Duran Kalkan, a member of the Abdullah Öcalan Academy of Social Sciences, shared a comprehensive assessment with Medya Haber TV. The first part of this in-depth analysis can be read here. 

We publish the second part.

All forms of provocation and attack are being directed at guerrillas

The Press Office of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) has issued statements on the ongoing attacks, which I want to reiterate. These attacks are continuing, sometimes intensifying, sometimes decreasing but they never cease. Prohibited weapons, including chemical agents and even tactical nuclear weapons, are being used extensively. As a result, guerrillas continue to fall in battle. Comrade Bawer, comrade Welat, and comrade Dicle were martyred at the end of May and the beginning of June. I commemorate them with respect, along with all the martyrs of the Zap resistance. Yet the guerrillas continue to suffer losses. What do they want from the guerrillas?

I want to make one point very clear. If the current situation has not escalated into a wider, more intense conflict, it is only because the guerrilla forces are respecting and implementing the ceasefire declared by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) administration on 1 March. It is because they are acting in accordance with the decisions made at the 12th Congress. It is not due to any other reason; on the contrary, all forms of provocation and attack are being carried out against them.

In fact, we did not declare this ceasefire for the sake of these ongoing attacks. We also made practical proposals so that certain sources of conflict could be resolved and clashes prevented. But this was perceived as a sign of weakness. And in response, they turned their attention back to those areas and further intensified their attacks.

The dove of peace cannot fly with one wing

The public is following the situation to some extent, but people need to understand it more clearly. We have made a decision to end the strategy of armed struggle. We are firm and resolute in this decision. We want to carry out our struggle for freedom on the basis of a strategy of democratic political struggle. However, the implementation of this path does not depend on us alone.

Everyone talks about peace, for example. But peace cannot be one-sided. Even Devlet Bahçeli said, “The dove of peace cannot fly with one wing.” And indeed, a bird cannot fly with one wing, neither can the dove of peace. So, if there is to be peace, it must have two wings.

Guerrillas attacked with approval of government and president

Of course, under attack, the guerrilla will defend itself. They attack, destroy, and kill and then they ask why the guerrilla does not lay down arms. They make calls saying, “Lay down your weapons, surrender to our justice, enter our prisons.” But this is not that kind of process.

There are those who profit from war, yes, there are profiteers of all kinds. But this is happening with the approval of the administration; it is not something being done independently by a few individuals. If there are attacks on guerrilla positions in Zap and Metina, if reconnaissance aircraft are being deployed across all areas of the Medya Defense Zones, then this is all taking place with the decision and approval of the current government and the president. It is a political decision. They are the ones responsible.

The guerrilla will defend itself under all circumstances

If these attacks continue, of course the guerrilla will not be a sacrificial lamb. These are revolutionary militants. They will defend themselves under any circumstances. They will exercise their legitimate right to self-defense. Everyone must understand this clearly.

In reality, the PKK was forced into this war from the very beginning. Some say there has been conflict for 40 or 50 years and that it should now be stopped. But that is not the full truth, this conflict has existed for a hundred years. It has been ongoing since 1925. And not only in North Kurdistan (Bakur), but also in East Kurdistan (Rojhilat), South Kurdistan (Başur), and in Rojava. This is a system, a mentality and a politics that have become institutionalized, a system born of a mindset and political agenda that denies the existence of the Kurds and seeks their eradication.

The conflict did not begin with the PKK. The PKK made a decision to resist. It launched a struggle in order to defend a people who were facing annihilation. It took up resistance in response to attacks aimed at destruction, liquidation, and genocide. This must be clearly understood.

Kurdish people’s dignity cannot be attacked

There has been much talk about the armed struggle. I want to address that as well. Some say, “Every form of armed struggle is wrong, it’s harmful, it should not exist.” They claim peace is the only way forward and say, “Let’s fight for peace.” Fine, we support peace and are committed to that struggle.

We are ending the strategy of armed struggle. However, the Kurdish people must not forget that every national and democratic gain was made possible through the guerrilla resistance. As a people, as a movement of freedom, we have achieved much through armed resistance. Now, we aim to advance those gains through other forms of struggle. This must be understood correctly. In this context, those who comment on the situation should not obscure the awareness of the people. They must speak with clarity and understand the truth.

So should the guerrilla not defend itself in the face of annihilation attacks? Who could possibly prevent that? If such violence is imposed on the Kurdish people by force, what are they supposed to do? They have always resisted and continue to resist to defend their dignity. The Kurdish people are a people of honor. That honor comes from deep within history. They will not allow it to be trampled. Everyone should understand this well.

Those who think they can break the Kurdish people’s dignity will ultimately be the ones disgraced. They have failed to achieve this aim so far and they will never succeed.

There is no turning back from the dissolution of the PKK

We must not fall into pessimism about current developments and the broader process. On that note, let me say this: we are determined to carry out what we have set out to do from our side. A decision has been made at the congress level. A decision has been made at the level of President Öcalan. I have mentioned this in previous statements as well.

President Öcalan has transformed himself, he has made a clear decision. He is now transforming and reshaping the party. He is reshaping the entire revolutionary leadership and structure. On this basis, he will transform the people, the methods of struggle, Kurdistan, and Turkey. We are committed to this. There must be no uncertainty about it. There is no turning back from the dissolution of the PKK. Our focus is on moving forward.

A new strategy is being determined

The decisions have now been published. A new paradigm is in place. A new strategy is being developed. There are perspectives, evaluations, and decisions regarding past experiences, past achievements, projections for the future direction of the process, and what needs to be done to steer this new phase in a positive direction. This is not something that proceeds on its own.

Those who think we will not defend ourselves are mistaken

We are fully committed to ending the strategy of armed struggle. We have made our decision. We will absolutely not pursue an armed line as in the past. But this does not mean that if we are faced with attacks aimed at annihilation and liquidation, or denial of our existence, we will not defend ourselves. It does not mean that this people will not engage in self-defense, that they will not exercise their legitimate right to resist, that they will simply do nothing and accept slavery. That will never happen. Those who believe otherwise are seriously mistaken.

If genocide is imposed, the Kurdish people will resist everywhere, at all times

The Kurdish people will continue to develop the necessary means and methods. New forms of struggle will emerge in response to the evolving conditions and realities of the new era, beyond the past. Because it is political and military conditions that determine the forms of struggle; we are not the sole deciders. We act in accordance with the demands of those conditions. If there is a democratic environment, we will prioritize the strategy of democratic political struggle. If Turkey moves toward democratization...

But if it does not, if there is no democratization, if denial continues, if annihilation continues, if freedom of expression and organization is entirely eliminated, and if genocide is imposed on the Kurds, then the Kurdish people will resist everywhere, at all times. When faced with a policy of genocide, there is no other choice. Aside from that, we are firmly committed to advancing this process from our side.

Being right is not enough to succeed

There is something else I want to express. We have already spoken about the attitude of the AKP. Devlet Bahçeli’s words are positive. In fact, they offer a glimmer of hope. But the necessary steps are not being taken. The impact of those words is gradually fading and disappearing.

This pessimism and confusion stem largely from that reality. We also try to follow how society is responding. From Amed (Diyarbakır) and Van (Wan), concerns are reflected in the media. And they are valid concerns. People themselves explain the reasons: they say this government, the AKP, will not do anything different; it manipulates, it plays games. And they are not wrong. They are absolutely justified. But being right alone is not enough to win, to succeed.

The AKP has no preparations; it is society that must take action

It has become clear that the AKP has no genuine preparations. We have been clear on this point. Those who remember 2009 will recall what happened. At first, they said, “We are launching a Kurdish initiative.” But when the Kurds won the 29 March elections by a large margin, it turned out not to be a democratic initiative but a “national unity initiative.” They dragged the process out over time. They tried to stall and buy time. When President Öcalan and the movement insisted on truth and reality, they responded in November as if staging a coup.

At that time, Tayyip Erdoğan said, “We are starting over from scratch.” And from that moment on, he imposed violence. Now, in a similar way, it is clear once again that they have no serious preparations.

There does not appear to be any meaningful change emerging through the current process. They continue to play for time and merely observe developments. The opposition, too, has failed to put forward any effective policy on the matter. Why? Because resolving the Kurdish question is not something that creates division, it requires unity. But instead, everything is caught in conflict: a struggle for power, for personal gain. Both government and opposition are lost in this.

They do not even stop to consider what kind of condition Turkey is in. There is no serious or forward-looking initiative. It is all at the level of words. Yet everyone, society, the peoples of Turkey, expects action. They are waiting for something concrete. They want to see real change. So let me say this: it is not enough to simply criticize. President Öcalan’s call was not addressed only to those in power. The decisions of the PKK were not just for these political forces. Criticizing them and asking, “Why are they not doing anything?” is not a sufficient response. It is society itself that must act. People must do something.

An effective struggle is needed for peace

It was said that calls for peace came from civil society groups: “We want peace,” they declared. President Öcalan responded to this call, and the PKK made its decision: “We are ending the strategy of armed struggle.” The path has been opened. In that case, a struggle for peace is necessary. There must be an active and effective fight for it.

At the moment, there is a lack of sufficient struggle. Various groups are engaged in efforts, especially in North Kurdistan and within Turkey. In other regions as well, there is some level of struggle. As I mentioned earlier, this must be united everywhere with the demand for President Öcalan’s physical freedom. But it also needs to become much stronger. What we have now is not enough. Advancing democratization can only be achieved through struggle. Peace is won through struggle. That is why a more effective and determined effort is needed.