june 13, 2023
Halt of Military Attacks Has Ended
Two major earthquakes centered in Elbistan and Pazarcık took place on February 6, 2023. After it had become clear that the consequences of the earthquake were very severe, we – in light of our humanitarian and moral responsibility – decided as a movement not to carry out any military attacks until this severe humanitarian situation was over and consequently shared our decision with the public. For the same reason, we also called on all our forces and all other revolutionary democratic forces to refrain from any attacks, especially in the cities [of Turkey]. In response to this call, our People’s Defense Forces [HPG] announced to the public that they had stopped their attacks and that they would not take any action apart from self-defense measures against attacks. The HPG and all military units affiliated to it have since fully complied with this decision taken by our movement.
While the heavy impact of the earthquake was still continuing, Turkey entered an election process. During this election, which was considered important by both the people of Kurdistan and the society in Turkey, we decided to extend our halt of all military attacks until the end of the elections in order to eliminate the grounds for provocations by the fascist AKP-MHP government and to thus ensure that the election leads to results in favor of the peoples and the democratic forces. We then again shared this decision with the public. Undoubtedly, as a movement, we advocate and struggle for the democratic political solution of the Kurdish question and the democratization of Turkey. In this respect, our decision constituted a clear support for politics and the political process.
Undoubtedly, our people, patriotic, democratic and friendly-minded Kurdish organizations, many individuals and democratic forces in Turkey, numerous regional and international forces and institutions and the democratic public saw this decision positively and supported it. However, the Turkish state and the AKP-MHP government rebutted the decision by increasing their attacks aimed at occupation, annihilation and genocide. The fascist AKP-MHP government never stopped its attacks during this process, continued its push towards guerrilla areas and did not stop using banned weapons. Apart from the guerrilla areas, it continued its attacks and massacres against Kurds in South Kurdistan [North Iraq], Şengal, Maxmur and Rojava. It has also increased its attacks against the people and democratic politics in Turkey and North Kurdistan [East Turkey]. Furthermore, it continued the isolation of Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] and even aggravated it. In short, within the scope of the annihilation and genocide concept of the fascist AKP-MHP government, it continued and even stepped up its attacks against our movement and our people and intensified the isolation of Leader Apo. The guerrilla has adhered to the decision we took despite all these increasing attacks of the Turkish army. Yet, the increasing attacks of the AKP-MHP government have made the decision to halt all military attacks meaningless. The opposition in Turkey has not responded to our humanitarian and conscientious stance, which constitutes a contribution to the political process, and has thus not been able to differentiate itself from the government by maintaining a nationalist and narrow approach.
Despite this decision – taken as a requirement of our humanitarian and moral responsibility in order to prevent provocations during the election process and to contribute to the development of a political foundation – the attacks and massacres against our forces and our people have continued and increased for more than four months now. In addition, the isolation of Leader Apo has been further aggravated. The recent murder of our revolutionary comrade Baran Avrêl (Hüseyin Arasan) in Sulaymaniyah also makes clear that AKP-MHP fascism has launched a new wave of attacks against our movement and our people. Against this wave of fascist attacks, the need for an active struggle and for attacks on the enemy everywhere has become inevitable. For all these reasons, we hereby declare that we will end the halt of all military attacks as of today.
Today, everybody has understood more than ever that no progress can take place without the destruction of AKP-MHP fascism. Based on this reality, everyone, especially our people and all revolutionary democratic forces, must further increase the struggle against the fascist AKP-MHP government.
Co-Presidency
KCK Executive Council