On Saturday, a central demonstration against the Turkish war of aggression in Kurdistan will take place in Düsseldorf. Activists mobilize in the entire federal territory as well as in Belgium and the Netherlands for the demonstration which will begin at 12 noon in front of the DGB building.

The call by Kurdish and internationalist organizations said the following:

Defend Kurdistan - Defend the Revolution!

Since April 17, 2022, Turkey has been massively attacking the Kurdish areas in northern Iraq and Rojava (North-East Syria). Day by day, the Turkish state is expanding its war to more and more areas. Again, reports reach us that Turkey has used chemical weapons in southern Kurdistan. The attack on the mountains is an attack on the heart of the guerrillas. The PKK guerrillas are the insurance for the revolution in Rojava. It prevents the Turkish state from being able to deploy its entire army in Syria. It is no coincidence that Kobanê in Rojava is being attacked massively with artillery and drones in parallel with Turkey's attack on southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

Why are Germany and NATO complicit in genocide?

A look at the history of the Turkish war against the Kurds shows that the genocidal policy of the Turkish state has a long continuity up to the present time, regardless of the existence of the guerrilla or the democratic self-government in Rojava. So what is the real reason for the attacks? Why are NATO and especially Germany complicit in genocide through their financial and political support and arms supplies? And why is the rest of the world so deafeningly silent?

Erdogan's neo-Ottoman ambitions, which give rise to territorial claims, are an important reason for the attack. Moreover, the guerrillas in southern Kurdistan stand between Turkey and the oil wells in Iraq. Turkey, which until now has been more of an energy transit country, is desperate to share in the natural resource wealth of its neighbors. This is also one of the reasons for its regular conflicts with Greece. This power politics over territory and resources is closely interwoven with an ideology that serves a legitimizing function for Turkey's policies. This ideology of neo-Ottomanism has at its core the expansion of patriarchy with all its anti-democratic implications. It cannot be overestimated how important it is for this ideology to fight its democratic system rival in the neighborhood.

An attack on the revolution of democratic modernity

Turkey's attacks are primarily attacks on the revolution of democratic modernity. The PKK's paradigm, democratic confederalism, stands for gender liberation, radical democracy, and a life and economy based on ecological principles. As a result, anti-patriarchal structures have emerged in the Middle East in which women participate fully and equally in all decisions and processes. In Rojava, structures have emerged in which population groups that have been set against each other for generations now live together peacefully and equally in a democratic system that enables democratic co-determination for all through councils.

Defending common values

The PKK radically rejects nationalism, sexism, instrumentalized religion, power and hierarchy, just as it rejects the nation-state and its institutions as instruments of power of the capitalist system. These are the values that have made the revolution in Kurdistan an inspiration for people around the world working for gender liberation, anti-colonialism, democracy, and climate justice. And it is these values that are a thorn in the side of the system and the reason why Kurdistan is currently under brutal attack from all sides. European democracies and dictators of the Middle East stand together against anti-capitalists and feminists.

Let us protest together against the attacks on the revolution in Kurdistan and against the system that is responsible for these attacks. Let us defend the values of our common struggles! Let us defend together the revolution of democratic modernity against the capitalist system! Let's fight together against oppression, exploitation and destruction of our livelihood! Join us in the streets of Düsseldorf on Saturday, April 30.

Calling organizations

Defend Kurdistan, Kon-Med (Confederation of Communities of Kurdistan in Germany), YJK-E (Association of Women from Kurdistan in Germany), Women Defend Rojava, RiseUp4Rojava, Interventionist Left, Ende Gelände, AZADÎ and Fighting Together for Self-Determination and Democratic Autonomy call for the demonstration.