HPG commander Yaşar Çiya talked to ANF about the past eight years of the freedom struggle. After the Rojava revolution and the increasing political successes of the radical democratic paradigm of the freedom movement, in 2015 the Turkish state launched the "plan of subjugation" and ended the ceasefire. In addition, it attacked the northern Kurdish cities where people had proclaimed democratic autonomy. Since then, a hot war of high intensity has been raging. Commander Çiya underlined that the Turkish state was unsuccessful with its plan of annihilation and instead pushed the country into a deep economic, political and social crisis, spending money on war.

These were not elections, but a robbery by the regime

Commander Çiya said: "To overcome this crisis, the regime hoped to prolong its life through elections. After the earthquake of 6 February, the situation of the Turkish state deteriorated even further. Before the elections, everyone had already seen that the Turkish state had failed in its attacks on the Kurdish people and their movement. It was expected that this would be the last period of the AKP-MHP government. People too thought this. In fact, both the people of Kurdistan and Turkey wanted to get rid of this regime. But these elections were not elections, they were a robbery by the regime. The government made the following calculation: militarily speaking, the AKP-MHP regime was defeated, but this was not only the defeat of the AKP-MHP, but also that of the Turkish state. Although the election was ostensibly presented as a democratic election, this was not the case at all. All institutions worked together. The regime tried to create an image as if the people supported it. However, this was not true. The regime acted as if the elections took place in a democratic environment and the people supported them. As if the people had chosen the regime under such circumstances. But the truth is different. The Turkish state has committed systematic fraud. This is a novelty."

Erdoğan is just a puppet

Commander Çiya said: "The problem is not the AKP-MHP. The problem is the fascist mentality of the Turkish state. The AKP and Erdoğan are puppets in the hands of the state. The state has taken Erdoğan hostage; he's just a puppet. Erdoğan has certain qualities, the state uses them. Like Islamic identity, for example. These properties are used extensively. Both in relation to North Kurdistan and the entire Middle East. This reality must be seen. The people must understand this."

The Turkish state has reached a historic low

Commander Çiya underlined that "the election results therefore do not reflect the will of the people of Turkey."

As to North Kurdistan, he said: "Our people in North Kurdistan have made their will clear. During the elections, the will of Kurdistan became clear. The people rejected the regime. It showed the regime the red card. This is a historic success, a historic message to the fascist Turkish state."