Hesen Koçer, Co-Chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, spoke to ANF on the purpose of the 9 October International Conspiracy and the policies of the Turkish state and international powers against both the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East. Koçer pointed out that the Turkish state's attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria on 9 October carry historical messages.

On 9 October 1998, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan was forced to leave Syria due to Turkish pressure and threats and decided to make his way to Europe rather than to the PKK's strongholds in the Kurdish mountains of Northern Iraq or North-Western Iran. As all European countries refused to grant him leave or entry, the Kurdish leader was finally flown to the Greek Embassy at Nairobi, Kenya via Moscow, Athens and Corfu, in what became increasingly obvious as a deliberate conspiracy to maneuvre him into a position where he could be handed over to the Turkish authorities as soon as safeguards of European law were effectively by-passed. On 15 February 1999, the Kurdish leader was arrested in Kenya and handed over to Turkey, where he has since been subjected to unlawful treatment in violation of international law. 9 October thus marks the beginning of what the Kurds call “the international conspiracy”.

Hesen Koçer said, “The Turkish state carried out extermination and genocide attacks against Serêkaniyê and Girê Sipî regions where Syriac, Circassian, Armenian, Kurdish and Arab peoples live together on 9 October. There was great resistance against these attacks. However, the attacks of the Turkish state were aimed at annihilation and genocide as a whole. The choice of 9 October in particular had a meaning; the international conspiracy against Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) had also taken place on this date. With this, they actually wanted to send the following message: 'We will continue the policy of extermination and genocide. We will deepen the isolation in İmralı.' It is already known that the İmralı system is a massacre system in itself. This isolation on Leader Apo is actually an isolation against the people of the region. It is an isolation against democratic forces and the Kurdish nation. This is how we evaluate it.

'Turkey wanted to connect the attacks on 9 October with the history of the Kurds'

The Turkish state wanted to connect the attacks on Serêkaniyê and Girê Sipî on 9 October with the history of the Kurds. In other words, they linked the conspiracy to history. On 15 February 1925, the Sheikh Said revolution was suppressed; on 28 June, Sheikh Said was sentenced to death. On 15 February 1999, Leader Apo was taken prisoner and on 28 June he was sentenced to death. Of course, this is not only a situation related to the Turkish state; it is also linked to the international system. Those who are doing politics over the Kurdish people and want to make them victims of their own dirty policies have chosen this day especially.

'The aim is to destroy democratic forces, democratic societies and free people'

Therefore, it is a decision taken not only by the Turkish state, but also by the international powers that give the Turkish state the green light. The aim of the conspirators is to destroy democratic forces, democratic societies and free people. They want to implement these policies against all democratic forces. The Turkish state aims to liquidate the Kurdish freedom movement and eliminate all democratic forces through this freedom movement. And again, the Turkish state is supporting all radical gang groups in order to completely occupy Northern and Eastern Syria. It attacks civilians every day in Northern and Eastern Syria and does this in front of the eyes of the whole world.”

'As the isolation of Leader Apo deepens, so do the attacks against the people of the region'

Hesen Koçer emphasised that all human values are being targeted in the person of Leader Apo and stated that everyone should be in great resistance against this. He continued: “Leader Apo represents the peoples of the Middle East with their freedoms, nations, cultures and all historical values. Therefore, as the isolation of Leader Apo deepens, so do the attacks against the people of the region. However, it is necessary to understand this well; the Imrali system is not only a system of the Turkish state; it is an international system. This system plans to liquidate all democratic societies and movements. However, Leader Apo put up great resistance against this conspiracy and developed a new project there.

'İmralı has turned into a school for all libertarian people'

For 25 years, how has Leader Apo resisted and developed a new philosophy and project? İmralı has turned into a school for all libertarian people; it became a school of philosophy. However, they had developed the Imrali system to liquidate all peoples, but they did not succeed. For this reason, they want to continue the conspiracy and isolation against Leader Apo in this context with different methods. On this anniversary of the 9 October conspiracy, our reactions need to emerge more strongly. Everyone who defines themselves as libertarian and patriotic should not remain unresponsive to this conspiracy, because this conspiracy does not target a single person. The historical values of the peoples, the values of freedom and the values of the revolution are targeted in the person of one person. They want to liquidate these values. Every libertarian and patriotic person who defends human values must take a stand against this. We must show our reactions very strongly and decisively. They want to break our will in the person of Leader Apo. This diplomatic traffic carried out by the Turkish state, its efforts to convince everyone and its attempts to build alliances are aimed at making the conspiracy a success. There is great resistance in İmralı.

'There is also a conspiracy within the framework of the law'

We need to see this resistance correctly and feel it well. Only in this way can we resist the conspiracy. The Turkish state's alliance with Iraq on the one hand and its efforts to normalise relations with Syria and to improve its relations with the US and Russia on the other are all aimed at achieving the goals it has set itself. Of course, this should not be limited to the Turkish state; international powers also play a major role in this. In the European dimension of the conspiracy, the stage of implementation according to the law should not be ignored. That is, there is also a conspiracy within the framework of the law. The politics and laws of the international powers and their states have almost become a whole.

'They have laws for some and none for others'

This has nothing to do with democratic law. Therefore, we have to say to them, ‘If you have laws, then respect your laws’. They have laws for some and none for others. This shows that the laws that are emerging are linked to politics and interests. The CPT, human rights institutions and international human rights organisations do not apply their own laws. Wherever there are political and economic interests, they are there. In this case, the conspiracy against Leader Apo has political, historical and legal dimensions.

'The struggle against attacks on societies and their values must be increased'

Of course, our people have put up great resistance since the beginning of the conspiracy. People have sacrificed themselves. Our society has been in struggle every year, every day since the beginning of the conspiracy. This is a historical stance. In the second phase of the campaign for the physical freedom of the leader, we need to maximise this resistance and struggle. The struggle against the İmralı system and the torture prison is historic. Our people must act with the awareness that this is the duty of every patriotic and pro-freedom person. Within the framework of this consciousness, the struggle against the attacks by the Turkish state and international powers targeting societies and their values must be increased.

'Without Leader Apo's philosophy, this democratic system would not have developed in Rojava'

Leader Apo developed a new philosophy for society. He created a new historical, social and political consciousness. He has developed tremendous consciousness especially for women's freedom. In order to protect all these values, everyone must take an attitude against this conspiracy. This attitude should be taken not only by the Kurdish people, but also by the people of the entire region. Everyone needs to know this value and put up historic resistance against this conspiracy together. Without Leader Apo's philosophy, this democratic system would not have developed in Rojava and the Rojava revolution would not even have a defence. Our people need to see and know this reality."

'The Kurdish people no longer accept betrayal'

Hesen Koçer pointed out that, “If we can frustrate this conspiracy, then we will succeed in transition to a new century. If the conspiracy is not frustrated, they will completely liquidate the hopes of the Kurdish people and the peoples of the region in the person of Leader Apo. Now everyone should know this well. We Kurds are not the old Kurds and we no longer want to live like the old Kurds. We never accept Kurds who are unconscious and live as slaves of their enemies. We never accept this kind of life for ourselves. The Kurdish people no longer accept betrayal within themselves. There are also traitor Kurds who have taken part in the international conspiracy. Today, traitors want to be Kurdish representatives. But they should know this well; traitors can never represent Kurds. As the philosophy of Leader Apo becomes widespread, it is not possible for traitors to become representatives of the Kurds. No one should prepare themselves for this; the Kurds will never accept them.

'Leader Apo is our historical, social, moral and freedom value'

Kurdish society has now reached a level where it knows what it wants. Our only goal as a society and as a people is to be ready to do everything to frustrate the conspiracy. Kurds have no tolerance and they should not. Leader Apo is a great value for us. He is our historical, social, moral and freedom value. Can one give up these values? For this reason, we need to understand the İmralı system and the aims of the conspiracy well. We need to understand well what the historical goals of the conspiracy are. Those who carried out the conspiracy admit that the main purpose was to intervene in the Middle East. After taking Leader Apo captive, they intervened in the Middle East.

'The 3rd World War started with the 9 October conspiracy'

In other words, the intervention in the Middle East began with the captivity of Leader Apo. In fact, the 3rd World War started with the 9 October conspiracy. Everyone should know this truth. The process that started with 9 October has extended to the war between Gaza and Israel with events that developed one after the other and in connection with each other. This will continue. All this is being done to change the Middle East. In order to prevent the development of a democratic system in the Middle East, they wanted to block the way for Leader Apo. They have not allowed his lawyers to meet him for three years. They play all kinds of dirty tricks to prevent the speeches and perspectives of the leader from reaching the people and affecting the process. For this reason, this year our resistance must increase many times more. Only in this way can we frustrate the conspiracy.”