The People's Defence Centre (HSM) Headquarters Command delivered a message to its commanders and fighters, celebrating Newroz and stating that 2023 Newroz is meaningful and important in many ways as it marks the 50th anniversary of Öcalan's breakthrough and the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne.

The HSM message includes the following:

“2023 Newroz has a special place in our hearts. Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan started his historic march 50 years ago on Newroz. Öcalan's meeting with six people at Çubuk Dam in Ankara in 1973 marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Kurdistan. It was a milestone for our struggle and our people. Since then, the Newroz fire has been growing stronger and the struggle for resistance and freedom has been expanding. On this basis, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Öcalan's historic march. We also congratulate our comrades, mothers of martyrs and all our people on Newroz.

Having gained its meaning through the resistance of our heroic martyrs in the past 50 years, Newroz has evolved into a day of resistance and a day of enhancing the national spirit. We commemorate all the martyrs of the revolution in the persons of contemporary Kawa, Mazlum Doğan, and Zekiye Alkan. We will raise the freedom struggle of Öcalan and keep the memory of the heroic martyrs alive.

ÖCALAN CONSCIOUSLY STARTED HIS HISTORIC JOURNEY ON NEWROZ

Newroz has an important place in the history of our people and in the history of the peoples of the region. Newroz is the day of victory against the cruel tyrant Dehak’s regime. Newroz is a day of unity, resistance and victory. The Newroz fire has always been lit by our people as a fire of resistance and celebrated as the day of victory. As a genuine festival, Newroz has always played an important role in the history of our people and the peoples of the region. However, as part of the occupation policies carried out against Kurdistan, the enemies have long sought to define Newroz as an ordinary day. However, Öcalan consciously started his historic journey on a Newroz day and has always seen Newroz as a day of resistance, a day of expanding the freedom struggle, unity and solidarity.

Our most important actions took place on Newroz day. Comrade Mazlum Doğan carried out a historic action in the Amed prison on Newroz under difficult conditions. Since then, Newroz has always been a festival of new breakthroughs and promoting the spirit of resistance and success. Today our people take to the streets to welcome Newroz and celebrate it with a national spirit. As a result of 50-year-long efforts, Newroz has gained its true meaning.

KURDISH PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS RESISTED DENIAL AND DESTRUCTION

2023 Newroz is meaningful and important for us in many ways. First, this year’s Newroz marks the 50th anniversary of Öcalan’s breakthrough. Secondly, this year’s Newroz marks the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne, which is a treaty of denial and destruction of Kurdistan. The last century has witnessed great tragedies and massacres against our people. Yet, our people have never come to terms with the Treaty of Lausanne and have always resisted the policy of denial and destruction. Even today, the struggle against the recognition of the Treaty of Lausanne continues and has reached a very important stage in this century.

Thirdly, this year’s Newroz is welcomed at a very important and historical period of time. For the last eight years, the Turkish state has been trying to eliminate the freedom movement and the achievements of the Kurdish people, and to invade Kurdistan through a policy of genocide. The Turkish state declared a general war against the freedom struggle and this war continues. Under the leadership of the AKP-MHP alliance, the fascist Turkish state has sought to achieve results by attacking the Freedom Movement with the help and support of NATO and the collaborationist Kurdish line. To this end, the Turkish army resorted to advanced warfare, including chemical and tactical nuclear weapons, against the freedom guerrillas of Kurdistan.

In order to achieve its goals, the genocidal fascist regime chose Öcalan and the Kurdistan freedom guerrillas as its main targets. The fascist regime has thus introduced a very severe isolation and psychological torture system in the Imrali prison. This system implemented at Imrali is unprecedented. However, Öcalan manifested a very important and historic stance, will and patience against these attacks. Kurdistan freedom guerrillas in turn put up historic resistance led by comrades Azad Sîser, Çiyager, Delal Amed, Egîd Civyan, Çîçek Botan, Atakan Mahîr, Cumali, Çavrê, Nûri, Bager, Mizgîn and Delil. This resistance frustrated all the attacks of the enemy on the social and political spheres. The Kurdish politics and Turkey’s democratic forces also resisted. Our people rose up in the streets, in prisons and elsewhere. This historic resistance, which has been going on for 8 years, has thus frustrated the enemy.

THE ENEMY PLANS TO DECLARE VICTORY ON 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF LAUSANNE TREATY

The enemy wants to eradicate our movement through the employment of banned weapons with the help of the collaborative Kurdish line, agents and traitors and hegemonic powers. It aims to destroy the achievements of the Kurdish people everywhere, especially in Rojava, Bashur (South Kurdistan) and Shengal. The enemy was thus set to declare victory on the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and the Treaty of Lausanne. The enemy's plan was to eliminate the freedom movement in four parts of Kurdistan in 2023, to destroy the achievements of the Kurdish people, and to declare the success of the genocidal policies and the Treaty of Lausanne on the 100th anniversary of the Republic. However, the enemy could not achieve this goal thanks to the heroic martyrs, the efforts of Öcalan, the sacrifice of our people and the determined stance of all the members of the freedom struggle. In other words, the enemy did not win nor achieve results. This was achieved thanks to the resistance of our heroic martyrs. The breakthroughs by our movement, especially in Heftanin in the last three years and in Zap, Metina, Avaşin, Bakur and Rojava in the last two years, have enabled the Kurdistan freedom struggle to reach its peak.

In 2022, the resistance led by comrades Bager, Avzem, Rûbar, Mizgîn, Delîl, Nalîn, Nûrî, Helbest and Doğan in the Medya Defence Zones and in the region of Zap and its vicinity represented a significant response to the enemy, leading to its defeat. This historic resistance and struggle continues. 11 months have passed, but the historic resistance continues. The resistance currently being carried out in the areas of Çemço, Martyr Doğan, Martyr Botan and Martyr Munzur shows why the struggle in 2022 was a historic one. This struggle has entered a new phase in 2023. The resistance carried out against the enemy that resorted to forbidden and advanced weapons in the areas of Çemço, Martyr Doğan, Martyr Botan and Martyr Munzur is not an ordinary and easy thing.

This resistance has created a new method of warfare. It marks the opening of a new page in the history of war. It demonstrates the way to resist and win against an advanced warfare with human intelligence, courage, will and skills. This resistance is the victory of human will against a technologically advanced warfare. Therefore, it is indeed historic and very sacred. We salute all the resistance fighters and heroes who have fought in the areas of Çemço, Martyr Doğan, Martyr Botan and Martyr Munzur. Their resistance represents our 51-year-old revolution and the Apoist self-sacrificing spirit. It is the symbol of Zap's sacred resistance. It is the symbol of the Kurdish people’s determination and of victory. Today, we are lighting the fire of Newroz, deriving inspiration from this historic resistance and celebrating Newroz. Today, our people take to the streets with this spirit and celebrate Newroz with great enthusiasm.

TURKISH GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN WAR

After last month’s earthquakes, it came out that the AKP-MHP regime was not prepared for this disaster. This fascist regime has spent all of Turkey's economic income on war and took no precautions against the earthquake. This earthquake turned into a massacre for the Kurdish people, the Turkish people and the Arab people. The genocidal and fascist AKP-MHP regime is responsible for this massacre. There are fault lines all over the world. People take precautions against them and when there is an earthquake, they survive the earthquake with minimal or no loss. However, the fascist AKP-MHP regime stole the country’s money, enriched its supporters through public tenders, and spent the money on war without making any preparations for the earthquake. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives. We are very sorry for this. We offer our condolences to our people, Turkish and Arab people, and wish the injured a quick recovery.

Our people celebrate the 2023 Newroz with a rage against the earthquake massacre. In fact, Newroz is a day of resistance, unity, rebellion and success against genocide. Even though we feel very sad, it is very meaningful to celebrate Newroz. We see that our people welcome the 2023 Newroz more meaningfully than any other Newroz before. Our people develop their national ties with the spirit of the Newroz fire, strengthen their social ties, protect each other, promote the spirit of national unity and seek to conclude their march to freedom. All in all, 2023 Newroz is not an ordinary, but an important and historic Newroz. The historic march marks its 50th anniversary and is about to achieve success.

TURKEY CONTINUES ITS ATTACKS DESPITE THE CEASEFIRE

Another issue is the upcoming elections to take place in Turkey and Kurdistan in May. This is also an important issue. 2023 Newroz is celebrated amid the pre-election political and social struggles. The spirit of Newroz is the spirit of resistance and freedom. Elections have important meanings. When we look at the current developments and the agenda, we can say that 2023 Newroz will be the beginning of a new era, when the policies of oppression and genocide will fail, the struggle for freedom and democracy will achieve victory, and 2023 will be a year of success for the people against fascism and genocide.

As is known to all, our movement declared inaction after the earthquakes in Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria. Our Headquarters Command also confirmed this decision. However, the fascist AKP-MHP regime turns a blind eye to this extraordinary situation and continues its attacks against our forces. This fascist state does not respect any conscience. It wants to maintain its power and keep the regime alive over the deaths of our people. We have declared inaction, which is, however, disturbed by the enemy. Our people and the public are already aware of the situation and see how humane, popular and social our attitude is, and how unscrupulous the occupying Turkish state is.

AKP-MHP REGIME MAY INCREASE ITS ATTACKS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS

The AKP-MHP government may escalate its attacks before the upcoming elections on May 14, which are certainly of great importance for the future of Turkey and all peoples living in the country. The peoples living in Turkey are not going to elect some candidates in this election; they will also make a decision to change the system. Still, we know that the AKP-MHP regime wants to maintain its power and regime. For this very reason, it is not a remote possibility that the fascist regime may introduce various dark plans, schemes and conspiracies in the next two months. The AKP-MHP regime wants to go to the polls by escalating tensions and creating a crisis. They have made some preparations to do so.

For instance, the government has made changes to the election law and introduced new reforms in the top institution that inspects the elections. This shows that the AKP-MHP government will resort to all forms of ways and methods to maintain its power. It is not clear whether this fascist regime will respect the election results. This is a matter of debate. There is suspicion that new operations may be introduced. In fact, the first operation in the political sphere was carried out by the oppositional İYİ Party, whose leader, Meral Akşener, suddenly withdrew from the oppositional electoral alliance called Table of the Six following a furious statement. This was an operation.

This was an operation apparently organised by state agencies to dissolve the Table of Six and to stop and weaken the opposition. But the table was not dissolved and there was severe unrest in the İYİ party base, with tens of thousands of resignations, and a general reaction among the people. When those who had prepared this plan realised that the operation would backfire, that Akşener's party would most likely be liquidated and the alliance would still win, they thought it appropriate for Akşener to return to the table.

NO ONE SHOULD MISUNDERSTAND OUR DECISION OF INACTION

They had to make this decision. This was an important result for the democratic forces of Turkey and Kurdistan. And why? Because the people of Turkey want change. That turned out to be the case, and this situation strengthened the opposition even more. Now the first operation has failed. But we should know that a second operation is expected to be directed against the Kurdistan freedom struggle and in the political field. They will increase the pressure on Öcalan. They will undoubtedly carry out more military attacks on the Kurdish freedom struggle. It is even possible that new attacks will be launched against Rojava or the Medya Defence Zones. Therefore, in this important and historic process, no one should misunderstand our decision of inaction.

We should know that the stance of our movement is right, but the enemy does not listen to it. On the contrary, it is increasing its attacks and consolidating the chauvinist, racist wave in the society of Turkey. It wants to start a war before the elections. For this, it will carry out attacks. All of us, all friends, must be prepared for such a situation. No one should abandon caution. On the contrary, everyone must develop strength. In this critical and delicate period, the military forces as well as the political and social forces must be very careful and be prepared for all possible developments. More attention and caution are needed today than ever before.

We welcome the 2023 Newroz under such conditions. As members of our movement, the freedom guerrillas of Kurdistan, fighters and commanders, we must treat every Newroz as a means for questioning.  We must look through and evaluate ourselves, our situation, our ways to join the Newroz march to victory, and purge ourselves with the purity of the Newroz fire.

We must face the reality of Leader Öcalan and the heroic martyrs so as to fulfil our role and mission on the historic Newroz march on the 51st year of our march. With the resistance spirit of Zap, we must avenge all massacres and all our martyrs. We must welcome 2023 Newroz with the spirit of self-sacrifice, revenge and success. We must turn 2023 Newroz into an occasion to achieve the physical freedom of Leader Öcalan and Kurdistan.

On this basis, we must welcome 2023 Newroz with great spirit and undertake the missions of the current period with this spirit. We wish a happy Newroz to Leader Öcalan, all companions, our people and the people of the region. We salute all our comrades with love and respect and wish them success on the 51st year of the historic march.”