PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) Executive Committee Member Murat Karayılan gave an interview to Sterk TV.

Karayılan made important statements about the Turkish attacks on Shengal and Maxmur, the threats of the Turkish state against Rojava, the national unity, the resistance of the Kurdish people and the hunger strike actions.

“The struggle for the freedom of Kurdistan is going through an important period. - said Karayılan - The developments in this historical period are important for the Kurdish people. Because our people's freedom struggle has reached an important level today. Our enemies fear the level we have reached. Because the Kurdish people are considered to be a danger for the enemy, should they be free. That's why they're attacking. The reason why our enemies are so aggressive is because of the strength and the level reached by our freedom struggle.”

Condolences to martyrs of Shengal and Maxmur

The attacks on Shengal and Maxmur, added Karayılan, are to be seen in this context. “Seven people were martyred in Shengal and Maxur as a result of these attacks. First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the families of the martyrs of both Maxmur and Shengal. These martyrs are martyrs of the revolution.”

Karayılan added: “These cowardly attacks will be countered and will be answered. The blood of our people will not stay on the ground and revenge will be taken. Our enemies were so bold that they attacked our civilian people in Maxmur and Shengal. They attack our civilian people, mostly women, and say without shame that they were successful. Erdoğan considers the killing of the Kurdish people a success for himself.”

Karayılan continued: “The genocidal attacks against Maxmur and Shengal was not carried out by Turkey alone. If support is not given, it is difficult to attack the areas with 20 jets without having received the green light for it.

The attacks were ready in a matter of minutes. It seems that someone has opened the door to this attack and has turned a blind eye. We know this and so should our people.”

Erdoğan and DAESH have one road map

Karayılan also said: “When we look at these attacks, we see a striking and remarkable similarity. DAESH first attacked Shengal, and then Maxmur, then attacked Kirkuk and finally attacked Kobane.

If you look well, the same places are now the targets for Erdoğan today. DAESH and Erdoğan have the same road map.”

In this context, said the PKK Executive, “threats against Rojava and North-East Syria are important. First of all, it is worth mentioning that is not so easy to attack these places. The attack on the east of the Euphrates, both politically and militarily, has many challenges for the fascist Ankara regime. These threats are a declaration of war against the Kurdish people. They are not only facing the people of Rojava. This is the general concept of the colonialist Turkish state. The Turkish state has now reached a new concept. The AKP-MHP-Ergenekon and the so-called “Kızıl Elmacılar” on behalf of the nationalists are shaping an alliance and acting on the new concept. This concept implies not only the attacks on Kurds internally. This is not sufficient anymore, the new concept implies an attack over the borders, occupation and control.”

The PKK executive continued: “The aim of the genocidal Turkish government in Rojava is clear: Kurds cannot have a status and therefore power in the region. Turkey does not want Kurds to achieve their status.

The second purpose has to do with the system developed in Rojava. A new democratic system is now being established in Rojava. The brotherhood of the peoples, the unity of the peoples, the democratic national paradigm is developing. This is a new project, a new path. It is not classical nationalism, it is a democratic nation. The fact that Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Syriacs and even Turkmens come together and give life to a system is not something that the fascist Turkish state will accept.

Of course this new project is not only feared by Turkey but by all the forces of the modernist capitalism. For this reason, they did not make a sound while Afrin was attacked and occupied.”

The third aim of these attacks, said the PKK executive, is this: “When the Turkish state decided on this concept, it was the Salafis that they identified as their closest friend and ally. Using Salafist organizations, namely al-Qaeda, they aimed to create chaos and thus dominate the region. Take Syria, they managed to get everyone against each other. Erdogan says that one million people have been killed in Syria and Bashar Assad is responsible for this. However, the main responsible and killer is Erdogan.”

The fourth reason for attacking Rojava, said Karayilan, is “the upcoming elections in Turkey. Erdogan wants to go to the elections in such an atmosphere. He went to the June 24th elections with the war against Afrin. And now he wants to get to the 31 March elections with the same environment of war.”

Importance of national unity

Karayilan once again stressed the importance of national unity and added: “We have talked so much about the national unity, we have emphasized its importance many times. But we have to repeat it a thousand times.”

Karayilan further said: “Someone says we need to get together and make politics, get into diplomacy and prevent the attacks. The achievements of the Kurdish people cannot be protected only by politics and diplomacy. You're going to turn yourself into power. The meaning and value of politics and diplomacy will be significant only when it is based on self-power. Now that Rojava has this power, it can resist.”

Karayilan ended his remarks by saying: “We Kurds should know this well: The Turkish state will fight against the Kurds. We would like this war to take place in the mountains of Botan, we are already struggling with it. But the enemy carried the war to the plain. The facilities and advantages of the plain need to be taken.”