The worst thing is that this technique, that is now used for crimes against humanity, was originally invented for the benefit of humanity. And the whole world has now seen in Lebanon that this technology is not used for the benefit of the people but for war and destruction. This technology always primarily serves the war and only secondarily is being for anything else. As long as the power system and the system of nation states exist, technical production will always follow this principle. We have explained this many times, but nobody emphasized it. But now everyone is seeing what is happening in Lebanon. Israel is launching a shocking attack. So much so that no one can stand against it. It uses all kinds of technologies and means. Technologies that should be forbidden. It didn’t use to do that in the past because there were restrictions. But now…, this is what the world has become. This is the situation of the Third World War, and this is the point it has reached. Everyone should be aware of this. The fascist AKP-MHP does it the same way and used it the most throughout the last years. From chemical weapons to tactical nuclear bombs, they use everything. Some of those still have not been used yet in Lebanon. For example, UAVs were not used, and UCAVs used to be banned. It was forbidden both to operate and to sell them. Now no one is preventing it, and the Turkish state is the one that uses it the most against the Kurdish guerrilla.

Why did this war break out? This is a war that has been going on for a hundred years, a hundred and twenty years. The First World War did not end. The October Revolution did not conclude according to the logic of that war; it concluded according to its own logic. The Second World War continued in the same way. Now, through the Third World War, they actually want to complete what was left over from the First World War. The system of capitalist modernity wants to reshape itself according to the results that have been emerging for a hundred years. This is what is being done through Israel. NATO, the US, and Europe are behind Israel. This is very clear. They have all kinds of power and means at their disposal, and they are carrying out a destructive attack for their own interests and to open their energy route. This is a war for dominance over energy resources and economic corridors. This war has developed as a struggle between various circles of interest and powers. Of course, the peoples suffer the damage. In the past, these powers used to fight themselves. Now they are making their proxies fight. And what will be the result? In the 1990s and 2000s, they waged this war for 15 to 20 years to seize the Persian Gulf. Since 2010, they have been waging this war to seize the Eastern Mediterranean. They want to open an energy route from India through the Gulf, Israel, and Cyprus to Greece. This is the US plan, and the NATO is in agreement with this. These attacks aim to pave the way for the energy route and economical corridor. The obstacle in Lebanon has been removed. Probably it cannot be extended any further. We don’t know how it will end. Syria may not be much of an obstacle in their plans if it learns lessons from the current developments.

In conclusion, I will say the following, and I have stated it several times before, the peak of it will be Cyprus, and the center of this war is Turkey. Turkey is not a state that was formed according to the outcome of the First or Second World War. Turkey is a state formed on the basis of the October Revolution in Russia and the existence of the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the start of the Third World War, a new Middle East is being shaped according to the energy routes and economic corridors created. Turkey is outside of this. Therefore, this Turkey will be changed. It is Turkey that is most opposed to the system it is a part of, that contradicts the system the most, that is a party to the Third World War. Rêber Apo wrote and warned about this many times, 15 years ago, 20 years ago. He called attention to this and said that great disasters would befall them. They did not listen. Now AKP-MHP fascism has put Turkey into a disaster. Cyprus will be next, the Turkish border will be next, and the war will intensify in Turkey. What will the Turkish state do? Either it will become a complete servant, surrender, become a satellite, lose everything, or if it tries to defy, they will tear it apart. Rêber Apo said, “They will divide Turkey into forty pieces”.

In the globalization of the capitalist modernity system, or in the global capitalist modernity system, there is no place for the present Turkish state. It has to look for a way out. Therefore, Rêber Apo suggested an alternative. “This nation-state nationalism and religionism will tear you apart,” he said. In response to this, he proposed the democratic nation and democratic confederalism as a solution to overcome these in the Middle East and Turkey. This is a very clear and open situation. But this was not listened to. No one took it into consideration. The only idea that will save Turkey from the disaster that AKP-MHP has dragged Turkey into is Rêber Apo’s idea of democratic confederalism. It is the creation of a democratic Turkey based on Kurdish freedom. The only power that will ensure this is Rêber Apo. The only person who can save the Kurdish people from the disaster they have been dragged into, from the disaster the AKP-MHP has dragged them into, from the disaster the current state has dragged them into, is Rêber Apo. They have put him under a system of oppression, torture, and genocide so that no information about him has been received for 43 months. They want to suffocate him. However, it is these thoughts that have the power to save Turkey.

To conclude on this point, those who love Turkey, the intellectuals, politicians, artists, women, youth, and true patriots of Turkey must be aware of this reality. Demanding the physical freedom of Rêber Apo should be the work of the patriots and democrats of Turkey more than the Kurds. It is a solution that will serve the democratization of Turkey as much as the liberation of Kurdistan, a solution that will save Turkey as much as it will save the Kurds. Therefore, the people, particularly the women and the youth of Turkey, must oppose the Imrali torture and isolation system as much as the Kurds. The peoples of Turkey, those who love Turkey, the workers and laborers should demand the physical freedom of Rêber Apo as much as the Kurds. If they want to avoid this catastrophe, there is only one way: democratization of Turkey based on Kurdish freedom. This means the overthrow of AKP-MHP fascism, nationalism, and religionism. These approaches that say that no force can harm the country and that the system is indestructible – they are disastrous. What happened to Lebanon should be a clear lesson. The law of the jungle prevails in this world. Whoever has power is whoever has power. You have power; you oppress the Kurds; you do what you want to the Kurds. What will you do if someone with more power than you tries to do the same to you tomorrow? Will they do it? They surely will. It is not a power only in your hands. The AKP-MHP is responsible for this.

Turkey must mobilize for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. There will be a rally in Amed on October 13. 50 thousand people, 100 thousand people will come to Amed. There will be rallies in Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, the Black Sea region, in Cukurova, everywhere. The society will demand an end to this policy because there is no other way. The only solution that will save the Middle East from this disaster is the development of the democratic nation against this religionism and nationalism, against this nation-state mentality. Again, the only solution is the democratic nation and democratic confederalism. The only thing that will save Turkey from the point into which it has been dragged is the democratization based on Kurdish freedom and the acceptance of the democratic nation. For this, Rêber Apo said, “Give me the opportunity, and I will fix everything in one week.” The society of Turkey must stand up to save Turkey and for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. This is the way to save the Middle East from these disasters. A lot of time has passed; there have been massacres and bloodshed. We don’t know how this will be cleaned up. But we have said it before: our war is not such a war. We are against all these wars of interest. We are for the fight based on legitimate self-defense, waged for the existence, democracy, and freedom of peoples. This is the fight we are waging; this is the war we are waging. The point where the ongoing World War has reached is a dangerous point. One needs to be careful. For this reason, we must develop our struggle for freedom everywhere. We must grow and strengthen our guerrilla. We must definitely strengthen our self-defense everywhere. Most importantly, we must carry Rêber Apo’s solution of democratic nation and democratic confederalism everywhere. We must envision liberation together with all neighboring peoples.

On this basis, once again, I share the pain of the Lebanese people and salute everyone who resists against these cruel attacks that harm the peoples.

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