Presentations by political parties, organizations and institutions have started after the opening speech in the national unity workshop held by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)  in Sulaymaniyah. The following are excerpts from the speeches given by the political party representatives:

“WE ARE ONE, OUR GOALS ARE ONE”

Nermîn Osman spoke in the name of the PUK delegation and said: “We may not get such an opportunity for another 100  years. There is nothing more valuable than unity for us. The only way to handle the issues between the parts and the particular issues within the parts themselves is through dialogue. Still, our internal issues don’t mean we can’t have a common stance on national scale issues. All our enemies target our national identity when they attack us.

All eyes in all parts of Kurdistan are on us now. We are one, our goals are one, our purpose is one.  Every day we are taking great strides to achieve our rights. We owe this to the guerrilla, peshmerga and the fighters. We salute them with great respect. We offer our gratitude for the martyrs and respect to their families.”

“SHENGAL HAS SHOWN OUR UNION IS WEAK” 

Koma Jinên Kurdistan (KJK) member Besê Erzîncan said: “Yesterday was the anniversary of four of our comrades laying their bodies down for a death fast in the Amed dungeon. The day before was the anniversary of Dr. Qasimlo’s martyrdom. I would like to start my speech with a commemoration of our martyrs in the four parts. Esteemed participants, I want to stress the role of women and the role they have in national unity. In the 21st century, the Kurdish women achieved important gains in the battle fronts, politics, economy and all areas. The fragmented situation in Kurdistan also hit Kurdish women hardest. But at this point, the Kurdish women delivered great blows on this fragmentation with their resistance and their struggle. 

We as Kurdish women consider unity essential. Because we don’t have unity, just a couple of years ago Êzidî women faced a great massacre. What the Êzidî women experienced was due to us not having unity.”

"THE KURDISH PEOPLE EXPECT A COMMON VOICE FROM US"

Aras Welî spoke in the name of the Goran movement and said: “The Kurdish people need unity more than anything else today. In order to have a common voice from the Kurdish house, we need unity. Today the political and military situation especially in Rojava calls for a common voice from us. The incidents in Southern Kurdistan push unity to the frontlines. Today there is a referendum process in Southern Kurdistan, but we see that the referendum is being used for political purposes. Independence should be an end goal, not a tool. I hope that this meeting will lead to a solution in problems encountered in Kurdistan in general.”

“LOOK AT ROJAVA’S CEMETERIES FOR NATIONAL UNITY”

Asya Abdullah spoke in the name of Rojava political parties and institutions and said: “First, we bow down in front of all our martyrs of freedom. I also salute all resistances fighting the tyrannies imposed upon our people in four parts of Kurdistan as well. Today we have in front of us the issue of how to protect with the spirit of unity the gains we have achieved. Today we have in front of us the issue of how to fight with the spirit of unity the slavery these colonialists attempt to impose upon us.

National unity has been achieved in the martyrs cemeteries in Rojava. These cemeteries tell us something, they order us to achieve unity at once. Our people have achieved unity, now it’s our turn as political parties and organizations. We should ask ourselves: What is preventing us from achieving a national unity?

Today the threats against the Kurdish people continue to grow. Threats against our liberated zones and the liberated Efrîn continue. It doesn’t matter if it’s Southern Kurdistan, Northern Kurdistan or Rojhilat, we must fight the attacks with a common spirit and resist together. We believe this worksop will be a great step towards turning our national unity into solidifying our national unity.”