Mustafa Karasu, member of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council spoke about the Turkish plans and the role of the KDP, the ruling party in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), in the invasion and genocidal campaign of the Turkish state in the region.

Below is the second part of the in-depth detail, the first part of which can be found here.

On July 3, the fascist Turkish army, in cooperation with the KDP, launched a comprehensive new invasion attack on the areas of Metina and Zap. The freedom guerrilla is halting these attacks with the spirit of the July 14th resistance, as you mentioned. What can be said about this latest comprehensive attack?

Indeed, there is a comprehensive attack, and at the same time, there is heroic resistance. I commemorate with respect and gratitude my young female and male comrades who heroically resisted in this resistance, who were martyred, and who demonstrated the greatest sacrifice and resistance in history. Through their resistance, they really create enthusiasm and excitement. They reinforce our faith. This is very significant. Our young comrades reinforce the belief that the Kurdish people will come to freedom. A people with such sacrificial youth will surely achieve a free and democratic life.

Their heroism is unparalleled. A person can show heroism in a one-day or two-day conflict. She/he can endure hardship. Those are momentary reflexes. But these friends of ours, on the other hand, are bombarded with all kinds of bombs every day, and this has been going on for years. They are attacked with poisonous gases and thermobaric bombs. All kinds of weapons are used. But against this, these young friends have been fighting, resisting, and defying with great enthusiasm. In those difficult conditions, they go against the enemy with determination and creativity. There are no such heroic deeds in history.

This needs not only to be understood but also felt. What difficulties are these friends facing? In what circumstances do they resist? All Kurdish people should see this. There have never been fedaîs (self-sacrificial fighters) who resisted like this in the world. Of course, in many countries and many places, there have been fedaî resistances, sacrifices have been made, and great heroism has been shown. But especially in the last three years, these young friends of ours have been fighting against the enemy in tunnels, and with the tactics of mobility, they have brought the meaning of resistance to a new level. This is a source of pride. All Kurdish people should be proud to have such sons and daughters. They are raising the claim of the Kurdish people for their homeland and identity, as well as for freedom and democracy. They are creating such a reality. These young people are doing this. Kurdish youth are doing this. For five years already, there has been enormous attacks by the Turkish state. First the fascist state attacked Xakurke, then it attacked Heftanin and Gare. They were supposed to free captured soldiers and agents in Gare, but they suffered a great defeat. Then they attacked Avashin, Zap, Metina, and the whole Behdinan area. They have been attacking for three years with all their means, but our comrades resist this. They do not complain about any hardship, hunger, or thirst. Our friends are giving the enemy a hard time with the limited weapons they have.

Of course, since July 3, the struggle has reached a new dimension. The enemy says that it will seal the deal. They have dragged the KDP into it. The cities dominated by the KDP are now under the influence of the Turkish state. In fact, in a way, this attack is the attack of the KDP. At this stage, it should be understood as an attack by the KDP. In other words, when they say they will “seal the deal,” they mean “we have brought the KDP to the peak of betrayal; we are using it in every aspect.” This is how we should understand what they said. Bamerne, Amediye, Dereluk, and Sheladize, on the southern side, were cities dominated by the KDP. Now they are dominated by the Turkish state. Together with the KDP, they have encircled the guerrilla from there. This is a siege together with the KDP. Previously, the siege was partly the siege of the Turkish state. But now the KDP is also part of the siege. The Turkish state is besieging together with the KDP. This is a new process. The Turkish state wanted to land on Bahar Hill, but they failed because of the resistance of our friends. They failed to target the hill. However, now that they have taken the KDP completely into this siege, of course they have targeted Bahar Hill. We know that geography well; Bahar Hill is very steep, so the Turkish army couldn’t advance. Only with a complete siege, a siege that included the KDP, could they get some results. That is what they are trying to do now. They are trying to build a road from the dam to where the KDP is.

What the KDP is doing is despicable. Back then, there were some places where, no matter what the KDP did, the Turkish army couldn’t enter. With the notion that the KDP are also Kurdish too, our friends allowed them to settle in some nearby places. From Dereluk, near Zap, they were allowed to set up a police station there. On the other hand, they were also allowed on the Amediye side. Now, this approach of the movement, the guerrilla, and the HPG is being used against them. The resistance against this will continue, and the struggle will continue. It is not possible for the Turkish state to get the results it wants. The struggle will continue until the end.

You mentioned the difference between these latest attacks and the previous ones and also drew attention to the role played by the KDP in this attack. It is seen that the Iraqi government also played a crucial role in this latest attack, especially through its omission. How should the Kurdish public understand the role of the KDP in these invasions?

The KDP plays a primary role in these invasions. Right now, Iraq is also involved in this. It was the KDP that brought Iraq into this. Iraq didn’t really want to get involved. But the KDP is blackmailing Iraq by relying on Turkey. For this reason, Iraq also got involved in this attack. Maybe not openly, but it was approved and accepted. The KDP is doing this. The KDP doesn’t think it is enough to include Iraq; it also wants to include the PUK, so now it is putting pressure on the PUK.

In fact, the Turkish state, the KDP, some international powers, the USA, and some states in Europe are actually implementing this plan. They will supposedly take over our movement or crush it. Then they want to turn the people of this movement into refugees and place them somewhere in Iraq. They actually have such a plan.

Iraq’s involvement in this attack, the KDP, the fact that the US and some European powers are behind it show that there is such a plan and the KDP is at the center of this. The KDP is putting pressure on Iraq. As comrade Bese said, it is also lobbying on behalf of Turkey. Just as Turkey has declared the PKK a terrorist organization and wants to exclude it from the world, the KDP is doing the same. And the KDP aims to crush and liquidate our freedom struggle by uniting all these forces against us. The KDP does not recognize any Kurds except itself. For the KDP, it is enough to be in power in two or three cities. For this, it sacrificed the whole of Kurdistan, surrendering to those who wanted to commit genocide in Kurdistan.

In this regard, I remember Dr. Shivan with gratitude and respect. In the 1960s, there were national liberation movements all over the world; in this tradition, as a Kurd from Dersim (tr. Tunceli) and a doctor, Dr. Shivan wanted to develop a struggle for North Kurdistan. Thinking that the KDP was Kurdish, he went to southern Kurdistan, thinking that it would help him. He was supposedly going there to establish an organization, an army, and an armed force against Turkey. He went with such intentions and made some effort. In Iraq, he establishes relations with villages and tribes also on the Turkish border. Turkey realizes this and warns the KDP. It orders them to murder him and liquidate his efforts. And the KDP did it. Even the Turkish intellectual Ismail Beshikci says that the murder of Dr. Shivan was carried out by the KDP at the request of Turkey. There is such a reality. This is how it has assassinated many political leaders in East Kurdistan as well. In this respect, the reality of the KDP must be understood correctly. It is not like a disagreement between the PKK and the KDP. There is no such thing. The KDP wanted to prevent August 15th, they wanted to take it under control. It wanted to take the PKK under control. Later, when August 15th happened, it faced great problems. Because the KDP promised the Turkish state to prevent a Kurdish struggle in Turkey.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Turkey was already a NATO country. And Iran was already a country connected to the USA and Europe. It is the gendarmerie of the Middle East, together with Turkey, and has turned a blind eye to the KDP. But of course, an important power, the gendarme of NATO, would not want a Kurdish movement and struggle to develop in Turkey. They do not want the NATO member to be weakened. It was in that environment, in the 1960s, when Dr. Shivan wanted to develop a struggle that the KDP prevented it. It is such a power. The KDP has nothing but power in a few cities. It calculates that if it makes concessions, if it does this and that, it may be allowed to live. It thinks that Turkey will keep it alive if it does this, that Turkey will allow it to rule in a few cities. Or that even some international powers will support it. The KDP is really a very backward power. It cannot stand against a political and ideological power like Rêber Apo [Leader Abdullah Öcalan] and the PKK. Its ideology and politics cannot stand. That’s why it is so hostile to the PKK and Rêber Apo.

The KDP says it will establish a state. This is how it tries to influence society. This is how it tries to deceive the Kurds. In fact, that’s why it held the independence referendum. What happened? They lost 40 percent of southern Kurdistan. In fact, from the very first day, Rêber Apo called on the KDP and PUK to “play a role in the democratization of Iraq.” Instead of doing so, the KDP relied on Turkey and blackmailed Iraq. Supposedly, they will get something from Iraq. If it had made efforts toward democratizing Iraq, it would not have lost that 40 percent. Those areas would still be under Kurdish influence. In fact, the whole of Iraq needs democratization. But of course, the KDP lost 40 percent of the so-called opportunities, gains, or military and political dominance.

The reactions against this invasion attack and deep collaborationism are increasing day by day. What is the importance of the growth and effectiveness of these reactions for the freedom and future of Kurdistan?

It doesn’t work like that. What the KDP is doing is a betrayal. The fact that this is becoming normalized is very bad. The most dangerous situation for Kurdish history, for Kurdish society is when this becomes normalized and ordinary. Like the termites of a tree, the KDP consumes patriotism and weakens the struggle. It wears out and weakens Kurdish national feelings. Kurds are making so many sacrifices through great struggle. The measures of struggle, the philosophy of life and struggle are rising one the one side, but on the other, the KDP’s actions are wearing them down, weakening them and gnawing at them. This is very dangerous. It destructs the Kurdish sentiment. It is destroying and weakening their national reflexes. All Kurds should think about the consequences of this for the future.

In this respect, everyone should make their stance clear. Especially intellectuals and artists should take a stance. It is because of the weakness of the KDP’s stance that it is so collaborative and so deep in treachery. Those who do not take a stand against the KDP are also partly responsible for this. The KDP assumes that it could collaborate and betray as much as it likes and that there will be no consequences. The KDP thinks that society doesn’t see through its betrayal. In this respect, a clearer position must be taken. This is the only way to prevent this. The Kurdish people have the power to prevent it. In fact, the base of the KDP is also disturbed. But since intellectuals and artists do not take a general stance, society does not react too much. Because when they react, they are suppressed. There should be a reaction in Hewler (Erbil), in Sulaymaniyah, in Ranya, and in northern and eastern Kurdistan. Yes, Rojava is reacting. Rojava is taking a clear stance against the KDP’s betrayal. It is indeed Rojava that has the clearest open stance on this issue. Because the KDP is also hostile to Rojava. The KDP is also responsible for the occupation of Afrin and Serekaniye. In this respect, in order to stop this situation, the people should take a stand against the KDP everywhere: in northern and southern Kurdistan, in Europe, in Rojava, and everywhere. Particularly intellectuals, artists, other Kurdish organizations, and Kurdish groups. Looking at the approach of other Kurdish groups, one can easily see how weak their measures are. This is really a bad situation for everyone. Those parties need to get out of this situation.