october 01, 2022
Iran Needs to Take Steps to Solve its Problems
Since Iranian state forces tortured and murdered the Kurdish woman Jîna Emînî, many people have lost their lives as a result of the Iranian state’s violent response to the popular protests that started in East Kurdistan and later spread all over Iran. It is unacceptable that the Iranian state responded violently to the popular demonstrations led by women, which reflect the demands for democracy and freedom of the entire Iranian society, especially women, and that many people lost their lives as a result of the state´s attacks. As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we condemn this aggressive attitude of the Iranian state and respectfully commemorate all those who have lost their lives.
In addition to the attacks against the people in Iran, the Iranian state has also attacked South Kurdistan and targeted East Kurdish forces there. Because the Iranian state considers the Kurds to be responsible for the recent protests, it turns towards the Kurds and Kurdish organizations from East Kurdistan and carries out attacks against them. As a result of these attacks against Kurdish organizations, many revolutionaries, patriots and civilian people have lost their lives. We commemorate those who lost their lives as a result of these attacks and express our condolences to the people of Kurdistan and to the East Kurdish forces that were attacked. Furthermore, we condemn these attacks carried out by the Iranian state against Kurdish forces. This approach of the Iranian state only leads to negative consequences and deepens the problems, especially for the Iranian people and the Iranian state.
The Iranian state must recognize the democratic demands of the Iranian peoples, especially women’s demands for freedom, and take steps to meet these demands and solve the problems. The demands expressed by Kurdish and Iranian women are democratic, legitimate and universal. Women’s demands cannot be ignored and their violent suppression is unacceptable. The Iranian state’s approach that ignores the reality of women, does not recognize their free will and tries to suppress it with state violence is inhumane and unacceptable. It must stop approaching women and women’s demands for freedom with a male-dominated mentality and understanding. With the attitude it has taken against the freedom demands of society and peoples, especially women, the Iranian state, which says that it has a positive approach to women, society and human beings based on the historical culture and beliefs it represents, has shown that this is not true. Approaching women´s reality, nature and demands for freedom with a male-dominated understanding and mentality is not right and will not yield any results.
Every time the Iranian state tries to portray the protests of the people, which reflect their anger and legitimate demands, as a plot by foreign powers. This discourse must be abandoned since it has nothing to do with reality. The Iranian people and society, especially women, have serious problems. Instead of blaming the situation on foreign powers, the Iranian state should recognize and accept this reality. Any power that closes itself off in terms of democracy and freedoms cannot have legitimacy, nor can it survive. Therefore, the Iranian state must take steps to address the problems faced by society and its demands. Dialogue, negotiation and reconciliation methods should be taken as a basis for the solution of the problems and democratization steps should be taken to solve the problems.
Both the Iranian state and other powers know that as the Kurdish Freedom Movement we have always opposed the interventions of foreign powers in the Middle East. The interventions of foreign powers are not made for the benefit of the peoples and do not yield any positive results for them. Therefore, we consider our stance to be right and maintain it. The most correct and effective way to prevent the intervention of foreign powers is to take steps that meet the demands of society for freedom and democracy. If democratization steps are taken, the grounds for foreign powers to play games and intervene will be eliminated and prevented. Unless this is done, neither the state will have legitimacy in the eyes of society nor the danger of intervention by foreign powers will be eliminated.
Instead of blaming the Kurds for the popular protests, the Iranian state should focus on the solution of the Kurdish problem. The Kurdish problem must be recognized and accepted and steps must be taken to solve it. The Kurdish question is one of the most fundamental problems not only in Iran but also in the Middle East. This reality cannot be ignored. Whoever ignores it will be the first to be harmed. Therefore, attacks against the Kurdish people and forces are not in the interest of the Iranian state. The Iranian state must acknowledge this reality, give up attitudes that ignore it, and stop its attacks against the Kurdish people, women and organizations as soon as possible.
Co-Presidency
KCK Executive Council