Cemil Bayik, Co-president of the Executive Council of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), answered questions by journalist Ciwan Tunç on developments in the Middle East and the Kurdish hostility of the Turkish state in a program at Stêrk TV.

Bayik first commended the fight against the Turkish occupation in Rojava and commemorated the martyrs.

Highlights from Bayık’s comments are as follows:

In the Middle East the third world war is taking place. This war has two dimensions. The first concerns the world, the second the Middle East. The Middle East does not resemble any other region in the world, it has very specific characteristics. Everything started in the Middle East. The Middle East plays an essential and determining role in the global balance.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the balance of power in the Middle East began to waver and a vacuum merged. The United States of America, which sees itself as the leading force of capitalist modernity, intervened in the Middle East to fill this vacuum. This was the beginning of the Third World War. The regional governments that did not live up to expectations were replaced by new rulers set to serve the system.

A new situation is emerging in the Middle East

An intense war is taking place in the Middle East. There have been many changes and there will be more changes. The peoples and governments of the Middle East cannot continue as before. The status quo of the time before the Third World War will change. A new situation is emerging in the Middle East.

It is well known that there were opponent fronts in the First and Second World Wars. The powerful forces of these fronts created a status quo after the war. In the Third World War such fronts no longer exist. The forces in power fight against each other and at the same time have relations with each other. On the other side are the peoples of the region who have organised themselves and are fighting. The new status quo will not only be determined by those in power. They will no longer be able to act at their own discretion but will have to take into account the struggle of the peoples. The newly emerging status and balances in the region will emerge on this basis. This means that the struggle of the peoples of the Middle East will influence the new balances. The war taking place in the Middle East, along with a new status and balances in the region, will also determine what the world will be like in the future.

Rojava: War against a liberation movement of peoples

Turkey is trying to wipe everything Kurdish off the face of the earth. The forces that today lead the system in the Middle East do not want the complete annihilation of the Kurdish people because they see that this is not possible. In the past they pursued such a policy and supported Turkey accordingly. Seeing the consciousness and the struggle of the Kurds, they have understood that it is not possible. That is why they treat the Kurds differently from Turkey. Undoubtedly they are nevertheless against the Kurdish liberation movement and against free Kurds. They want to create a Kurdish people that serves their own interests. This situation leads to contradictions between them and Turkey. They do not think alike. One side wants a complete annihilation, the other side wants Kurds in their own service. However, this contradiction is tactical in nature. As the example of Rojava shows, everything is being done to prevent a liberation movement of the peoples from developing.

The USA, the forerunner of capitalist modernity, wanted to bring about independent changes in the Middle East. But they did not succeed, because neither the system of capitalist modernity nor the leading role of the USA is the same as before. This is why Russia and China have stepped onto the scene in the Middle East. Especially in Syria, movement has emerged. There are contradictions between the forces of capitalist modernity, but at the same time cooperation is taking place. There are no clear fronts as before.

Kurdish women: Resistance against any form of occupation

Just as the forces in power act together when necessary, the peoples of the region must also act together. This takes place in Rojava. This situation is developing increasingly in the Middle East. If the peoples act together, they achieve results. The ongoing war in the Middle East is based on this principle.

In this region, Kurdistan, Kurdish women are fighting against all forms of occupation. They represent the Neolithic revolution with new methods in modern times. The Kurdish women liberate all women. And this affects all humanity, especially women.

If capitalist modernity tries to create new power relations without involving the will of the peoples, the peoples will oppose this and resist. The peoples of the region no longer accept enslavement.

New achievements through grassroots democracy

The peoples and forces of the region should not be content only with defence. The fundamental peculiarity of the Third World War is the all-round effort to consolidate one's own interests. Everyone wants to make new achievements. The people and the revolutionaries must work and fight much more under the conditions of the Third World War. They mustn’t be content with the existing achievements. New ones must be added, this attitude should be fundamental. For liberation, the focus must be even more grassroots democracy. From villages to towns, democratic structures must be organised in all local units.

The Turkish state is the main enemy of the peoples of the region and of the democratic forces. This must be clear to the Kurds and also to the other peoples of the region. They must fight together against this enemy, which stands for occupation and genocide. This is the only way to achieve results. The Turkish State is continuing its attempts at occupation, encouraged and supported by regional and international forces. The peoples of the region must fight it by uniting their forces.

Alliance for the legitimization of the Turkish occupation

What is the policy of the USA? They wanted to use both the Kurds and Turkey for themselves in Syria. The USA never gave up Turkey, because Turkey is a member of NATO. They have established relations with the Kurds, but at the same time they have continued relations with Turkey. The United States wanted to draw the Kurds and Turkey to its side for its own interests. Turkey has rejected this because it is hostile to the Kurds and wants to destroy them. The USA has tried to establish a relationship between Turkey and the Kurds in order to make both sides serve itself. They assumed that they would thus achieve results. When it was clear that Turkey would not accept this, they based on Turkey. They saw more profit in that, because Turkey is a NATO member state. With the Kurds they have built a tactical relationship against the ISIS. When the ISIS was defeated, they continued their relationship with Turkey and later formed an alliance with Turkey. They wanted to establish a 'security zone' within this framework and expected the Kurds to accept this. The Kurds, however, rejected it. And the USA cleared the way for Turkey and let it invade Rojava, Northern Syria. When there was increasing resistance and the US saw its interests threatened if this development was not stopped, it formed another alliance with Turkey. This alliance was intended to legitimise the Turkish occupation. Through Turkey, they wanted to weaken the Kurds and make them entirely dependent on the USA. With Turkey, the USA wanted to achieve its goal in Syria.

Turkey can be used by Russia and the USA

Later, Russia stepped on the scene. Russia has seen the alliance between the USA and Turkey and has itself formed an alliance with Turkey. It has seen how weak Turkey is. With this alliance, Russia wanted to benefit from Turkey. Both the USA and Russia sacrificed the Kurds to their own interests and cleared the way for Turkey. Turkey is being used by them against the Kurds. They have seen that the Kurds are Turkey's weak point. The USA's and Russia's dealings with the Kurds are the same. It is a hostile treatment; they support Turkey to carry out a genocide against the Kurds. That is the reality. There is neither a ceasefire nor any effort for solution. They have cleared the way for a Kurdish genocide by Turkey. Turkey openly announces its intention for a genocide and settlement of mercenaries in the region. It wants to take revenge on the Kurds by re-gathering the ISIS mercenaries knocked down by the Kurdish struggle and having Serêkaniyê [Ras al-Ain] and Girê Spî [Tal Abyad] come under attack.

No one supports the invasion openly

In Syria it will not be so easy to achieve stability and peace, nobody should have this expectation. Turkey has invaded Syria with the ISIS mentality. The AKP itself is the ISIS. The forces known as the 'Syrian National Army' are composed of mercenaries from ISIS and al-Nusra. These mercenaries plunder, kill and do any kind of evil.

Despite the legitimization of the Turkish occupation by the tripartite alliance of Russia, Turkey and Iran, the situation will not go on forever. It is clear that Syria, Iran and even Russia are not satisfied. It is quite possible that problems will arise among them. Even armed conflicts could eventually arise. The probability is high.

Turkey claims to be successful and spreads propaganda on this basis. How successful it is, is not clear. Turkey has fallen into a deep pit. It is used for the goals of the USA and Russia. On the other hand, Turkey continues its hostility towards the Kurds using ISIS and similar groups. It commits crimes. The invasion of Northern Syria is contrary to international law, nobody openly supports the invasion. Even the states that made the invasion possible and provided support cannot explain this to their people.

Turkey is positioning itself against the Kurds and is in a squeeze between Russia and the USA. How it can get out of this situation is unclear. It is very likely that it will get badly hit. In fact, this possibility is very likely.