EXPANDED CONFEDERALISM / PKK : Rojava revolution must be expanded to other parts of Kurdistan

ANF – BEHDINAN 31.08.2013  – Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Executive Committee has released a statement to mark the World Peace Day September 1.PKK Executive Committee said they welcomed the World Peace Day with wishes for a democratic solution to all social problems, freedom, peace and brotherhood in the world, Middle East, Turkey and Kurdistan. Reminding that the Kurdish side has taken numerous unilateral steps for peace so far, PKK underlined that nevertheless Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan initiated a new phase on 21 March 2013 in search of a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. PKK said that the Kurdish people and movement have strongly supported this historic step and the new process led by their leader, regardless of the fact that it had risks.

Referring to the following steps of the Kurdish side, the announcement of ceasefire on 23 March and the beginning of the withdrawal process as of 8 May, PKK said that the Kurdish freedom movement has fulfilled its responsibilities by ensuring an end to clashes as of 21 March and to the bloodshed going on in the country for dozens of years now.

PKK pointed out that the AKP government has however taken no steps within this process except for distorting the truths, inspite of the fact that Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and the Kurdish movement have repeatedly warned that a solution cannot be found by means of unilateral steps and efforts.

PKK remarked that the AKP government did instead prepare for war in this process by enhancing the construction of military guard posts and dams in Kurdistan and increasing the number of village guards.

Referring to the democracy package the ruling AKP government is expected to announce in the coming days, PKK noted that “As it is understood from the statements of the Prime Minister, the democracy package of the government will not enable the removal of the obstacles to mother tongue education, nor of the ten percent election threshold. Now that the democracy package will not satisfy the demands for these fundamental rights, what will it propose for the solution of the Kurdish question? It is understood that the democracy package of the AKP government is aimed at gaining time and delaying the solution of the problem”.

PKK warned that the conflict between two sides would inevitably break out again should the government fail to give an answer to Kurdish leader’s call for urgent steps needed to be taken till September 1. PKK also warned that the potential of a new war process would be much greater than the former one, underlining that the AKP government and the Turkish state would be responsible for the bloodshed.

Referring to the increasing attacks against western Kurdistan territory, PKK said that Rojava is currently being a scene of a great war in which counter powers come together and unite with the intention of breaking the Rojava revolution.

PKK pointed out that the ongoing closure of border gates, those of northern and southern Kurdistan in particular, and AKP government’s provision of gang groups with all kinds of military and logistic support aimed to break the resistance of the people on Rojava and to make them surrender.

“People of Rojava are not only facing obstacles to the transfer of their basic needs into their territory but are also being forced to migrate from the border gate in the area which is on the contrary being held open to make sure that they can easily leave the region. The purpose of this policy is to clear Rojava of Kurds”, PKK said and called on the people in western Kurdistan not to leave their territory and to keep fighting for democratic autonomy and freedom. PKK called on Kurdish people in all parts of Kurdistan to support the Rojava revolution and to join the Kurdish resistance in order to expand the revolution to other parts of Kurdistan. PKK ended its statement by underlining that Kurds will be continuing to build democratic autonomy under the roof of democratic confederalism.