Our Statements

Our People Must Develop Self-Defense Everywhere Against the Attacks!

On August 28, 2022, the genocidal colonialist Turkish state murdered Suheyl Xurşid Eziz, a patriot from South Kurdistan [North Iraq] and a member of the Executive Council of Tevgera Azadi, with the help of agents and collaborators. We condemn this attack and those who carried out the attack. We express our condolences to all the people of Kurdistan, especially the family of the şehit [martyr] and the Tevgera Azadi community. We commemorate with respect and gratitude all the şehits of the revolution and democracy in the person of Suheyl Xurşid Eziz – this great patriot and supporter of the struggle – and we reiterate our promise to our şehits that we will realize their dreams.

The freedom struggle in Kurdistan is going through a critical and historical process. The people of Kurdistan have waged a tough and uninterrupted struggle against colonialism for more than a hundred years and have achieved significant gains at great cost. The genocidal colonialist Turkish state, on the other hand, aims to suppress the freedom struggle in the four parts of Kurdistan, to eliminate the gains and enforce a colonial order on the Kurdish people as it has done for the past one hundred years. In order to achieve this goal, the Turkish state has increased its attacks in the four parts of Kurdistan and wherever the struggle for the freedom of the Kurdish people takes place. These attacks are happening everywhere from South Kurdistan to Rojava [North and East Syria], Şengal [Sinjar], Maxmur and North Kurdistan [East Turkey]. These attacks on the four parts of Kurdistan and on all place where Kurds live reveal the genocidal character of the Turkish state, which aims to bring an end to the existence of all Kurds.

The latest attack on comrade Suheyl Xurşid Eziz is part of the massacre and genocide against the Kurds. As a member of the South Kurdish people, comrade Suheyl Xurşid Eziz, also known as Mamoste Şemal, was a great patriot and person of struggle. He fought for the freedom of Kurdistan throughout his life and thus represented the patriotic line. He walked on the path of the şehits and reached martyrdom leaving behind a great legacy of struggle. Undoubtedly, the patriotic people of Kurdistan will continue on the path he walked and will thus protect his legacy.

Mamoste Şemal was also a Kurdish intellectual. He prepared many works on the history and geography of Kurdistan. The martyrdom of such a valuable and great patriotic fighter and intellectual is a cause of sorrow for the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle and the people of Kurdistan. But martyrdom is not a loss for the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle, it has always been a source of strength.

The Turkish state has also intensified its airstrikes on the Soran area [part of South Kurdistan]. The increase in attacks on this area does not come without reason. The genocidal colonialist Turkish state is carrying out attacks in order to liquidate the patriotic line and to make the collaborationist and treasonist line dominant in the Soran region. The Soran region has an important place in the development of Kurdish nationhood and the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle. Soran region is one of the places where Kurdish consciousness and patriotism were first formed and where they have been preserved until today. Today, it still preserves this function for Kurdistan. It is a region where collaborationism does not enter and patriotism is preserved and represented. This characteristic of the Soran region is very important for Kurdistan and the Kurdish people. This stance of the Soran region and its patriotic people is seen as an obstacle by the Turkish state, which aims to carry out the Kurdish genocide. With its attacks, the Turkish state aims to liquidate this patriotic line represented by the Soran region and its people and to make the collaborationist line dominant. This is the main reason why the Turkish state has intensified its attacks in the Soran region and around Sulaymaniyah. All the people of Kurdistan, especially our people in the Soran region, should know this reality and take a strong stance against these attacks. Kurdish intellectuals, writers and artists should also recognize this reality better and fulfill their responsibility to defeat this plan of the enemy by raising public awareness. The patriotic political forces from Kurdistan must also unite along patriotic lines and take a stronger stance against collaborationism and betrayal in the face of these attacks that aim to make collaboration and treason dominant in the Soran region.

The genocidal colonialist Turkish state attacks and massacres not only Kurdistan Freedom Fighters but also patriots. By massacring patriots, the Turkish state wants to break the will of the people, intimidate and disconnect them from the struggle. Our people must act with the awareness that the enemy has such an aim and must defend themselves everywhere in order to defeat these attacks and aims of the enemy. The colonialist and occupying enemy carries out attacks everywhere. Against this, our people must develop their self-defense everywhere and defend themselves against these enemy tendencies. They must not only defend themselves, but also punish the enemy and its collaborator agents wherever they are detected. This is both a duty and an obligation. Our people must not leave their defense to anyone, but must guarantee their self-defense themselves.

It is a gross distortion to claim that the Turkish state only attacks PKK members or that it is attacks because of the PKK. The massacre of the comrades Mamoste Şemal and Ebû Zêyd Ebdullah Ubêyd has once again demonstrated that this is a lie and a distortion. Those who collaborate with the occupying Turkish state and those who betray the people and cause of Kurdistan want to create such a perception in order to hide and legitimize their betrayal. But it is obvious that this is a distortion and it is a futile effort to hide this betrayal in such a way. The genocidal colonialist Turkish state is anti-Kurdish and turns against anyone who fights for the freedom of Kurdistan. It attacks both PKK members and Kurdish patriots because of its Kurdish enmity. The PKK is being targeted by the enemy because it fights for the defense and liberation of Kurdistan. Because the enemy knows that as long as the PKK exists, it cannot carry out the Kurdish genocide. That is why it attacks the PKK and the guerrilla.

Yesterday, the Turkish state carried out attacks against the Behrava village close to Xanesor in Şengal and the Maxmur Refugee Camp [in South Kurdistan]. In the attack on Maxmur Camp, comrade Ebû Zêyd Ebdullah Ubêyd was murdered in the house where he lived. Comrade Ebû Zêyd Ebdullah Ubêyd was a great patriot and a person of struggle, just like Mamoste Şemal. We condemn this attack and commemorate with respect and gratitude Comrade Ebû Zêyd Ebdullah Ubêyd, who was martyred in this attack. We express our condolences to his family, the people of Maxmur Camp and the people of Kurdistan. All these attacks reveal the anti-Kurdish character and massacring face of the Turkish state. All the people of Kurdistan, especially the people of Maxmur Camp and Şengal, must express their anger against these attacks and take a clear stance.

The Iraqi government and the Regional Government of South Kurdistan must take a stand against these attacks. The massacred people are citizens of South Kurdistan and Iraq. The Turkish state has repeatedly carried out attacks and massacres. However, neither South Kurdistan nor the Iraqi government have shown a serious reaction until today. After the Perex massacre, there was a serious reaction of the people against the Turkish state, but the government and the political forces only pretended to take a stance and made sure the issue did not remain on the political agenda. If they had not acted in this way, if the reaction of the people of Iraq and South Kurdistan had been taken seriously and if actions had been taken accordingly, today’s attacks would not have happened. Therefore, the South Kurdish and Iraqi governments also bear responsibility for the latest attacks. By remaining inactive, they are complicit in these massacres of the Turkish state. It is the responsibility of the Iraqi government and and the Regional Government of South Kurdistan to take a stance against the attacks of the Turkish state. Therefore, they need to fulfill this responsibility.

There is no doubt that the patriotic people of Kurdistan will continue to support the şehits and their struggle and will thus defeat the attacks of the genocidal colonialist Turkish state. As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we once again commemorate all the şehits of the revolution and democracy in the person of the comrades Suheyl Xurşid Eziz and Ebû Zêyd Ebdullah Ubêyd and reiterate our promise to lead their struggle to victory.

Co-Presidency

KCK Executive Council