The final resolution for the two-day national unity workshop for Southern Kurdistan held by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) in Sulaymaniyah has been announced.

The KNK workshop’s final resolution is as follows:

1- The Kurdish people in all four parts of Kurdistan are one. The unity of the Kurdish people is a necessity and the unity of the Kurdish people is not against any peoples.

2- The Kurdish people need a common institution for diplomacy and the KNK should work to achieve this.

3- Our people should have a common strategy so all the diversity in Kurdistan can live together freely and democratically.

4- It is more essential than ever that the Kurdish people have a common defense force. Because there are attacks on all parts of Kurdistan and the Kurdish people no longer have their lives and property guaranteed.

5- We absolutely reject and don’t accept civil wars or conflicts. The presence of differing ideologies, views and political parties is no grounds for conflict, it is a necessity for the democratic development of our people.

6- We reject the attacks against Rojava Kurdistan, and the invasion attempt against Afrin in particular, and we state that our people needs to take a stand against this. Similarly, we state that we stand with our people regarding the disputed territories in Southern Kurdistan and that the issues should be resolved through peaceful and democratic means. We condemn the invasion attacks of October 16, 2017 and repeat our call for the Iraqi government to act responsibly.

7- We condemn the Iranian state’s attacks against Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan), and we state that we stand with the peoples of Rojhilat and Iran. As the KNK, we repeat our call to political parties in Rojhilat to come together in line with the interests of our people.

8- We state that women must participate actively in all areas of life and as the KNK call on all men to respect women’s rights. We condemn any and all violence against women.

9- We repeat our call to all political circles to put national interests above party interests. We suggest the Kurdish media act in national awareness and implement policies equivalent to the national unity strategy.

10- We propose that the 21 point National Unity Principles Draft becomes the foundation of national unity efforts.

11- We iterate the need to work to include circles who didn’t participate in this workshop in national unity efforts in the future.

12- We stress that intellectuals, writers, academics and opinion leaders should work for national unity and take a stronger role in bringing our people closer together. We repeat our call that all should fulfill the duties that befall them in this matter.

13- We salute the resistance of political prisoners, and state that we stand with the youth and the women in their struggles. We stress the role women and the youth will play for national unity.

14- Efforts for a National Congress should continue until it is made a reality. Before the National Congress, the proposals of Kurdish women in the national unity efforts should be heeded.

15- After this workshop, the foundation of dialogue, discussion and negotiations for the national congress should be formed and efforts should continue nonstop.

16- The common life of Kurdish people and all peoples and all diversity in Kurdistan is the fundamental principle.

17- We condemn the attacks against citizens who have taken to the streets to criticise the wrongful policies of the government, and the spilling of the people’s blood in these attacks. We stress that the government should heed the people’s voice and demands, and our people on the streets should use democratic and peaceful means to express their issues.

18- Building a foundation for a just and good life for our people is one of the fundamental goals of national unity efforts.