The 32nd anniversary of the August 15 Initiative was celebrated in Medya Defense Zones with a military ceremony. Hundreds of guerillas and dozens of guerilla units attended the ceremony. People’s Defense Central Headquarters Commanders Murat Karayılan, Delal Amed, Gülistan Gülhat, İrfan Amed, Apollo Academies Command Member Özgür Gabar and MLKP representatives were present in the ceremony.

The ceremony started with the first light of day and continued wih cultural activities. The guerillas were seen to have enthusiasm, morale and determination.

People’s Defense Central Headquarters Commander Murat Karayılan gave a speech to the guerillas. Karayılan analyzed the change created in Kurdistan by the August 15 Initiative and the recent developments. Underlining that they have not heard anything from Kurdish People’s Leader Öcalan after the attempted coup, and that Öcalan’s safety equals Turkey’s safety, Karayılan said: “Today, Leader Apo’s safety being uncertain means all the leaders in Turkey are in danger.”

People’s Defense Central Headquarters Commander Murat Karayılan made the following points in his speech:

AUGUST 15 IS AN EPIC

“Today is a holy day for our movement and our people. We celebrate Leader Apo’s Resurrection Day in the name of all the Kurdistan Freedom Guerillas, we express our respect and loyalty, and salute our Leader. We celebrate the Resurrection Day for all the peoples of Kurdistan, their friends, the mothers of martyrs and all comrades. The August 15 Initiative is an epic of heroism. This saga has been written in the blood of our heroic martyrs. On this historic day, we remember all Kurdistan revolution martyrs in the person of great commander comrade Egîd (Mahsum Korkmaz) and we repeat our promise to them.

The August 15 Initiative isn’t just an insurgence against colonialism. With this move, the ideological revolution, the social revolution, the women’s revolution and the democratic revolution were able to develop. The Kurdish people renewed themselves, and became a vivid and resisting people. The struggle to protect ourselves and our future began on this day. This initiative created a national and democratic spirit in Kurdistan. August 15 played such a role in Kurdistan, while also acting as the struggle for freedom and democracy against the September 12 Junta in Turkey. The initiative became the peoples’ resistance against the institutionalisation of fascism with the September 12 Junta. August 15 turned a new page in this sense, for the peoples of Kurdistan, the peoples of Turkey and the peoples of the Middle East.”

THE SAFETY OF LEADER APO IS THE SAFETY OF TURKEY

“Leader Apo’s line of thought offers all the peoples in Kurdistan and the Middle Esat a new future today, but Turkish colonialism is developing the isolation and psychological torture system in İmralı against Leader Apo. Today our people have taken to the streets in Kurdistan and overseas against this. There is a colonialist isolation imposed upon our Leader. Most importantly, it is unclear what happened in İmralı island the night of July 15 during the coup attempt in Turkey. Right now, we have grave concerns regarding the safety of Leader Apo. We as the Kurdistan Poeple’s Defense Forces declare that: Today, Leader Apo’s safety being in jeopardy means all the leaders in Turkey are in danger. Leader Apo’s safety is Turkey’s safety. Everybody should be well aware of this fact. The Kurdistan People’s Defense Forces are Leader Apo’s guards. This attack on the Kurdish People’s Leader is persecution against our people. Erdoğan must know that all wars have a law. There is a law for enemies. Erdoğan must not cross his boundaries. Nobody should play with fire. A committee must be allowed to visit İmralı immediately. Our words, our call should be heeded by all. If not, the war in Kurdistan will turn into an uncontrollable war and Erdoğan will be responsible for it. Everybody should know this.”

GUERILLA PROVED THEIR INVINCIBILITY, NOW IT’S TIME FOR VICTORY

“The Kurdistan People’s Defense Forces is an important force in the Middle East today. The Turkish state has seeked to push this force back and disintegrate it, but the Turkish army has faced defeat in the face of the Kurdistan Freedom Guerillas. Because of this defeat against the Guerillas, they can’t even stage coups like they did in the past. If they were successful against the guerilla, they would be successful in the coup as well. The Kurdistan Freedom Guerillas have proven their invincibility in the 32 year long war. They have intervened when the peoples of Kurdistan and the region faced danger. The performance of the Kurdistan Freedom Guerilla against gangs like ISIS, Al Nusra, etc. is apparent. In the Shingal intervention, in Mexmûr-Kirkuk resistances, in the Kobanê war, the whole world has seen this fact. This fact was last displayed in the war in Northern Kurdistan’s cities where the guerilla was only partially involved, in Sur, Cizre, Hezex, Nusaybin, Şırnak and Gever. It has been proven that no force can defeat the Kurdistan freedom guerillas. It is now apparent that when HPG is integrated with the people completely, no force can stop them.

Kurdistan Defense Forces today are a force with 32 years of experience and a force that has developed and professionalized in the Apoist ideology. It is not possible for the Turkish army, or any other army, to take on such a force. Nobody should put this to the test. The Kurdistan Freedom Guerillas are marching on the way to freedom with this level they have achieved. Until now, they have proven invincibility. Now it’s time for victory. The genocide in Kurdistan has been stopped, now it’s time for salvation and freedom. This is the framework the Kurdistan Freedom Guerillas are starting the 33rd year.”

NATIONAL UNITY IS A MUST FOR VICTORY

“There is an extensive war in the Middle East today. The Kurdish people have come forth in this war and are now a fundamental actor in the region. The Rojava Revolution is the biggest gain of the Kurdish people in this period. We have received the news that the Manbij Liberation Operation has been successful. We as the HPG congratulate all fighters who took part in this operation and we salute them. It is possible today that the Rojava Revolution will turn into the Democratic Syrian Revolution, this is the path it is advancing on. Besides this, our people have achieved gains in Northern, Southern and Eastern Kurdistan. But we need national unity in order to be able to march to victory as a people. A national congress or a conference needs to be held and a joint strategy for the Kurdish people needs to be developed. Our faith and our hope is in this manner. If such a development occurs in Kurdstan, the future will belong to the Kurdish people. Nobody should lean back on the enemy today, or believe the colonialist states. The greatest force to believe in is the unity of the Kurdish people. In such a historic and important process, all of Kurdish politics must see this.”

THE TIME IS RIGHT, YOUTH TO THE GUERILLA FRONT

Karayılan continued, saying; “Today, the colonialism in Kurdistan is weakened. The Turkish colonialism’s plans on Northern Kurdistan, Rojava and the Middle East have failed today. The system is experiencing a crisis and a fragmentation. Important opportunities have emerged to increase the struggle. It is true that we as the PKK prefer the issue be resolved through dialogue instead of war. Leader Apo has spent a great effort to solve the Kurdish issue via peaceful means. But we are facing an enemy like Erdoğan the dictator, who sends forces upon us every day, uses the latest technology against us, turns our cities to ruins, burns our people and wants our people’s blood. In the face of such an enemy, we will fight to the end, and we will win this war. The time is right and there are opportunities for this. All of our people should know this fact, and organize more. The Kurdish youth and the Kurdish women should play their part more effectively. The youth of Kurdistan should join the ranks of the guerilla.

We want to succeed in this march for freedom on this the 33rd year. Today, we have the means and the power to make this happen. We are confident. We support both peace, and solving the issue with our own strength and liberating Kurdistan. Liberating Leader Apo and Kurdistan is the historic and current duty we are facing. We will take this march to victory. On such a holy day, on the anniversary of the August 15 Initiative, we promise our people this. Today is the day to run to freedom, not to wait. Today, we are stronger than ever. In Leader Apo’s ideology, marching in the memory of our heroic martyrs, we declare that we will answer the expectations of our people, our mothers and our friends, and in this framework, celebrate once more the Resurrection Day for our people and our comrades.”

The ceremony also involved cultural activities and musician Ozan Diyar gave a concert for the guerillas.