october 10, 2023
Commemoration of the Victims of the October 10, 2015 Massacre
On October 10, 2015, the demonstration for labor, peace and democracy organized by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and many trade unions, civil society and democratic mass organizations, which was attended by tens of thousands of people, was attacked and a massacre was committed. We would like once again strongly condemn this massacre, and commemorate respectfully those who lost their lives in the massacre. Also we would like to once again commemorate all the martyrs of the revolution and of democracy, and we reiterate our promise that we will adhere to the memories of them.
In our hearts we carry the pain that was caused by this massacre as well as we carry the aspirations that millions of people shouted in the streets. They fought for the siblinghood of the peoples, for the democratic unity and coexistence of the Kurdish and Turkish peoples, for a democratic Turkey and a free Kurdistan. With this desire, they took to the streets that day and shouted for peace, siblinghood and equality, expressing it by doing halay [traditional dances] and folk songs. Our duty is to enlarge the halay they took and to singing the songs of siblinghood of the people and freedom with a even louder voice.
This attack, which resulted in the biggest massacre in the history of Turkey, was carried out within the scope of the ‘çöktürme planı’ [which means something like ‘plan of forcing them to their knees’] by the Turkish government. This massacre was planned and carried out as one of the cornerstones of the road to AKP-MHP fascism. With the ‘çöktürme planı’, the democratic solution of the so-called ‘Kurdish question’ and the solution of fundamental problems, especially the democratic solution of the ‘Kurdish question’, and the construction of a democratic life were prevented and unfortunately, Turkey was dragged into a dark process again. The attack at the Ankara Train Station and the attacks and massacres in other places were carried out for this purpose. All these were carried out by the state and the government.
It is a complete deception to disguise the massacre as done by ISIS. It is the state, the AKP-MHP that committed the massacre. It is well known that ISIS has been under the direction of the state and the AKP from the beginning and that ISIS has been implementing the plans of the AKP-MHP. ISIS took its mentality and methods from the AKP-MHP government and acted to realize its goals. As a matter of fact, after ISIS was defeated by the struggle of the peoples and revolutionary democratic forces, the AKP-MHP government started to do what ISIS could not do. This is better seen and understood today. Today, all the attacks and actions of the AKP-MHP government, especially the attacks against Rojava, prove this fact.
Everything the fascist AKP-MHP government does is against the siblinghood of peoples, co-existence and democratization of Turkey. There is not a single word and practice that does not fall within this scope. To think that this is not the case, to justify some of the things done by the AKP-MHP government, is to go on the same path with fascism. It is seen that especially those who are within the system, who appear to be outside the system but cannot break away from it, try to show the AKP-MHP government’s attacks on the Kurdish people in this way. This is the understanding and approach that actually strengthens fascism. It is very important that the revolutionary democratic forces fight against this understanding and create the real democratic unity and organization of the peoples. This is the way to be committed to the struggle and memory of the martyrs and to realize them.
In this context, while condemning the massacre once again in its eighth year, we need to know that we are faced with the task of further developing the brotherhood and democratic unity of the peoples and raising the struggle against AKP-MHP fascism and we need to act with this consciousness. This is the mission that history imposes on revolutionary democratic forces.
Co-Presidency
KCK Executive Council