Cemil Bayik as co-President of the Executive Council of the KCK (Union of the Communities of Kurdistan) in a special broadcast on Stêrk TV spoke on developments in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East. "Turkey does not want to lose the jihadists in Idlib because it needs these mercenaries for its Ottoman expansion plans," he said.

He added: "Refugees are being used as a threat to blackmail Europe and get support in Syria. This is how Erdogan's government wants to stay in power." 

With respect to Turkish policy on Syria, Bayik said that "from the Ottoman Empire to today, politics is being carried out on the contradictions of other states. This policy has already prepared the end for the Ottomans and the same thing awaits Turkey."

We publish an excerpt of the 2-part televised interview.

You often mentioned the connection between Abdullah Öcalan's isolation and the issue of democracy in Turkey. Other countries too have found that fascism becomes stronger with the tightening of isolation. What do you think this means for Turkey and Northern Kurdistan? And how to interpret Öcalan's answer to his brother Mehmet Öcalan when he asked him whether another visit to Imrali will be possible. He replied: ‚"It all depends on your struggle. If you make progress, everything will work out. But if you don't, things will continue this way. Then both isolation and bloodshed will continue.'

The reason for the isolation of the Rêber (Leader) Apo is the Kurdish question and democracy. The reason for the isolation policy is the genocidal policy that is being implemented against the Kurdish people. If the Turkish state tightens isolation, the forces of democracy are also attacked more. If attacks on the forces of democracy and socialist sectors in Turkey are growing today and tortures, arrests and arrests are executed, the reason is the genocidal policy implemented against the Kurdish people. Already in the past it has become clear that there is a link between isolation and the issue of democracy. For this reason, resistance against isolation means at the same time resistance against genocidal politics and repression.

For this reason Rêber Apo says: 'It's not about me. The Turkish state gave birth to the Kurdish question and thus to the question of democracy. They don't accept the Kurdish people, the Kurdish society. They stand against the forces of democracy. I wanted to solve the problems. If these problems are solved, isolation will be removed. Since I wanted to solve these problems, isolation has been tightened.'

For this reason, Rêber Apo told his brother: 'Do nothing for me, if you want to do something, do it for yourself. Fight for the Kurdish people, for freedom. And the forces of democracy must fight for a democratic country. If you struggle in this way, isolation will be removed. You don't do anything for yourself and you want to do it for me. With this you try to hide your weakness and the fact that you don't fight. I don't accept this.'

Everyone knows that the Rêber Apo never wants anything for himself. He dedicated his life to the Kurdish people, to the peoples of Turkey and to humanity.

After Öcalan indicated a solution path last year, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî were occupied. At the moment the war in Idlib is intensified. The Turkish state attacked the Syrian army and Turkish soldiers also die every day. How do you assess the situation in Idlib?

Rêber Apo wanted to take responsibility and solve Turkey's problems. He cited seven points. As a response, isolation was aggravated and Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî were occupied. This makes the reality of AKP and MHP clearer. A solution to the Kurdish question is not on their agenda. With their practice they show that they want to erase everything that is Kurdish. The war in Idlib isn't just about Idlib, it's about Syria. The war for Syria takes place in Idlib. That's why everyone is dealing with it. Turkey is present in Syria by decision of the USA and Russia. 

As is known, decisions have been taken in the Astana and Sochi talks. As a result, the fact that Turkey should leave Syria has entered the agenda. This is universally known. Turkey has been told that it must implement these decisions. But Turkey has not left Syria. Since it has not done so, Syria has started an offensive. Later Europe and the USA put pressure on Russia and Syria. Since the US and NATO have helped Turkey, Turkey has declared that it will not leave Syria. It is thanks to this support that Turkey makes war. Without this support Turkey would not have had the chance.

Turkey does not want to lose the jihadists because it wants to achieve its Ottoman goals. If it doesn't commit to these groups, it could no longer threaten Arabs all over the world with this. It is doing politics with this threat and with this it even gets something. There is yet another concern: Turkey says if Idlib is lost, we will also lose Hatay. That in fact what it would lose would be Afrin and the Kurds, is something Turkey cannot say, so it speaks of Hatay. If Turkey is expelled from Idlib, it loses the other areas it holds in its hands and with this also the jihadists. Then it will not be able to continue its dominion. For this reason, Turkey wants to keep the occupation with the help of NATO and the USA.

A truce has now been declared in Idlib. Both Turkey and Russia needed this truce. Turkey has fallen into a deep hole and is unable to get out of it. Nobody is at his side anymore. Even those who said they were with Turkey did not give the desired help. With the truce Turkey wanted to free itself from this situation. Russia also did not want to continue the war in this way due to pressure from the US and NATO. Russia has accepted the truce for its own interests. But this truce does not mean that Turkey is no longer in danger. With its politics, it puts the country in even a greater danger. If this policy is not given up, this would mean the end for Turkey.

Abdullah Öcalan also made a similar assessment. He said that a ri-approachment to both Russia and the US will not help Turkey. Until recently there has been common action with Russia in the occupation of Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, now Turkey has suddenly become an occupying power in Idlib. What do you think about Abdullah Öcalan's analysis?

What the Rêber Apo predicted is actually occurring. He wanted to warn the peoples of Turkey and the relevant structures because he saw that the situation in Turkey is getting worse and worse. The AKP and MHP policy serves neither Turkey nor the peoples of the region. With this policy Turkey enters an even worse situation. Rêber Apo has cautioned against this. He meant that the Turkish state would bow down from time to time before the US and Russia.

These states use Turkey for their own interests. They make a hegemonic policy. For this reason, the Rêber Apo says: If you want to do politics, don't go to the USA and Russia, but focus on the people. If peoples' problems are solved, Turkey no longer depends on the USA and Russia. In Turkey there is still a certain logic. Since the Ottoman times, politics has been made about the contradictions of other states. This policy prepared the end of the Ottomans.

The founding of the republic was also based on this policy. Like the Ottomans, this policy will also mean an end for Turkey. Perhaps with this, success has been achieved for a certain period, but today the exact opposite occurs. And this situation is also shown in the situation of Idlib. AKP / MHP and the Turkish state have taken a violent path. Rêber Apo makes proposals on how this path can be changed, but its solution proposals are not accepted because the Kurds must be annihilated. Why? Because Rêber Apo leads the Kurdish people. He is not recognized because the Kurdish people are not recognized.

Speaking about Rojava Abdullah Öcalan said that the strategy of engaging for the whole of Syria is right, but that an even more effective policy must be made. What do you think about it?

Rêber Apo finds politics right, but this does not mean that it completely corresponds to his ideas. There are also weaknesses which he criticized and which must be removed as soon as possible. The policy of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria corresponds to the model of a Democratic Nation and applies to all the peoples of Syria. With this system, problems in Syria can be solved if it is implemented across the country. It is based on brotherhood and coexistence between peoples. The rights of all population groups are fundamental. In this system all people can live with their language, identity and culture.

International forces wanted to destroy this system, through religion, racism or occupation. This danger has been recognized by the people of northeast Syria. They had never lived in a democratic system before and have understood that despite the existing flaws, it is the best system for them. Forces that want to destroy the Democratic Nation system want the people of the region to continue as before with a slave existence. They want to take away all their rights and are against this system. Supporters of the Turkish occupation of Rojava have given orders to destroy the democratic autonomy. All institutions and forces in Rojava have to be canceled, this was their expectation. In this they relied mainly on the Arabs and started from the idea that it was possible to incite the Arabs against the Kurds. There were Arabs hostile to the Kurds who collaborated with them, but the Arab population took a stand against them. They are committed to democratic autonomy. I congratulate them on this.

Currently it is not a simple matter to build the system of the Democratic Nation in the Middle East. Dogmatism, closure, racism and religious fanaticism play a major role in the region. For this reason, this system can only be successful if the center of gravity is placed on the population. All peoples must organize themselves and take care of their self-defense. If people organize themselves according to these principles, they can solve problems and face any danger. For self-defense, the economy must also be strengthened because the Third World War is currently underway in the region.

The Kurdish liberation movement regards the Turkish state's policy on refugees as an instrument of threat and blackmail. With the war in Idlib this analysis has again proved true. The refugees were brought to the border by buses and left to die. For years, Europe has not moved and has not negotiated with Turkey. How do you evaluate this situation?

All over the world there is a problem related to migration. This problem was generated by the system of capitalist modernity. It is growing daily. Capitalist modernity brings its capital to some countries, poverty increases in other countries. At the same time, a consumer society is born. People who can solve their economic problems go abroad. Since there is material wealth and consumption in Europe, people want to go there. So the struggle against capitalist modernity that created this problem is fundamental.

Looking for a solution in Europe is illusory. Going to Europe will not solve people's problems. The refugee issue in Turkey is different. Turkey organized millions of people and brought them from Syria to Turkey. A small part may have come by itself, but basically the Turkish state brought people to the country. Why? Because it wanted to use jihadists to maintain its power and make them dependent.

In addition to this, Turkey has also materially profited from these people. The real reason for the fact that a major economic crisis has not yet occurred, are the people brought in from Syria. The state makes millions work for low wages.

They were also sent in so that the Turkish government could pursue the desired policy in Syria. AKP and MHP started with rapid results in Syria, on which their plan was based. But things went differently than desired, and the war is lasting for years.

Given that the policy on Syria has not brought Turkey to the desired results, the refugees have been used as an instrument of pressure towards Europe. Erdogan has threatened to send them to Europe if he does not receive support in Syria. Among these people there are also followers of ISIS. And Europe is afraid of it. For this, money has been offered to Turkey. Europe thinks about its interests. Erdogan with his refugee policy has also obtained a series of concessions. One of these concessions concerns attacks on the Kurdish people. Europe has become a partner in the Turkish genocidal policy. Our people should be aware of this.

Erdogan engages in politics with blackmail and threats. Just as he blackmailed the world with ISIS, he now uses refugees as an instrument of pressure. It takes bribes from Europe. This money was never used for refugees, on the contrary, refugees were exploited. The state has earned billions of Turkish Lira. And since Erdogan now in Idlib fell into a deep hole, he again sought a way out through blackmail and threatened Europe. If you don't help me, I'll open the doors of Turkey, he said. And officials from Turkey, the police and secret services put people on the buses and took them to the border. They show them the route and the traffickers.

This is how he wants to put Europe under pressure. Refugees are being used as a threat to extort money from Europe and to have support for Turkish state policy in Syria. In this way the government wants to stay in power. It knows it has come to the end of the road and will fall if it does not receive help. It also knows that everyone will ask it for the bill. Turkish soldiers die every day. The society of Turkey lives it daily. How long can it continue? AKP and MHP are aware of this and want to save themselves. For this reason they use this pressure tool.