Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Committee’s message was read in the national unity workshop held in Sulaymaniyah by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK). KCK Foreign Relations Official Serhad Varto congratulated all participants and the KCK for the national unity efforts before he read the message, which said World War III is taking place in the center of Kurdistan and that the fragmented stance of the Kurds encourage the colonialists.

The KCK message stressed that the Kurds “need to transform national unity and the national congress into a platform where issues can be dealt with” and that a “great synergy will be created if unity is achieved” and said: 

“We openly state that national unity and the national congress are duties history and our people have ordered us political parties to actualize. We as a movement are ready to fulfill any and all responsibilities regarding the national unity and national congress.”

The full text of the KCK message is as follows:

“Esteemed friend! As you all know, the World War III is in session in the Middle East. Without a doubt, as a result of this war, like in the World War I, a new Middle East and world order will be built. Currently, the question whether the Kurds will take their place in the new Middle East and world order has become the fundamental issue of the war. This is due to the fact that the gains or losses of the Kurds don’t just affect the Kurds’ fate but redefine the fate of the Middle Eastern order. As such, whether the Kurds will have status or not will be the character defining point for the new order. If the Kurds have a status, that will mean that the new Middle Eastern order will be built on a democratic foundation. In that case, it won’t be just the Kurds who achieve their fundamental rights and freedoms, but all the oppressed peoples and social groups in the Middle East. But if the Kurds remain without status, all the peoples of the Middle East, starting with the Kurds, will be subjected to grave genocides like they were by the end of World War I. 

WARS HAPPEN IN THE CENTER OF KURDISTAN

“The Kurds having a key role in this war both gives us great opportunities for emancipation and carry great dangers within. The danger is due to the fact that the Kurds and Kurdistan are in the center of this war. Virtually all parties in the war are clashing over Kurds and Kurdistan. In this conflict, colonialist forces that defend the status quo have, under the lead of Turkey, positioned themselves against the Kurds. Thinking that the forces that want the status quo to change are positioned behind Kurds would be a great delusion. In short, Kurds have to trust in and rely on their own strength in the face of adversity. But it is also a fact that the very thing that is dangerous for the Kurds also offers  great opportunities for emancipation. Because being in the center of the war gives the Kurds and Kurdistan a strategic role and position. Taking good advantage of this role and position will bring freedom for the Kurds and democracy for the Middle East.

ANTI-KURDISH SENTIMENT DEVELOPS OVER FRAGMENTED STATE

“Dear Friends! There is no doubt that the Kurds coming into this strategic importance, role and position has been possible through the rough struggle given and high price paid by our people in four parts of Kurdistan. In the end, important gains have been made in four parts of Kurdistan and the international arena. Now the colonialist powers led by the Turkish state are trying to remove the strategic role, position and gains of the Kurds while the international powers want to use these gains to further their own political projects. This is very unfortunate and dangerous for Kurds. Even though this has historical reasons, the true reason that colonalist states and international forces still view Kurds as tools to either eliminate or abuse is Kurds themselves. The politically fragmented status of the Kurdish forces continually feed the colonialist powers’ desires to eliminate the Kurds, at times even serving that end. The Kurds’ political and socially fragmented status also prevents the international powers from having a refined and strategic relationship with Kurds. As there is no institution to talk with in the name of Kurds, everybody sees the Kurds as an element in their own political projects. In short, nobody can find any party to be allies or enemies with for all Kurds. So, the Kurds have no enemies, and no friends. The enemies hide themselves in the depths of this fragmentation, while friends can’t find the opportunities to openly come out and show themselves. That is why the colonialist powers hide their anti-Kurdish sentiment under an animosity against one party or the other, and friends think it enough to speak with Kurds behind closed doors.

NATIONAL UNITY WILL CREATE GREAT SYNERGY

“Esteemed friends! As you all know very well, all Kurdish parties have relationships with various regional and international forces to some extent. There is no doubt that all parties are trying to garner strength for the Kurds from these relationships, but this fact should be known that the Kurds’ true source of strength lies with national unity. National unity is like an unopened treasure chest for Kurds. Joining together the current political, military and diplomatic strength of the Kurds will create great synergy for all, beyond all our dreams. Such a unity will have quite serious political repercussions for the Kurds and the Middle East. For that, we must achieve our national unity and play an active role in the political process with goals of freedom for Kurds and democracy in the Middle East.

OUR NATIONAL UNITY WILL BRING ABOUT THE SOLUTION TO THE KURDISH ISSUE

“Esteemed friends! National unity is also imperative for a comprehensive solution to the Kurdish issue through political/democratic ways. In a political climate where all issues in the Middle East are interconnected, it is not possible to solve the Kurdish issue in one part by isolating it from the others. Unless the Kurdish issue is comprehensively resolved, there is no guarantee for any of the solutions reached in the parts. Even at a time when the Kurds have achieved a status in Southern Kurdistan and Rojava, colonialist powers led by the Turkish state conjuring up an anti-Kurdish alliance shows this fact very clearly. So, it is a necessity for the Kurds to push a solution to the Kurdish issue on all the related parties in unity. National unity will also bring about the political/democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, as no colonialist state will be able to brave animosity against all Kurds at the same time. The forces that went into alliances among themselves to eliminate the Kurds will race to become allies to the Kurds, when the Kurds are united.

LET’S MAKE THE NATIONAL CONGRESS THE PLACE TO RESOLVE ISSUES

“Undoubtedly, national unity is not just necessary and imperative to be an answer to conjunctural political developments. It is also necessary and imperative to have the national unity and national congress be an inter-Kurdish platform to resolve issues and a fundamental institution of Kurdish democracy. The Kurds who have been victimized by the antidemocratic states and institutions in the Middle East need the democratic mindset, life and institutions more than anybody else. A Kurdish identity that can’t create a culture of democracy and democratic institutions within itself will not be able to solve the issues inside, or the problems with hegemonic powers. Thinking the various issues between parties is an obstacle for national unity will be very wrong. Instead of thinking of issues as obstacles on the way to national unity, thinking of national unity and the national congress as a platform for the resolution of any and all issues will be the most appropriate. “

NATIONAL CONGRESS IS A DUTY ORDERED BY OUR HISTORY

“Esteemed friends! National unity has been the biggest goal of our people since Ehmedê Xanê. Dozens of insurgent leaders have, after their bitter experiences, thought the reason behind their defeat has been the inability to achieve national unity. Our people, the children of Ehmedê Xanê’s goal and Şêx Seîd’s, Seyit Rıza’s, Berzenci’s and Qazi Muhammed’s bitter experiences, demand with every individual hat we achieve national unity today. Our movement, since it was founded, has considered national unity to be both a prerequisite for the success of our people’s struggle for freedom and a necessity for a democratic life. So we openly state again national unity and the national congress are duties history and our people have ordered us political parties to actualize. We as a movement are ready to fulfill any and all responsibilities regarding the national unity and national congress. For that reason, we see this workshop as a very valuable and meaningful step towards national unity. We demand from you esteemed participants and the KNK delegation that the national unity efforts not be limited to the discussions to be held here and be taken to a next level where the fundamental principles can be discussed. We salute all with respect once more.”