The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement marking the first anniversary of their campaign “Stop Isolation, Occupation and Fascism – Time for Freedom”.

The statement published today includes the following:

“One year has passed since the launch of our campaign “Stop Isolation, Occupation and Fascism – Time for Freedom” on September 12, 2020. In the past year, the fascist AKP-MHP government has continued the isolation and special war against Rêber Apo, expanded its occupation policy and put massive pressure on women and different peoples. At the same time, our offensive has become a historical event that has consistently been imbued with the spirit of July 14. In connection with the offensive “No to Feminicide – Time to Defend Free Women and Free Society” launched by the KJK, it has gained significant strength and has meanwhile brought the fascist AKP-MHP government – the enemy of freedom and democracy in Kurdistan and the Middle East – to the brink of collapse through the intense struggle of the past year.

In 2020, the AKP-MHP fascism has intensified its annihilation attacks against the Kurdish people and the democratic forces at home and abroad. It has attempted to force the various states in the region to surrender through its policy of constant attacks in Syria, Iraq, Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean, thereby imposing the expansion of its hegemony in the Middle East and the Mediterranean on them. With the help of this policy of aggression, it has blackmailed the international powers and pressured them to accept its hegemony in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. With its occupation of parts of Rojava and North and East Syria, its permanent attacks on the Medya Defense Zones and Iraq and the occupation operations in this region, the dispatch of Islamist mercenaries to Libya in order to gain political influence there, and by supporting Azerbaijan during its attacks on Armenia, the Turkish state has pursued the goal of imposing its political hegemony. The basic aim of all these attacks is to increase the political weight and power of the Turkish state in order to crush the Kurdish Freedom Movement and complete the Kurdish Genocide. The Turkish state has completely directed its domestic and foreign policies towards this one goal.

We launched our offensive “Stop isolation, occupation and fascism – time for freedom” in a year during which the fascist AKP-MHP government pursued such policies and carried out intensive attacks. Against the background of the developments in the past year, we can clearly state that our offensive has achieved great success and led to important results. In this context, we respectfully remember all those who fell as Şehits and salute all those who have contributed to the success of our offensive.

Our offensive has led to a practical alliance and a common struggle front of the peoples and democratic forces against AKP-MHP fascism in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East. This represents a very important development. Through this, our offensive launched on September 12, 2020 with the spirit of July 14 has started a new phase in the struggle against AKP-MHP fascism. Through the struggle that has developed within the framework of this offensive, the true face of the AKP-MHP government has been exposed, which it is trying to conceal with the help of its special warfare. This has strengthened the struggle against the AKP-MHP government at home and abroad. Through the courage that our offensive has provided, not only Kurds but also different peoples, women, social circles and democratic forces in Kurdistan, Turkey, the Middle East and all parts of the world have become active against the genocidal colonialism. Such a broad and uninterrupted struggle has literally forced the AKP-MHP government to abandon its offensive position and move to defense. Its current offensive fury is nothing but a desperate attempt to prevent its own collapse.

Through the intensive struggle for the destruction of fascism, the end of isolation and the liberation of Rêber Apo, the struggle for Rêber Apo’s freedom has reached a significant level. This is because not only the Kurds themselves, but also the democratic forces have realized that the isolation of Rêber Apo is a result of the attacks on the democratic forces and the Kurdish Freedom Movement and that these attacks find their practical expression in the isolation policy. They have understood that the struggle for Rêber Apo’s freedom is the most concrete and direct form of the struggle for democracy. As a result, the struggle for Rêber Apo’s freedom in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East has gained strength and has reached an important level. Today, the struggle for Rêber Apo’s freedom is a global struggle supported by all women, socialists, workers, intellectuals and democratic forces. The isolation policy on Imrali is an attempt to isolate Rêber Apo’s ideas and the democratic-socialist line he has developed, which is based on women’s freedom and a democratic-ecological society. Nevertheless, today his thoughts have become an ideology and political line that is gaining more and more influence all over the world.

Undoubtedly, the guerrilla has participated in this offensive with all its strength. Through its selfless resistance against the wide and heavy attacks of the genocidal, colonialist enemy, the guerrilla has given great courage to all those who are fighting against AKP-MHP fascism. The AKP-MHP fascist government is attacking North Kurdistan and Medya Defense Zones in order to keep itself on its feet and to remove all obstacles for the Kurdish Genocide. The historical and selfless resistance of the guerrilla against these attacks has made the political aims of the AKP-MHP fascism fail and has thus made the greatest possible contribution to our “Time for Freedom” offensive. The guerrilla resists with the awareness that this genocidal, colonialist and fascist government is hostile to the very existence of the Kurdish people and all forms of freedom and democracy. With full respect, we remember all the freedom fighters who participated in the resistance with this consciousness and fell as Şehits.

Our offensive has shaken and weakened the AKP-MHP government in the course of the last year and has brought it to the brink of collapse. However, its collapse has not been fully achieved yet. The isolation on Imrali has been comprehensively weakened. It has been deprived of its usefulness and foundation. Important developments have thus been brought about for the freedom of Rêber Apo. But the isolation of Rêber Apo continues. Through our offensive, the people’s attitude and struggle against the occupation of the genocidal and colonialist Turkish state have also become clear. However, the occupation and attacks also continue.

In the second year, the defeat of AKP-MHP fascism, the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the end of the occupation in all parts of Kurdistan continue to be the fundamental goals of our offensive. The overthrow of the AKP-MHP government will not only lead to the democratization of Turkey and the resolution of the Kurdish question, but will also allow the democratization of the Middle East. In this sense, it is the historical chance and task of the Kurdish people and all democratic forces to smash AKP-MHP fascism.

Through their struggle on the basis of Rêber Apo’s line, only the Kurds and the peoples and democratic forces allied with them are able to solve the problems in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East, which currently seem unsolvable and have led to a hopeless situation. And only they are capable of building an alternative democratic system. Therefore, we call upon all the Kurdish people in all four parts of Kurdistan and abroad, all our fellow peoples and all democratic forces to unite their forces even more under the leadership of the women and the youth in the second year of the “Time for Freedom” offensive, to intensify their struggle on this basis, to liberate Rêber Apo by crushing the fascist AKP-MHP government and to create a free Kurdistan, a democratic Turkey and a democratic Middle East.”