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April 4th is a day of the people, a day celebrated today by many who stand up for the struggle for peace and freedom. What can they tell us in light of this day? Why is it that this day is of such great importance today, charged with such great symbolism and celebrated with such intensity?

April 4th marks Rêber Apo’s¹ 76th birthday. All those whose hearts beat for the struggle of freedom, particularly the women and the youth, should consider Rêber Apo’s birthday as their birthday. In this regard, I wish a happy April 4th to Rêber Apo, to all those currently resisting in the prisons and on the mountains, to all mothers of martyrs and all mothers of peace, and in general to all peoples of Kurdistan.

This year’s April 4th coincided with Eid al-Fitr, and on this occasion I congratulate all our people and Rêber Apo on Eid al-Fitr as well. On April 4, 2009, our people headed to Amara village to celebrate Rêber Apo’s birthday. A huge mass was marching when the Turkish state, military, and police forces suddenly attacked the people. As a result of these attacks, Mustafa Dag and Mahsum Karaoglan gave their lives. I commemorate both comrades, both resisting patriots, with respect and reverence, and by doing so I respectfully commemorate all the martyrs of freedom.

It is necessary to be aware of the meaning behind Rêber Apo’s birthday. Today the celebrations of April 4th have become massive events, and in some places the celebrations even start days before and continue afterwards. Not only in Kurdistan but all over the world, our people and everyone who recognizes Rêber Apo’s ideas and thoughts celebrate this day, recognizing it as their own birthday. This is linked to the reality that Rêber Apo stands for. Rêber Apo does not consider April 4th as just a biological birth. Throughout his 76-year life journey, Rêber Apo has been engaged in a great struggle. He began to experience his first contradictions in his childhood: the contradiction between men and women, the contradiction between families, and the contradiction between cultures such as Kurdish-Turkish, rich-poor, and landowner-peasant. Rêber Apo began to become aware of social contradictions and searches for alternatives at a very young age. Through these contradictions, he began to search for truth, freedom, democracy, comradeship, equality, love, and affection. Based on this, he has been struggling for 70 years without interruption. As a result of Rêber Apo’s labor, his march for freedom, rights, law, justice, and equality, and his service to society and peoples, everyone today sees April 4 as their own birthday. It is like this because they see Rêber Apo’s ideas and philosophy as a guide for themselves. They see the solution to existing contradictions in Rêber Apo’s ideas. Millions of people express their love to him, millions of people pin their hopes on him, millions of people see him as a leader, and millions of women see him as a comrade. In history, it is women whose labor has been usurped the most, who have been oppressed and exploited the most, and Rêber Apo, who became aware of this reality, managed to achieve a breakthrough in solving the women’s issue. That is why millions of women have gathered around Rêber Apo’s ideas and thoughts. That is why April 4th is the birthday of millions of women. Rêber Apo has achieved something extraordinary – he has managed to live a life in which he never lives a day for himself, for his own interests, but instead dedicates his life entirely to the common good.

The anniversary of the death of Rêber Apo’s mother, Uveysh, on April 11 is also approaching. I commemorate her with respect; on behalf of all women, we are grateful to her for giving us and all humanity a leader like Rêber Apo. Rêber Apo describes his mother as his first teacher, his pioneer, the first person who taught him how to struggle. Rêber Apo once said the following in regard to his mother: “After I went to school and became a civil servant, my mother bought four meters of fabric and hoped that I would turn it into a dress for her. But I didn’t do it. Not because I couldn’t, but because that was not what mothers deserve. Mothers needed a free, equal world; they needed consciousness; they needed to be freed from thousands of years of bondage. For this, we created the free women’s army, we established the free women’s party, we created the free women’s system, and we created the free women’s movement.” Rêber Apo has always managed to take new steps according to the respective phases and needs, and these steps have made Rêber Apo a leader for the whole society. Especially this year we are welcoming April 4th with Rêber Apo’s ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’. Today, there are people everywhere who see April 4th as their own birthday. This is also a great happiness. With his philosophy of free life, with his new paradigm, with his labor for the whole society, Rêber has today become a value for humanity, for women and young people. On this occasion, once again, happy April 4th to all women, youth, and our people.

The development of the current process is not easy to keep track of. Can you summarize where we currently stand? What has happened since the ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’? How has the rapprochement changed? What has changed regarding the situation in Imrali, also in view of the recent visit of the families to Imrali?

As it is known, the delegation of the DEM Party had gone to Imrali two times, and in the course of its third visit, Rêber Apo declared his ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’ on February 27th. Following this call, both the public opinion and we, as the freedom movement, were expecting that there would be continuous meetings with Rêber Apo and that the difficulties blocking this process would be lifted gradually. The historic call of Rêber Apo was discussed all over the world. Especially on March 8 and in the Newroz festivities, millions of people expressed their embrace of this call. But no steps were taken by the state after the call. Our movement, our co-chairmanship, and the central command of the guerrilla forces made the necessary statements and went the required steps. It is necessary to underline some things. The stance of our movement is clear; it expressed it clearly through its statements. But this process is not unilateral. There are things Rêber Apo can do, but there are things that the state has to do. Rêber Apo has done his part. He made his call; he indicated what should be done from his point of view; our movement responded, but no steps were taken from the other side. On the contrary, although a month has passed, there have been no talks. They continued the isolation; for example, the expected Newroz message of Rêber Apo was prevented due to the continued isolation. The doors of Imrali must now be opened; the family, lawyers, and journalists must be allowed to go continuously. This is Rêber Apo’s right, and it must be fulfilled. This has nothing to do with rapprochement or a nice gesture. Rêber Apo is under isolation; the doors of Imrali remain locked. Rêber Apo has been there for 27 years; the isolation was not broken because 3 meetings took place and a call was made. If the isolation had been broken, Rêber Apo’s message would have been given at Newroz; if the isolation had been broken, Rêber Apo would have received countless delegations. Rêber Apo gave a message, but the message was only given in writing. Rêber Apo should have been enabled to give a video message; he should have been enabled to speak on the phone; he should have been enabled to hold discussions with the people he wanted to meet; he should have been enabled to discuss with journalists. Because Rêber Apo should have been enabled to explain his project himself. That is why it is wrong and unacceptable that they just allow one statement and then immediately close the doors of Imrali again. They try to create the perception that the process will be carried out with meetings once a month. That is not acceptable.

We learned from the press that the family went to Imrali, and we don’t know what was discussed there. We only heard that the meeting took place and Rêber Apo sent his greetings to the people, both for Newroz, for embracing the call, and for the Ramadan. Rêber Apo congratulated the people for embracing the call and sent his greetings; he saw this honorable stance as positive. The steps that should have been taken in Imrali were not taken. The other side does not consider it a process. The one thing we know for sure is that there has been no change in Rêber Apo’s conditions. The doors of Imrali remain locked. We do not attach any particular value to the meeting with the family, as it is merely the good right that Rêber Apo has, like any other prisoner. The fact that they allowed the meeting is merely a concession of something he would have been entitled to anyway. However, this does not mean that there is an ongoing process. Something like this can’t happen through isolated meetings with family and lawyers; there has to be a constant exchange with people from this movement, with journalists, with intellectuals, with Nobel Prize winners, and with everyone who can and wants to play a role in this process.

After the call of peoples leader Abdullah Ocalan, your movement responded positively and declared a ceasefire to continue the process. As you put it, the statements and steps taken by your movement are quite clear, but looking at the evaluations and statements of the state, one can see that sometimes there are threats, and sometimes there is ambiguity. How is this to be understood and to be approached?

Right now we are still discussing the call. If we look back a bit, on October 1, 2024, MHP President Bahceli went and shook hands with the DEM Party group. That’s when it really started, and now we are in April. So it has been half a year since then. For six months, the public still cannot figure out what happened. As you said, there is ambiguity. That is because the state, especially the current ruling AKP, still does not have a solution ready. If there is one, it has not been put forward yet. It takes an approach according to the daily, conjunctive situation. Sometimes they make some speeches when they see a danger for themselves, but when that is not the case, they use threatening rhetoric. They need to give these up. In this way, neither the process will develop nor will there be a solution. There is a Kurdish question in Turkey; it is a problem that has existed for 200 years. This problem has existed over the 100 years of the Republic. Nothing was left undone; these people were subjected to massacres, denial, and extermination. The democratic society we are talking about now is for all humanity. What is necessary for the Turk is also necessary for the Kurd. They themselves say that they are in favor of a democratic Turkey. But it cannot be solely in words; it must be put into practice. Right now they are just buying time. Of course, we see Bahceli’s changing language as positive, but it is only positive if it leads to something, if a result is achieved. In Turkish politics, it is the old story of the sugar and whip. On one side, one speaks sweetly, and the other hits with a whip. For example, Erdogan says, “We don’t have time anymore. We have done what was necessary”. It is the Kurdish people, our movement, and Rêber Apo who attach the most importance to time. Rêber Apo is in isolation, in prison. He has been in prison for 27 years; there are problems in terms of health and security. Rêber Apo’s conditions must change. These are important. But they always say the same things; “Weapons must be laid down.” “PKK must dissolve”. First, do your part. Bahceli gave a long interview, saying that the freedom movement should do everything, but what are you going to do? He promised that some legal changes will be made, but when? Which kind of commission will be formed? When will this happen? These things must be clear and concrete.

Right after Bahceli, the next day the Minister of Defense said, “Come and surrender”. One says that there is no time left, the other one says that patience is necessary, and then again another says: “Come and surrender”. As the central command declared, there is no militant of the Apoist movement that will simply surrender. Even if they wait forty more years, there is no Apoist militant who will surrender. This is a sacrificial force, Rêber Apo’s freedom force, the movement for the solution of the Kurdish question. This question must be solved. Of course, Rêber Apo is doing his part to solve it through democratic means and methods, and he himself has said that he takes this responsibility. On February 27, he called on the movement and said that he was taking on this historic responsibility, but the way must be paved. What the state says has no effect and has no seriousness. They cannot cover up what they are trying to achieve with their speeches. They cannot pass time with words; there is no solution simply with words. It takes responsibility, taking steps, courage, change, and apologizing. First of all, they need to get rid of their threatening rhetoric. They need to pave the way for the freedom movement and Rêber Apo to play their role in this process.

The Kurdish people made their attitude very clear on March 8 and Newroz. Millions of people responded positively to the call. From Argentina to Asia, the Middle East, and Kurdistan. The people of the Middle East and Kurdistan have risen up massively. The first time the people rose was in 1999, when Rêber Apo was abducted in the course of the international conspiracy. They rose up against the conspiratorial forces with their own will, initiative, and consciousness. Dozens of martyrs gave their lives in these days. Of course, every Newroz is a cause of great enthusiasm, particularly in Rojhilat, but this Newroz the people of Rojhilat welcomed Rêber Apo’s call, saw it as a solution for themselves, and declared that they wanted to live in a democratic society together with the Iranian people. That is crucial. The same thing happened in North and East Syria, in southern and northern Kurdistan. From Istanbul, Amed (tr. Diyarbakir), Wan (tr. Van), and from Makhmour to Shengal (Sinjar), everyone saw it as a referendum. The state and the government must see this. Millions of people are embracing this call. No one should be afraid of this. If they want a solution, they should not be afraid of this stance, this power of the Kurds. They should not be afraid of the leadership of women. It is the women and the youth who give the most voice, spirit, and color to this process and lead the line of freedom. Rêber Apo is the guarantee of this, but if they do not pave the way, if they do not change the conditions, if Rêber Apo cannot move freely, cannot work, cannot carry out his struggle, how will the process work?

The Turkish state is carrying out heavy attacks against both the free mountains and North and East Syria. Following Rêber Apo’s message to the Êzidî (Yazidi) community on March 18, attacks were launched against Shengal on the same day. How should one evaluate the attacks in this period? Do these attacks have something to do with the ongoing process?

When Rêber Apo made the call, the delegation that went to the meeting drew attention to provocations in their statements to the press, but not in the content of the call. Bahceli and Erdogan also drew attention to this, but what Rêber Apo drew attention to is different from what they drew attention to. Rêber Apo, with all his power, with his long years of experience and foresight, said many years ago that the coup mechanism was in motion. That is why there has been no decrease in the attacks against the society, attacks against the Medya Defense Zones², attacks against Shengal and Rojava. Every day the guerrilla announces the balance sheet of the Turkish state’s attacks. The state is disturbed by our declaration of a ceasefire. Is there such a thing in the world? They ask why we declared a ceasefire… The ceasefire was declared to prevent provocations. They were going to make provocations so that when the guerrilla responded, they would blame the guerrilla. But the guerrilla foresaw this and declared a ceasefire to prevent any provocation by the state. Despite all the attacks, it has adhered to the decision until now. Every day the balance sheets of attacks are published. Thousands of attacks are taking place. They are attacking from both land and air.

Also the resistance continues in North and East Syria, at the Tishreen Dam. In this very process, they committed a massacre in the village of Berxbotan in Kobane. If we had responded to their actions in the same way, the process would have ended long ago. What is happening in North and East Syria is not independent from the Turkish state. Very important processes have developed in North and East Syria, and in Syria in general. On March 10, an agreement was signed between the SDF commander and Colani. He announces himself as the President of Damascus, like a copy of the Turkish state-Erdogan. A few days ago, he announced a government and declared himself both prime minister and president. It is the copy of Turkey. This is why they are preventing a solution in Syria.

North and East Syria has problems with the new government, and they should solve them together. The Turkish state sees itself as the owner of Syria. With the attacks they are carrying out, they are trying to force them to do as they wish. The autonomous administration and SDF are expressing their stance in their frequent statements. They act according to what they see as beneficial for themselves. But the Turkish state wants the Kurds to have no will anywhere, no matter what, and their enmity towards the Kurds does not end. According to them, Kurds should never get any rights. We reject this approach; no one will ever accept it.

They are also attacking Shengal. When Shengal was liberated, the people experienced great happiness. On this occasion, I salute the resistance of our people in Shengal and Rêber Apo’s message for all Êzidî (Yazidi) people. We take Rêber Apo’s words as a basis; we should act accordingly and serve our society accordingly. In a democratic society, of course, the Êzidî community can profit the most, claim its rights, and be itself. Because the Êzidî community has always fled from the state, since the state has always fragmented, plundered, and imposed edicts on the Êzidî community. In a democratic society, of course the Êzidî community will live freely. Rêber Apo sent a letter saluting the stance of the people of Shengal. Despite the brutality of the ISIS gangs, the fate of many women and children is still unknown; they are still captives. Despite all this, the people of Shengal have shown a great will and stance. This was thanks to Rêber Apo’s ideas and thoughts, thanks to the fighters who fought in the line of Rêber Apo. They intervened in Shengal and saved this society.

Now, YBS fighters were ambushed on the mountain of Shengal, and some of them were taken captive after getting wounded. This only serves those who do not want peace. It is a provocation. This situation does not help Iraq either. What will Iraq gain by attacking the Êzidî forces? In 2022, they blockaded Shengal and launched an operation to bring fighters into the conflict. But again they achieved nothing. The Iraqi state should immediately release those fighters and apologize to the Êzidî people. The Êzidî people should live as they want to live, and their rights must be recognized. The Êzidî community wants to live in their own land, with their own beliefs. They are not harming anyone. But Iraq does what those who do not want a solution say. The Êzidî people always say that it is the YBS forces that have protected the dignity and honor of Iraq. How can they come and set up ambushes on Mount Shengal, wound fighters, and take them captive? The stance of our people in this sense is very valuable; they are protecting their fighters, and they should do so. Rêber Apo’s letter to our society is not just a letter or a message; it is a manifesto to recreate oneself, to organize accordingly, and to claim one’s self-defense power and existence. Wherever our Êzidî community is, they should lead this process. I see this as very valuable. We are in April, ‘Carsema Sere Nisane’ is approaching. April is a very valuable month; it is the birthday of Rêber Apo, it is ‘Carsema Sere Nisane’, it is the herald of spring. I congratulate our people on the ‘Carsema Sere Nisane’ feast. This struggle must continue stronger, more massively, and more responsibility must be taken.

Despite all the attacks of the Turkish state, the Kurdish people and their friends are making a great effort and labor for a free and democratic society. For example, important work is being carried out in Europe. Everywhere there are demonstrations both in support of peoples leader Abdullah Ocalan’s call and for his physical freedom. How should everyone fulfill their duties in order for these efforts to reach their goal?

A few days ago, a Kurdish conference was held in the European Parliament. Scientists, writers, academics, artists, and historians from all over the world attended the conference, including Nobel Peace Prize winners and Nobel Prize laureates. I salute and congratulate everyone who contributed to this conference. It was a very important work. In this conference, the Kurdish people and their international friends did three important works. One; a court was established to deal with the crimes against humanity and genocide committed against the people of Rojava. In that court, the Turkish state and its collaborators were found guilty. Because they committed these massacres in another country. Two; decisions were taken on how to respond to Rêber Apo’s call. The call was made that in order for Rêber Apo to play his role and lead the democratic society, his physical freedom must be ensured. Three; After the conference, 200 people, including Nobel laureates, called again to collect signatures and to carry out this process in all geographies. This is also a very, very important work. Once again, I salute those who are carrying out these works. I also salute Jody Williams, who read the statement on behalf of the freedom guerrillas and our women’s movement for leading this process, and I salute everyone who is carrying out this work. They are carrying out very valuable work, and we value it very much. This is important.

The global campaign for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the solution to the Kurdish question has continued uninterruptedly since 2023. The current process, with its shortcomings and inadequacies, has emerged as a result of this great struggle, even though the state has not given a complete answer. The struggle has grown as a result of the efforts of our people, our friends, and internationalists, from the freedom guerrillas to those resisting in the prisons, and the process has developed on this basis. Therefore, we must believe in our own work; we must be aware of our role and mission. Let no one hesitate or deceive themselves; let no one say that a new peace process has started in Imrali, that Rêber Apo made a call, that the Imrali delegation is holding talks with some parties, that everything is running well, and that they are celebrating Eid al-Fitr. They say that they are celebrating Eid al-Fitr for the first time, but these are very humanitarian things; what could be more natural than two political parties sitting side by side in parliament celebrating Eid al-Fitr? Since the Kurds are deprived of everything, their holidays and everything else are banned; even if someone says hello to them, it is something special. However, basic things need to be normalized. No one abroad or in Kurdistan should play these games; Rêber Apo’s physical freedom will become permanent through struggle. The message and statements given at Newroz show this. The message on March 8, the message of Kurdish unity, shows this. It was the first time that the Newroz in Amed was supported by so many different parties, but it should not stop there. Everyone must do their part. There is a strong basis for national unity. Millions of people have participated in this process. Tens of millions of people participated in this year’s Newroz to support this process. All work must be carried out on the basis of Rêber Apo’s ideas. Statements should be made everywhere, conferences should be organized, education should be organized, and people should be visited. Especially our international friends and Nobel laureates should step in. We call on them; just as they united and signed a petition, called for freedom for Rêber Apo, and attended the conference, they should also try to go and meet Rêber Apo. They should get Rêber Apo’s opinion; women should go and discuss with Rêber Apo the issue of women and what their role is in a democratic society. They can do this. They can carry out these activities in society wherever they are. In the past, maybe some people used to say ‘PKK is on the terrorist list’ or something like that, but Rêber Apo has been fighting on this line for 52 years. He made the call on February 27th, and yet he is still in isolation. Therefore, it is everyone’s democratic duty to protect this process. Those who call themselves democrats have to protect Rêber Apo. The criterion of patriotism is to protect Rêber Apo; the criterion of Kurdish unity is to protect Rêber Apo. If there is to be unity among Kurds, they must first develop moves for Rêber Apo’s physical freedom.

If the youth want to get their rights, they must fight for it. Women, in particular, are the soul and voice of this process, and, as in every period, they are the pioneers of the process. The most striking of Rêber Apo’s ideas is women’s freedom and the Jineology. The first thing people ask us when looking at our paradigm is Jineology; they ask Rêber Apo to tell them more about it. This is why humanity needs Rêber Apo. Rêber Apo is resisting on behalf of all humanity; he is developing this process under the most difficult conditions on behalf of all humanity. Some people ask, ‘Do you trust the Turkish state?’ It is not a question of trusting or not trusting. Everyone has duties that must be fulfilled. And first and foremost, the state has to recognize the rights of the Kurdish people, and for this, the physical freedom of Rêber Apo is inevitable. There is no obstacle left in front of Rêber Apo’s physical freedom. It is just them who are not going the required steps. For example, the so-called ‘Right to Hope’. The Council of Europe has given the Turkish state until September. This must be emphasized now. The European Union and the Council of Europe must step in. Since 2014, despite this decision, they still have not fulfilled their duty. These legal rights must be fulfilled. The Turkish Minister of Justice says that this is not in their legislation. But the question is, what is in their legislation? If it suits them, it will be applied; if not, then not. When it comes to letting a few murderers go free or pardoning Hezbollahists, the ones who threw the Kurdish people into acid wells, then they can change the legislation without batting an eyelid. But when it comes to democratic rights, the rights of the Kurdish people, and collective rights, they say it is not in their legislation.

In this process, the international friends of our people should voice their demands for talks with Rêber Apo, put more pressure on the Turkish state, and put their own countries under political pressure. Because the physical freedom of Rêber Apo means the freedom of the whole region and the world. On this basis, I once again point out that I attach great value and importance to the struggle of our people and international friends. I salute and pay my respects to them for the efforts they have made so far and for still carrying out such work. Wherever they are, on the occasion of April 4th, they should cover every place they are with saplings, roses, and flowers; they can create a more ecologically vibrant world. Every tree is a person; every tree is an artifact. Our people are also having such celebrations; we don’t say anything; it’s their own choice; there are children, and they make cakes, but Rêber Apo said to plant more saplings, and everyone should beautify and clean their surroundings. On this occasion, I once again congratulate Rêber Apo on his birthday and wish a happy birthday to all women, youth, and peoples. I wish everyone success.

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