Besê Erzincan (KJK) said that Turkey responded with more attacks to the HPG and YJA Star's decision to suspend military actions because of the earthquake.

Your movement has decided to suspend any military action after the earthquake, while the Kurdish people are carrying out solidarity work. What can you say about that?

After the earthquake, the KCK chairs made an appeal to the HPG and YJA Star, asking them to carry out no actions, but only respond if attacked. The HPG and YJA Star have accepted this approach and have declared that they will not take any action in this painful process for our people. Contrary to this humanitarian and admirable attitude, the AKP government continues to attack the guerrillas in the regions of Zap and Avaşîn, including with the use of banned chemical weapons. In fact, after the earthquake, Turkey intensified its attacks against our people by declaring a state of emergency. In doing so, the government showed the world its inhuman, ruthless face. On the other hand, guerrillas and our people will, of course, continue to carry out their own self-defense under all circumstances and in the most effective way.

What about the women-led solidarity campaigns?

The humanitarian, fraternal and friendly attitude of the Kurdish people, women and peoples and religions of the Middle East in the face of this earthquake and their attitude of helping and supporting the people in the earthquake-affected areas have set an example for the whole world. Aid was sent from different parts of Kurdistan and Turkey, especially from our compatriots in Botan, as well as from Europe. The people went and worked in the earthquake areas, with their commitment to the unity of the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East, the sense of brotherhood, the development of love and respect. The women have shown exemplary behavior in the face of the earthquake. The HDP and TJA [Free Women's Movement] led the solidarity work and tried to heal the wounds of the earthquake victims. Many opposition parties and civil society organizations from Turkey also stood by the people. Women voluntarily went to the earthquake area, organized themselves and took on a visible leadership role in society. Aid convoys were sent from southern to northern Kurdistan and northern Syria to Shehba. People in Europe have mobilized in any possible way. Our people, our friends and aid organizations from different countries have stood by the earthquake victims.

Solidarity is the only way to act

We take this opportunity to greet and congratulate all the people who have sent aid to the earthquake areas and worked there personally. We especially greet the people of Pazarcık, Adıyaman, Malatya, Hatay, Aleppo and Şehba. Helping each other in these very difficult days, being together, sharing the pain and meeting the needs is the only possible way to act, ethically and humanitarianly. It is a patriotic task, a liberal, socialist attitude.

Although the pain of this earthquake is very great, it can be overcome through help, solidarity, friendship and unity. No matter how great our suffering, we can lighten the burden of this catastrophe by empowering one another.

The greatest power is the strength that comes from society and fills people who strengthen each other. This power can also overcome material shortcomings. In other words, society's self-power is the most fundamental, the only power that, in our view, can overcome all kinds of difficulties. These difficult days can only be overcome with the support and help that women and society as a whole offer to the people in the earthquake-affected areas.

Our people can overcome all kinds of disasters with their own self-organization, without expecting anything from the state. They can relieve the pain of the wounds. They can help heal wounds.

How do you rate the efforts of the AKP-MHP government to depopulate the earthquake areas?

The policy of Turkifying west of the Euphrates, which the state previously tried to implement with the Eastern Reform Plan, especially in Pazarcık, Adıyaman and Hatay, is now to be implemented using the suffering caused by earthquakes and destruction. The demographic structure of Kurdistan is being changed using the earthquake. Our people are being forced to emigrate. The Arabs from Antakya and the Kurds from Adıyaman and Maraş are to be separated from their homes. These areas are to be turned into Turkish provinces. To counter this policy, our people should never leave their own country. The destroyed houses, neighbourhoods and cities must be rebuilt in some way. Those who were forced to leave their own towns and villages must create the conditions and return. On this basis, we call on our people to take care of their own towns and villages.

We must fight for children

The other horrendous aspect has been the kidnapping of hundreds of orphans after the earthquake to alienate these orphans from their own community in order to turn them into soldiers, officials, agents and murderers of their own people. This is a tradition in the Turkish state. Thousands of children were kidnapped after the Dersim uprising. These children are subjected to assimilation, which is a cruel and very ugly form of genocide.

Our people, political parties, institutions and civil society organizations should definitely follow this matter. The children should be taken to their relatives, to their own community. Families and relatives should take care of children. Not a single child should be left to the state. This requires very special work, research and sensitivity. The topic has to get on the public agenda. Women's organizations, legal organizations and society must work very seriously on this. We need to fight for these children.

With this in mind, we would like to reiterate that we always stand by our people, society and women everywhere.

The fascist AKP-MHP government will be held accountable for the terrible massacres caused by this earthquake disaster. The people of Turkey and the women will hold this bloody fascism accountable and they will certainly succeed in throwing the AKP-MHP government into the bin of history.