Duran Kalkan, member of the KCK Executive Council, spoke about the misleading policy of the CPT with regards to Abdullah Öcalan´s imprisonment, the dangerous attitude of international and regional powers towards the Kurdish question, Öcalan´s willingness to solve the current crisis democratically. major recent attacks by the guerrilla forces in South Kurdistan/North Iraq and the latest meeting of Turkey´s Nationals Security Council.

Democratic Solution Possible with Abdullah Öcalan

“If the so-called Kurdish problem is to be solved, it will be solved through democratic and political methods. If there is to be peace and a Kurdish-Turkish peace on this basis, the peoples in the Middle East and humanity as a whole will move towards peace. If a free and democratic life is to be achieved, the only power who can realize this is Leader Apo. No one should deceive themselves. Let no one say that there is any other way. We will continue this war if necessary. If there are some who say, “Our interests lie in the existence of this problem, in the continuation of this conflict. We will solve this issue on the basis of annihilating the Kurds by carrying out a genocide.”, and if they envision this as a solution, I don´t have anything to say to them. Will they be able to do this or not? They have been trying for 200 years. It cannot be said that they have not made any progress, but this is how far they have got despite all their efforts. It is clear that this will not be easy for them. Still, it’s up to them. But we intend to really solve the problem. We will solve it with democracy, freedom and peace. If this problem is to be solved for the benefit of the Kurds, Turks, the peoples of the Middle East and humanity, then the only person who can ensure this is Leader Apo. We have always wanted everybody to make use of this fact and have brought this situation to everyone’s attention. Leader Apo has made the most comprehensive evaluations about this issue. He has put forward ideas for a solution. Now it seems that instead of seriously evaluating this opportunity for a solution, games are being played. This constitutes a great danger and is a sign of a great lack of seriousness. This kind of approach will burn everyone. In other words, we are heading towards an outcome that will almost cause an apocalypse. Therefore, everyone needs to come to their senses.”

Questionable Policy of CPT Regarding Imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan

“We really don’t understand the CPT, what kind of organization it is. Its name sounds so appealing. Fighting against torture is the most basic human right, the most democratic stance. In this respect, we have tried to attribute importance to this institution. At the beginning we thought the CPT was an important institution, but then it turned out that this was not the case. It doesn’t have any power to solve things. It cannot do anything. It can’t guarantee visits by the lawyers of family members. In other words, the situation on İmralı has been established by the CPT. This institution has established İmralı and accepts the current state of lawlessness there. What kind of a European institution is this? Is this what the European Declaration of Human Rights means? We don’t know if this is the decision of the ECHR. The truth in İmralı has unmasked everybody. It has exposed the lies and shed light on everything. It turns out that all the promises were lies. When you scrape off the varnish, you can clearly see what kind of oppression and despotism we are faced with.”

Responsibility of EU Institutions for CPT´s Policy

“The applied practices in İmralı clearly show this. There are rules that must be applied to every prisoner. Moreover, İmralı is not a place of detention based on Turkish law. European law is being applied there. That is why we consider the CPT responsible and hold it accountable. Is the CPT´s influence really this small? If it has so little influence, why did it become such an institution? In fact, it is not. We know that it is not so ineffective. The CPT really thinks it can fool the Kurds. It really thinks that anything can be done to the Kurds. They have a colonialist, genocidal mentality. And the CPT is not the only one responsible for this. It is not an institution on its own. It is affiliated with the Council of Europe. It is linked to the decisions of the ECtHR. And it is the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that puts these decisions into practice. So we talk about the CPT, but we do not only consider the CPT as responsible. In fact, when we talk about the CPT we mean all these different institutions. They are all responsible for the current situation. In other words, the Council of Europe and its Committee of Ministers are the ones who are the most responsible for the practices in İmralı. They consider this situation as appropriate. This reveals their true faces. This situation clearly shows how their democracy is a mask, how human rights are nothing more than words, what their economic and political interests are and that they do not go beyond those interests. So they should neither try to deceive themselves, nor anyone else.”

Need to Hold Greek State Responsible for Involvement in Imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan

“Of course Greece should be put on trial. Greece was called upon not only afterwards, but also when Leader Apo was taken from Syria to Europe. MPs made calls because the parliament had taken a decision. At the time, many MPs said that everything would be provided. On this basis, they turned the direction of Leader Apo’s exodus from Syria to Greece. They didn’t let him into Greece at first. Then they tried to drive him into a void in order to kill him. But Leader Apo pushed them aside and went from Russia to Rome. But with all kinds of tricks, they made him leave Rome as well. Then, they made him go back to Greece. What happened in Greece? They took him to Minsk from there. There, they were going to take him off the plane and kill him. When they were taking him from Corfu, they caused an accident of the plane. They were going to destroy the car he was in. When they couldn’t destroy it, they took him to Kenya, saying this was the decision of the Greek government. In Kenya, Leader Apo stayed in the Greek embassy. There, he was taken out of the embassy and delivered to Turkey. The Greek embassy in Kenya handed him over to them. At the time, Greek intelligence officers were with Leader Apo. They were the ones who handed him over. He did not go to Kenya on his own. He was not taken from Kenya and brought to Turkey based on his own will. It was the Greek government that took him from Greece to Kenya. It was also the Greek government that handed him over to the CIA and the Turkish state in Kenya. It was the Greek embassy as an institution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There were special officers of the Greek intelligence service in the plane until he [Abdullah Öcalan] was handed over. They were in charge. They ensured Leader Apo’s departure by making promises to him. What was the result? He was taken to İmralı. Of course Greece is responsible for all this.”

NATO and EU´s Involvement in Greek State´s Policy Towards Kurdish People

“In fact, if things had happened differently, they would have already been tried and punished. Because of Greece, European law would have really needed to be subjected to a new discussion and to corrections. But when it comes to the Kurdish issue, when it comes to the Kurds, when it comes to the attack on the Kurdish will for existence and freedom, no one dwells on it. Everyone considers themselves right, because no one accepts the Kurds and simply ignores them. They predicate their existence, life and economic and political interests on the annihilation of the Kurds. Therefore, the Kurds don´t have any rights, which is why it is also impossible to commit crimes against them. They do not recognize the rights of the Kurdish people. Therefore, there cannot be any crime. If there are no rights, of course there can be no crime. The İmralı system has been existing for 24 years now. It is based on the international conspiracy, the tricks and games associated with it. At the center of these tricks and games stands the Greek government of the time and Greek politics. And of course it was the CIA that directed the international conspiracy. It were NATO’s Gladio structures. Greece is a member of the European Union and a member of NATO. Of course NATO and the European Union are responsible for everything Greece does. Greece does everything it does with their knowledge and approval. That’s how they carried out the conspiracy. That’s how they established İmralı.”

Imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan Constitutes International Issue

“We are responsible for the situation in İmralı as a movement and as a people, as the entire Kurdish society, as democratic Turkey, the Middle East and humanity. Everyone is responsible for İmralı. Imrali concerns everyone. The pulse of all humanity beats there. In that respect, it cannot be approached in a simple, superficial or normal way. So what needs to happen now? A full mobilization is necessary. Our people, women, youth, all Kurds, wherever they are in the four parts of Kurdistan and all over the world are responsible for this situation. They need to consider themselves responsible and understand the current danger. In other words, they need to know how to stand against this danger, how to fight against it. In this situation, it is completely unacceptable to stand still, to sleep or to just sit around. This applies not only to the Kurds, but to everyone who says they are revolutionaries, democrats, socialists, human rights supporters, ecologists or women’s liberationists. The litmus paper for all of them is İmralı. Their attitude towards the situation in İmralı shows how left, democratic, libertarian, ecologist and in favor of human rights they are. There is no other measure. This issue clarifies everything. İmralı is a center of clarification in terms of shedding light on the reality of the world, the reality of power and the state, the reality of the Kurds, the approach to the Kurds and the genocidal mentality and politics. One can say I am a democrat. One can say I am this or that. But you cannot be a democrat by just calling yourself that. One cannot be in favor of human rights by just talking about it. All this is related to your actual attitude. The attitude towards İmralı is essential. İmralı is the most concrete, the most comprehensive and the most clarifying place in this regard. The Kurdish question is also like this. The will to solve the Kurdish question, the will of the Kurdish people for freedom is held prison in İmralı. There is an attack on all this in İmralı.”

Need for Strong International Protests for Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan

“The situation is very serious. Historically speaking, we are in the most extraordinary period of our struggle as a movement and as a people. So we really need to fight against this situation based on a comprehensive mobilization. Everyone really needs to stand up. An uninterrupted and continuous mobilization is a must until Leader Apo´s lawyers and family are allowed to go to İmralı to support and defend Leader Apo, to defend our existence and freedom, until his lawyers and family get concrete information about Leader Apo and the prisoners in İmralı. There have been calls made in this regard. There are different institutions that have called for a comprehensive mobilization, such as the KCDK-E. We agree with their calls. Many organizations have made similar statements. All of these statements are absolutely correct, important and meaningful. They should not only remain statements. Since the most recent information came to light, there have been some protests. We must intensify and spread these protests in all four parts of Kurdistan and all over the world. Every Kurdish person – no matter if young or old – woman, young person, child, elderly person, must take responsibility. They need to organize the people around them, participate in the protests and increase the struggle. We must definitely continue our struggle for the freedom of Leader Apo, for his health and safety, at least until we receive concrete information. Of course, we must continue our struggle in various forms until the İmralı torture system is dismantled and Leader Apo is free. On this basis, I respectfully greet all those who have taken to the streets in different places and participated in the protests last weekend against the current situation, especially abroad, and I wish them successful protests in the future.”

Recent Important Developments in War in South Kurdistan/North Iraq

“The resistance is led by the guerrilla. Today, the guerrilla in Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna [South Kurdistan/North Iraq] are the vanguard of this great resistance. Therefore, the revelation of the current situation and the spread of the information mentioned before are linked to the great attacks of the guerrilla. Both the PKK’s glorious 45th anniversary and the victorious and highly successful attacks of the guerrilla forces in Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna, who celebrated this anniversary with the greatest possible attacks, have led to the current situation. The HPG BIM [press center of guerrilla forces] publishes all available information and related videos. There will be more to discuss in the coming hours and days as more and more videos will be published in the press. Everyone will see what the guerrilla has done in Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna on the anniversary of the founding of the PKK, and what kind of blows it has dealt to the AKP-MHP fascist dictatorship. This constitutes a peak. Especially the attacks on Girê Hakkarî [Hakkarî hill] and Girê Cûdî [Cûdî Hill, in South Kurdish Metîna area] show the point the war in Zap has reached. Those who want to know how this war is going can look here. One can clearly state that the recent attacks were a crushing blow. The Minister of War [Hulusi Akar] and the General Staff all rushed to Çukurca [area in North Kurdistan/East Turkey, close to Iraqi border] right afterwards. They tried to prevent the syndrome experienced by the commanders and the fighting force there. They tried to prevent their dispersal. Hulusi Akar had said once before that they needed to boost morale and that they were in a difficult situation. Now he doesn’t make such blunders anymore. Because he has done so a lot. Instead, he keeps quiet. But the situation is much worse for them than it was back then. They need new motivation in order to be able to hold out there. A disintegration is happening in their ranks and they need to try to prevent it. They have suffered a heavy blow there and are now trying to stop it. They were swept away from a significant part of Girê Hakkarî recently. The guerrilla broke the occupation, swept away the occupier and liberated some important strategic areas. The balance sheets are all public. They are included in the statements of the HPG BIM which clearly reveal the state of the war. In other words, on November 26-27, the guerrilla carried out a strong revolutionary operation. The attack on Girê Hakkarî was important. It led to huge results and was very successful. So was the attack on Girê Cûdî. This spread all the way to Çemço [in South Kurdish Zap area]. Large and small attacks also happened in other places. And it continues like this. Therefore, on behalf of our party leadership, I would like to congratulate the guerrilla forces on their revolutionary operations and attacks. I salute the command and fighters of the HPG and YJA Star who carried out these attacks. And I commemorate all martyrs with respect and gratitude.”

New Phase of War and Intensification of Fighting

“All this shows that a new phase has started. This is an indicator of how the war will develop in the coming winter and spring. The invaders are in a difficult situation and are getting hit. The season has changed, they are spread out too much and cannot protect themselves. The press also reported that they [Turkish army] were gathering some of their forces. The places where the recent attacks took place were the places where the Turkish army had taken measures to protect itself. These were places where they had withdrawn to from other places and where they had planned to stay for the winter. It turned out that it is not possible for them to survive against the guerrilla with these measures. The recent guerrilla attacks have shown this clearly. This is very important with regards to the current phase. There were also threats. They talked about entering Rojava and bombarded the region. AKP-MHP fascism threatened the peoples of Mexmûr, Şengal [Sinjar] and North and East Syria. They thought that they would get help from the USA, Russia and Iran for their planned attack. The AKP-MHP was threatening everyone. Now, it has become clear that such threats were all empty. The war is taking place in the Medya Defense Zones [in South Kurdistan/North Iraq]. It is focused on the areas Zap and Avaşîn. What is their situation in the war there? What have they been able to achieve? How much have they achieved what they had aimed for? How long can they survive there? The recent guerrilla attacks have unmasked them. They have revealed that all those threats were empty. What is left exposed is a relentless war. And this war continues. The recent attacks are important. They will have military and political consequences. It has become much more difficult for AKP-MHP fascism to continue the occupation. It looks like they will receive more similar blows in the future. Of course, AKP-MHP fascism is also using all the means of Turkey, plus foreign means. It is trying to get support from Russia, NATO and everywhere. It directs all the support it receives to the genocide and war against the Kurds. There is no budget in Turkey, there is no economy. The main thing is the war. All means are being directed to this war. Therefore, AKP-MHP fascism will try to survive. The war continues to intensify. Despite the changing seasonal conditions, snow everywhere, mud and cold, the war continues with all its intensity. And it seems that it will continue throughout the winter. Why? Because the invaders have not been able to implement their plans, to succeed and to occupy the area. They have entered different places, but they have not been able to destroy the guerrilla and successfully carry out their occupation. On the contrary, the Turkish army has entered everywhere but has now become a target for the guerrilla. Using its technical and other capabilities, it tries to hit the guerrilla wherever it can, but it is a target itself in hundreds of places. And the guerrilla attacks whenever its gets the chance. It seems that it will hit even more in the future. The coming phase will witness an even more violent war. This is the case in the Media Defense Zones, in different areas of North Kurdistan and in the cities. Whether this war will spread to Rojava or not will be determined by the decisions of the AKP-MHP government.”

Strong Support for Success of Guerrilla Forces

“Now we can say here that yes, the guerrilla has prevented the invasion, fought a great war, struck heavy blows and has shown great courage and sacrifice. Indeed, the Apoist self-sacrifice has reached its peak in the war in Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna that has been going on for the last 7 to 8 months. This will continue. The war will continue intensifying. The guerrilla will continue this war and achieve important results. It has the power and possibility to continue and achieve results, to gain victory and defeat the invader. The recent attacks have shown that. We are absolutely convinced about that. We expect the whole youth and all our people to recognize this reality well, to unite even more with the guerrilla resistance and to increase the popular resistance that unites with the guerrilla in every field. Especially the youth and women need to assume more responsibility in this regard. They need to carry out more effective attacks. And our people and international friends in the four parts of Kurdistan and abroad need to be able to continue uninterruptedly the popular resistance that completes the guerrilla. This is the call of the guerrilla. This is the conclusion we can draw from the guerrilla’s attacks. If this happens, we will win. Everyone must have a share in this victory. Everyone must be able to do something to achieve victory. A correct understanding of guerrilla warfare and a people who are integrated and united with it must be developed in every field of resistance. This is our call to the youth and the people.”

Importance of Last Meeting of Turkey´s National Security Council

“The last meeting of the year of Turkey´s National Security Council (NSC) came right after the recent revolutionary guerrilla attacks. They evaluated this in their meeting. Immediately after the attacks, the delegation from the Ministry of Defense responsible for the whole war went to the area. They were that worried. These attacks had an impact just like the big attack in Çukurca in 2011. This shows how huge of an attack it was, how heavy a blow had been dealt to the AKP-MHP administration and the fascist hordes fighting there. Otherwise they wouldn’t have gone there. After the information received from there had been taken to Ankara, the NSC convened. We cannot say that this was an ordinary monthly meeting of the NSC. This was an extraordinary meeting. In other words, they discussed how to overcome the shock of the heavy blow that the guerrilla struck. They discussed what to do now. They always publish the results of their meeting in the form of a declaration. Of course we don’t take what they say as basis since it is not credible. There are some hints, but they don’t say what they really discussed. What did they discuss, how will they get out of the situation they are in? This is what they discussed about. We don’t know what kind of opinions were voiced during the meeting. Different opinions may have been put forward. For example, some of them may have discussed withdrawal, if they were not afraid. Because we all know what happened to Yaşar Büyükanıt and İlker Başbuğ after they withdrew from Zap in 2008. Now Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli are afraid of the same happening to them. Because at that time it were Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli who attacked İlker Başbuğ and Yaşar Büyükanıt the most. They called them guilty and accused them of not being able to fight against terrorism or the PKK. Now Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli are in the same position. They are still resisting not to end up in that situation. That is why they have imposed kind of a ban. They prohibit most of the discussions. They want to determine everything themselves. If there were free discussions, certainly a withdrawal would be discussed. If some people dared, they might have brought it up during the meeting of the NSC. We don’t know if that really happened. But they definitely discussed the following: ´The situation is serious. We are being hit hard. How are we going to get ourselves out of this situation?´ That’s what they are looking for. Will they retreat? Or will they attack somewhere else? Let’s be careful. They have carried out many attacks and have made many arrests recently. And they blamed the opposition. They blame the HDP and threaten to shut it down. In front of the eyes of NATO and the US. They attacked the Free Women’s Movement and arrested dozens of patriotic, revolutionary women. All these women were opposing chemical weapons, waging a revolutionary struggle and demanding freedom. They were educating the people. It was as if they were taking revenge for what happened in Zap. There is no justification for those arrests. This is like a retaliation for the blow they recently received. On the other hand, they are also threatening every day that they will attack Rojava, that they will attack North and East Syria.”

Fall of AKP-MHP Regime Necessary

“Recently, there were news about the US not wanting it [Turkish attacks against North and East Syria] and about Germany and France being totally against it. Part of the Turkish press said Norway was good since it supported Turkey. The Norwegians stated that they understand the Turkish state’s struggle against terrorism for self-defense. Against which terror? If these statements are true, they need to come to their senses. Who is a terrorist here? Which terror are they talking about? Who has a security problem? A genocide is being carried out. You are talking about the security of the one who is carrying out a genocide. You are giving rights to the executioner and oppressor. What kind of mentality is that? What kind of politics is that? This is Europe. It considers itself a democracy. What a democrat. What kind of democrat is one who does not oppose genocide? Is it democratic not to oppose a massacre? Is it democratic to deny the rights of a people? Turkey is in a difficult situation, but it can still attack. It seems that the people of North and East Syria have taken certain precautions. They have made many statements recently. They stand upright and are brave. It is clear that they will stand courageously. If Turkey launches new military attacks, they can attack the [South Kurdish] areas Zap and Avaşîn. Turkey is in a very critical period. Things don´t work any longer with this administration. This administration cannot bring about change. It is not clear how it will change. Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli do not intend to leave the administration. Especially the ideas of the MHP and Devlet Bahçeli are in power. They control everything. During the September 12 period [military coup on September 12, 1980], Alpaslan Türkeş, the then president of the MHP, said, “We are in prison but our ideas are in power.” Now Devlet Bahçeli is not even in jail. His ideas are completely in power. He gives all kinds of orders which are then passed on to Tayyip Erdoğan, the commander in chief, and the team around him. This is the current situation and it is not even clear how it will change. It is not clear whether there will be an election or not. The opposition doesn´t have a say. Tayyip Erdoğan is busy 24 hours a day. In other words, he speaks, writes and reads speeches in five different places a day. He goes on TV, reads what others write for him, goes to meetings and reads his speeches. He has truly become a reader of speeches. We don’t know if he even understands what he reads, if it stays in his mind. It is clear that he doesn’t write the speeches himself. He tries to protect his power. He has fought so many wars, committed so much cruelty, practiced so much oppression and exploitation and has brought the people to the point of starvation. He knows that everyone will ask him to pay for this. Everyone will want to avenge what has been done. One day they will be caught. The day of reckoning will come. And this day is getting closer and closer. These are the main topics of discussion. Turkey’s trajectory is really very, very important. This situation needs to change, but how? There is a deadlock. The situation cannot change by itself. Anything can happen in such a situation. The AKP-MHP tries to stay in power through pressure, violence and war. They declared war in 2015 and turned their electoral defeat into a return to power. They are looking for ways and methods to remain in power. Therefore, they can carry out more attacks and intensify the war in different places.”

Abdullah Öcalan´s Proposals Constitute Way Out of Current Crisis

“All kinds of things can be expected. Everyone must be vigilant. The peoples, women, youth, workers and laborers and all revolutionary democrats of Turkey must be extremely vigilant. We are going through a critical phase. It is really necessary to get rid of this regime. But in order to get rid of it, it is necessary to be in a position to replace it and to come up with a candidate who can take its place. This is very important. Leader Apo has been the power of solution, he has said that he can solve the problem completely. He has made it clear that he possesses the power to solve the problem. So those who love Turkey, those who really want to live free and democratic lives and everyone else must see this reality. No one can solve this problem except Leader Apo. Everyone, leftists and rightists, need to come to their senses. There is a blockage. The AKP-MHP mentality, the fascist, colonialist, genocidal mentality has created this blockage, chaos and crisis. And then there is the power to solve it. There are the forces of solution. Let them give Leader Apo the opportunity to solve it. “I will solve it in two months”, he has said. All problems. “I can solve the Kurdish problem in a few weeks,” he has said in the past. So there is a solution, there is a resolving power. Everyone need to recognize this and be very serious. Everyone needs to approach this issue correctly. In other words, they should not make a mistake now and then later regret their mistake. Everyone needs to think correctly, understand the situation well and develop the right attitude now. This fascist, colonialist and genocidal mentality needs to be eliminated. The regime and system that is anti-Kurdish, that does not recognize any law, morality or measure, and that organizes everything according to its own interests needs to be brought to an end. This is the point AKP-MHP fascism has reached today. We need to get rid of it once and for all.”

Democratization of Turkey Instead of Dangerous Current Politics

“This mentality and politics must be overcome. The way to go is democratization, the solution of the Kurdish question on the basis of democratization. The only power to put this into practice is Leader Apo. No one should make other calculations or be mistaken. No one else can solve this. If they really want a democratic solution and a free life, then the power that creates this is obvious. Everyone must approach this issue correctly. If such uncertainty is created [on İmralı], no one should ask why there has been no solution or how a solution could be achieved. They will not be able to find one. Therefore, everyone must oppose the anti-Kurdish, colonialist, genocidal mentality and politics. Turkey must be democratized on the basis of women’s freedom, the freedom of Kurds, the freedom of Alevis and others. If this is put into practice, Turkey will have a future. The 21st century will only become the century of Turkey, if these things are realized. What kind of disasters will Turkey experience in the 21st century if it fails to realize this? No one really knows. But they need to remember the Ottoman Empire. It was also very glorious but was eventually overthrown with a thud. This is politics. One does not know who will be what. Only based on the right policies can a future be build by envisioning the free and democratic life of society. Otherwise, this fight for interests entails all kinds of dangers. Then, Turkey cannot avoid becoming a country that will experience the biggest disasters in this century. Everyone should know this.”