KCK Executive Council co-chair Cemil Bayık said that the Turkish state is waging a war against Kurds with the support of the KDP.

The first part of this interview can be read here

The 1st World Youth Conference was held in Paris between November 3-5 with the participation of about 350 young people from 60 countries, led by Kurdish youth. How do you evaluate the conference and the discussions?

First of all, I greet and pay my respects to all those who led, worked and participated in the conference. Young people have done important work in France. They have claimed the history, character and spirit of the youth. It is known that in 1968, young people in France started a movement which spread all over the world and had a great impact on the states and society. The youth organized this conference in Paris and focused on the problems of young people around the world. They drew attention to the obstacles to freedom and democracy. They discussed how to solve these problems, because young people all over the world are also in search and they see answers in the paradigm of Rêber Apo. That is why they take Rêber Apo’s paradigm and freedom as a basis.

In 1968, when the youth movement was developing, capitalist modernity was creating problems for humanity and eliminating the solution. Until then, the youth saw the solution in socialism, but they realized that socialism was no longer the answer. Therefore, they gave up hope both in the capitalist system and in real socialism. As a result of this search, they began to look for a revolutionary movement. That’s why the youth movement, which was founded in 1968, spread everywhere very quickly. The feminist movement was also born at that time, as well as the ecological movement. In the current period, it may not be exactly like that period, but it is comparable. The capitalist system is again a big problem for humanity. It cannot even sustain itself, so how can it be a solution for humanity? Far from being a solution, it has become a scourge to humanity. It wants to bring about the end of humanity. Real socialism, on the other hand, has already been liquidated. Young people want to develop solutions. We see in history that it is the youth who create changes and develop revolutions. The youth organized such a conference because they saw that the solution lies in Rêber Apo’s paradigm.

That is why they embrace Rêber Apo and his paradigm and join the movement. Of course, it is not enough to join the movement, they have to lead the movement. They should develop the movement everywhere and tell everyone about the importance of the movement. Rêber Apo made youth and women pioneers in his paradigm. This shows how much Rêber Apo values and appreciates them. He showed this not with words but with his practice. He founded and fought the PKK on this basis. That is why Rêber Apo said, “We started young, we will succeed young.”. Because the spirit of youth never gets old or weakens. Young people is always searching, always seeking change-transformation. What is required of the youth is to better understand Rêber Apo’s paradigm, to better explain it, and to better lead it. If they do so, they will achieve the same success as the youth movement of 1968. The conference in Paris is an important conference for the youth. Young people must educate themselves on the basis of Rêber Apo’s paradigm so that they can fulfill their leadership role.

In your previous interviews, you drew attention to the Turkish state’s strategy of special warfare to hide its losses. While the war continues in the Southern Kurdish Medya Defense Zones [areas controlled by the guerrilla forces], the HPG stated that the Turkish state has also landed its soldiers in places where there are no guerrilla forces. What does this mean?

I greet the HPG headquarters and the command of HPG and YJA Star and I also convey my respect and esteem to them because they are giving their lives not only for the Kurdish people but also for humanity under very difficult conditions and circumstances. What they were doing seemed impossible. They do it without hesitation. The Turkish state uses all NATO weapons against them; chemical weapons, tactical nuclear weapons, tanks, artillery, planes… But they still cannot achieve results because the guerrillas have a very strong will and they are attached to their goals. They have taken Rêber Apo’s attitude and approach as an example for themselves and have chosen to be at the full service of their people and humanity. That is why the guerrilla fighters are maintaining the resistance under these difficult conditions and writing dozens of epics. That is why our people must protect the guerrillas and our international friends should give meaning to this immense struggle. They should also have a look at the Kurdish young people who are steadfastly standing against the Turkish occupaying state and many of them are sacrificing their lives for this resistance. The Turkish state has mobilized all its means inside and outside the country to liquidate our movement and genocide the Kurdish people. It has linked its fate to the liquidation of the PKK and the genocide of the Kurdish people.

An essential part of this plan is the KDP and the Barzani family. Of course, not all Barzanis are the same. For example, Eyüp Barzani or Ethem Barzani are different from the rest of the family and oppose Massoud Barzani’s policies. But those in the KDP who currently dominate the Behdînan region are from Massoud Barzani’s side of the family. They are working only for their own interests and those of their families, thus serving the genocidal policies of the Turkish state. This is happening under the eyes of public opinion. Anyone who claims to be Kurdish, patriotic, politically conscientious and moral must see this. This is not a policy that anyone can accept. Serving the policy of the genociders does not benefit the Kurdish people. Therefore, democrats, patriots, politically conscientious and moral people need to see who is serving the Kurdish people and who is serving the politics of genocide. Patriotism means standing up against the politics of genocide. The Turkish state is waging this war with the support of the KDP. Not only in the Medya Defense Zones, but also in Northern and Southern Kurdistan, as well as in Rojava and in different parts of the world. The Turkish state’s policy against the Kurdish people is carried out with the support of the KDP and especially Masoud Barzani. If they did not support them, the Turkish state would not be able to carry out this policy of genocide against the Kurdish people.

The media in South Kurdistan published images of Barzani’s Peshmerga shielding the invading Turkish army from the air and on the ground. How do you evaluate this situation?

The KDP and Barzani are helping the Turkish state in every way. They are hostile to the PKK and free Kurds in every sense. They are doing this not only in the Medya Defense Zones, but also in Iraq and other countries. They are cooperating with the Turkish state on how to isolate and eliminate the PKK. As you said, the television has already shown the pictures. The outposts of the Turkish army and the KDP are side by side. The KDP is building roads for the Turkish army’s outposts. The Turkish army brings its troops with helicopters and places them under the protection of the KDP. The pictures of all this have been published, so everyone can see them. Step by step, the Turkish state is building military posts for itself in South Kurdistan. They would not be able to do this without the help of the KDP. The Turkish state is trying to intervene in Iraqi politics with the support of the Barzanis. It prevents Iraq from taking any steps and says that it must do everything according to its demands. They are threatening, they are cutting off the water. In this way, they want to use Iraq for their own politics. They have already used the Barzanis for their politics. Behdînan has become like a province of Turkey. They cannot do anything there without the Turkish state.

Turkey wants to use Iraq and the whole Middle East as a tool in its policy against the PKK. They get this power by getting supported by the KDP. In this way, the Turkish state wants to strengthen its power both in South Kurdistan and in Iraq. They do not hide their goals according to the Misak-ı Millî [National Pact]. They say that Mosul-Kirkuk and all of South Kurdistan belong to them. They say that they lost these areas through the Treaty of Lausanne, so they do not recognize it and threaten to occupy these areas. They carry out their practices based on this understanding.

There are many Turkish military posts in South Kurdistan and the Turkish intelligence [MIT] has settled in many cities from Hewlêr to Kirkuk. The aim of the Turkish state is to completely occupy South Kurdistan and to strengthen its power in Iraq. This is their goal. This is a fact that must be well understood.

The ‘People’s Defense Headquarter’ announced that its forces have withdrawn from Mexmûr [Makhmur]. Murat Karayilan, commander of the NPG, addressed the public and stated that Mexmûr can now defend itself. A few days after this statement, forces loyal to the Barzani family tried to settle in the points vacated by the HPG, and when Iraqi forces also tried to settle in these points at the same time, a clash broke out and an MIT officer was killed there. Are there any new developments in this regard and what would you like to say to the people of Mexmûr about this issue?

We have to ask ourselves why the guerrillas came to Maxmûr in the first place. Because the gangs of Daesh [ISIS] attacked Mexmûr and wanted to commit a massacre. The aim of Daesh was not only to massacre the people of Mexmûr, but also to take over South Kurdistan. They were already close to Hewlêr. In order to prevent massacres, to prevent Daesh from entering South Kurdistan and to prevent the achievements of the people of South Kurdistan from being endangered, the guerrillas went to Maxmûr on the demand of the people and parties of South Kurdistan. There the guerrillas fought against Daesh and not only defended Mexmûr but also prevented Daesh from entering Hewlêr. In other words, the guerrillas also defended the governments of South Kurdistan and Iraq. That’s why Masoud Barzani himself went to Mexmûr. His pictures, where he thanked the guerrillas, appeared on TV, because the guerrillas also defended them. The guerrillas withdrew and said that their mission was finished. The KDP troops immediately tried to take over the vacated positions. That’s why they clashed with the Iraqi forces and the MIT officer was killed. This proves that the MIT is directing the KDP. What is the KDP doing there? Because the Turkish state wants them to be there, they want to establish sovereignty over the camp, massacre people and dismantle the camp. Because the KDP is conducting a policy over the camp, there is an embargo on the camp, there is a blockade, they are preventing people from entering and leaving.

The warplanes of the Turkish state always fly over Mexmûr and commit massacres. I guess they did think that was not enough, so they wanted to commit more massacres and destroy the camp and the people’s homes. It is the demand of the Turkish state that the KDP go to Maxmûr. The departure of the KDP means the departure of the Turkish state and this has already been proved because an officer of the MIT was killed in a clash on the same day. Of course, our people in Maxmûr are conscious people, they have experience, they have been struggling for years. They are well aware of these games. They know very well why the KDP came. That is why they openly said that they did not want them there. Because the KDP is in the service of the Turkish state. Our people in the camp can develop their own defense because they have experience. They have been fighting and defending themselves since the day they left their villages. So they don’t need guerrillas anymore. Also, Iraq came to this region. So there is no need for the guerrillas to be there. Our people can take care of themselves, they can run their own system. They already have a democratic system.  What is being asked of our people is both to strengthen their system and to defend themselves. Of course, we are not leaving our people helpless. Our headquarters also made a statement in this way. We are a freedom movement and we are at the service of our people. Wherever there is danger, it is our duty to defend our people. We have done this everywhere and we will do it from now on. Therefore, our people should have no worries or fears. They should believe in themselves, that they have the power to stand against all attacks.

I also have a call to Iraq and the UN in this regard. So far, the KDP and the Turkish state have lied to them. The KDP and Turkey lied that Mexmûr was a military camp and they believed it. Based on this lie, the KDP and the Turkish state attacked Mexmûr and committed massacres. The Iraqi and UN forces kept silent and said that it was a military camp and that HPG was there. With this excuse, they did not stand against the attacks of the KDP and the Turkish state. Now the HPG is no longer there. Therefore, they have to fulfill their responsibility towards the camp. If they do not fulfill their responsibility, they will be responsible for the attacks and massacres that will surely take place. Our people should demand Iraq and the UN to fulfill their responsibilities.

Strange things are happening in Turkey right now. Before the elections, you have drawn attention to the dangers for society. Recently, the Supreme Court of Cassation did not “recognize” the Constitutional Court and filed a criminal complaint against its members. What does this mean? How do you assess these events?

Now they have thrown the decisions of the Constitutional Court in the garbage. We said that if the AKP-MHP won the elections, they would install fascism everywhere. What is happening in Turkey is happening on this basis. AKP-MHP has taken many steps and now they are taking their last steps. In other words, they have abolished the regime and institutions established by Mustafa Kemal. Only the Constitutional Court was left to defend the old system. That’s why they took their last step to neutralize the Constitutional Court. AKP and MHP are developing a regime based on the Turkish-Islamic synthesis. They want to complete this by neutralizing the Constitutional Court. In other words, they are hammering the last nail. Rêber Apo said, “If the Kurdish problem is not solved, the coup mechanism will be activated and fascism will develop. This process is happening now with the AKP-MHP. They are taking their last step. The opposition in Turkey has also served this. In other words, they did everything for the AKP-MHP to build a regime based on racism and religionism. They never stood against the government’s moves. They always served the government. They did this against the Kurdish people with arrests, massacres, seizure of trustees, arrest of deputies. The opposition did not raise its voice even for one day. Again, they all stood by the AKP-MHP for the war law. Now, they say that the Constitutional Court is neutralized and the government wants to make a new constitution.

This situation is similar to when Laz was executed. They asked him what his last wish was and he said: “Let this be a lesson for me.” This is the situation of the opposition in Turkey at the moment. What Erdoğan said: ‘The horse has passed Üsküdar. Interestingly, when the Israel-Hamas war started, when all the attention was on this war, Erdoğan put the issue of the Constitutional Court on the agenda. Because everyone’s attention is on the Israel-Hamas war, Erdoğan wanted to achieve his goal in this environment. Turkish society has very big problems. In order not to draw the reaction of society, he changes the agenda and creates other agendas. The move of the Constitutional Court is the last move to keep the AKP-MHP in power. Erdoğan has said before that a new constitution is necessary. He is deceiving and mocking everyone by saying that this constitution will also be democratic. The constitution they want to make is a totally fascist constitution. It is not possible to make a democratic constitution in this way.

The opposition must realize this and seriously reconsider its position. The socialists, the democratic and freedom forces, all those who fight against fascism must urgently take part in the formation of a common democratic movement. Again, there was the alliance of Labor and Freedom. This alliance must be further strengthened. Everyone should take self-defense as a basis. If society is not made conscious on this basis, if the struggle for democracy is not developed, there will be nothing left for them to do. With the fascist system, everyone would not be able to breathe. Even now, they cannot breathe. If they make a new constitution, the government will do whatever it wants. Everyone must see this. That the government is taking this step now is not a surprise. They have been coming to this point step by step for years. This is the last step and the opposition is just realizing it. A few years ago, Erdoğan said “I don’t recognize this decision and I don’t respect it” regarding a decision of the Constitutional Court. He also took steps on this basis. As a result of these steps, they are throwing the decisions of the Constitutional Court in the trash. This is not something that happened suddenly.

The international societies are reacting to the Israeli oppression in Palestine more than their states. Kurdish people in different countries of the world also take part in protests against Israel. You have already made your position clear as an organization. What do you want to say about the current state of the war? What should the people and the international powers do for a solution?

We oppose all forms of genocide. What is happening now against the Palestinian people is genocide. So we are against it. This war must be stopped immediately, genocide must be prevented. Some states are meeting, making statements, saying that the war should stop, there should be a ceasefire, the problem should be solved, a Palestinian state should be established. These are all just words. None of them are based on a real search for a solution. All these moves are based on the interests of the state. They do not act against genocide, they do not bring a solution. Peoples, societies, socialists, ecological, women and youth movements all over the world stand for the Palestinian people and against genocide. These movements should work even stronger and put pressure on their states, put pressure on Israel. Then this problem will be solved. Problems cannot be solved by creating nation states, by religionism, by racism. These are what create the problems in the first place. They are the causes of genocide and war.

A movement is currently developing within the Jewish people that stands against the war and the ongoing genocide. This is a good development because it is necessary for the Palestinian and Jewish people to join hands to stand together against the war. A common fight is needed; that is the only solution. Both Hamas and the Israeli state abuse religion and racism to promote war and genocide. To put an end to this, Palestinians and Jews must stand together. On this basis, relationships with the other peoples of the Middle East, as well as on a global level, can be developed. This is how we can stand together against war and be successful.

What Erdoğan is doing right now is a play and a big lie. He pretends to stand up for the Palestinian people in order to obscure his own reality. How can the person who carries out genocide against the Kurdish people stand on the side of the Palestinian people? If he wants to live a truly sincere friendly relationship with the Palestinian people, he must first create a sincere friendly relationship with the Kurdish people. Both the Palestinian and Kurdish people are suffering great pain, caused by the Israeli state on the one hand and the Turkish state on the other. How could the Turkish state be the friend of the Palestinian people? They present themselves in this way based on their own interests. In order to complete the genocide of the Kurds parallel to the events, they are staging themselves like this. Also, to strengthen their own government, they change the agenda in their own country and thus delay the inevitable protests. Erdoğan says that for him Hamas is not a terrorist organization. Confronted with this, the head of NATO answers it is not a problem for them. What Erdoğan is doing is waging an absolute psychological war, a special warfare. He is not a true friend of the Palestinian people. Those who are attacking Palestine today have their headquarters in Konya. There they organize their educations, prepare themselves and attack from there. There has never been as much trade between Israel and Turkey as there is today. This continues unabated in the war. How can they claim to be friends of the Palestinian people? They negotiate with the Palestinian people as a stake that can be sacrificed. Erdoğan says he will only be willing to classify Hamas as a terrorist group if the YPG is also designated as such. So he wants to continue the genocide against the Kurds. This is the basis on which Erdoğan is currently doing his play and spinning his lies.