The Co-Presidency of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council released a statement calling for enhanced struggle against the Turkish state’s employment of chemical weapons and banned bombs in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The Turkish army has been conducting an invasion operation in Medya Defense Zones since mid-April, having since faced repeated defeats in the face of the resistance of guerrilla forces who are mainly operating in mobile units as part of the “new era warfare” concept against the campaign of intensive aerial strikes and employment of chemical weapons and banned bombs by the Turkish army.

The statement released by KCK Co-Presidency Executive Council on Sunday includes the following:

“After the latest statements and calls of the guerrilla command and our movement regarding the use of chemical weapons by the occupying Turkish army against the guerrilla forces, the patriotic people of Kurdistan, the international friends of the Kurds, the left, socialist, revolutionary and democratic people and all people of conscience have become more sensitive towards the issue and have taken a stance by organizing various protests. Their sensitivity has increased, especially after the guerrilla command published several documents showing the use of chemical weapons by the occupying Turkish army. We consider these protests very meaningful and valuable. They are a clear expression of human dignity and conscience and a sign of support for the just struggle of the Kurdish people for existence and freedom and against genocide. We would therefore like to express our gratitude to all our patriotic people and international friends who participated in or supported these actions and congratulate them on their stance.

In Europe, especially in Düsseldorf, Stockholm and Marseille, tens of thousands of Kurds and their international friends recently protested against the genocidal colonialist Turkish state and its occupying army’s use of chemical weapons against the guerrilla forces. They thus strongly expressed their protest. The silence of all European states, especially Germany, and of the USA against the crimes against humanity of AKP-MHP fascism and their complicity have caused great anger among the peoples, women, internationalists and the Kurdish people´s friends in Europe. This anger, which recently turned into spectacular mass protests, has increased the morale of the guerrilla and the Kurdish people greatly. We would therefore like to salute and congratulate our people, international friends, women, internationalists and all those who participated in the protests in Europe for their meaningful attitude. The protests in Europe are very meaningful and valuable. They should be further increased and need to continue until action is taken against the Turkish state, which uses chemical weapons against the guerrilla forces and commits crimes against humanity before the eyes of the whole world.

Against the use of chemical weapons by the genocidal colonialist Turkish state, our people and their friends in Kurdistan and Turkey, especially in Silopi, have recently demonstrated their anger by organizing protests. The demonstrations in Silopi and Istanbul were very meaningful. In Rojava, Şengal [Sinjar], Maxmur and South Kurdistan, our people also recently demonstrated their anger and protested against the genocidal Turkish state. It is the most basic principle of being a patriot and a human being to stand by the guerrilla forces who sacrifice everything for the freedom of Kurdistan and the peoples. The patriotic people of Kurdistan have not refrained from standing by the struggle for freedom at the cost of paying a heavy price, and have preserved their existence by fighting against the racist, nationalist, genocidal, colonialist fascist enemy who wants to annihilate the Kurds. Today, too, they have taken their place in the struggle by showing strong support for the guerrilla. We would like to sincerely congratulate the patriotic people of Kurdistan for their attitude that insists on freedom under all circumstances. We call on them to participate much more strongly in this struggle for victory based on a spirit of strong mobilization.

The genocidal colonialist Turkish state has a history and tradition of massacres. In the past, it has resorted to all kinds of inhumane methods, especially the use of chemical weapons, against the Kurds and has committed many crimes against humanity. The Turkish state and the occupying Turkish army commit these crimes every day. No one should remain silent about these crimes against humanity committed by the Turkish state, but should instead react and take action. Everyone should know that the Kurdish people consider those who remain silent against the genocidal colonialist Turkish state´s crimes against humanity as complicit in the genocide of Kurds. No one should say that they are not complicit when they remain silent in the face of a crime against humanity. Because to remain silent means to approve and to be complicit. Especially Germany and other European states remain silent with regards to the fascist AKP-MHP government’s anti-Kurdish policies and crimes against humanity. They don´t only approve by remaining silent, but also actively support the fascist AKP-MHP alliance. The genocidal colonialist Turkish state, relying on the US, NATO and European states, carries out the Kurdish genocide and commits crimes against humanity by using chemical weapons.

The administration of South Kurdistan has remained silent and has not shown any reaction against the Turkish state’s occupation, genocide and crimes against humanity. The KDP has thus become complicit in this dirty war. However, the Kurdistan parliament and the Kurdistan administration, which include many parties, have not taken a single stance so far. This situation cannot be accepted by the people of Kurdistan. How can those who do not take any stance against the genocidal Turkish state, which wants to destroy the Kurds and uses chemical weapons against the Freedom Guerrilla, have anything to do with being Kurdish? How can this administration call itself a Kurdish administration? South Kurdistan has witnessed Halabja in the past. When chemical weapons were used in Halabja, all patriotic forces from Kurdistan reacted strongly and clearly and showed their support for the government of South Kurdistan. But today, the administration of South Kurdistan does not take any stance, does not react at all, and treats the use of chemical weapons against the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla as if it wasn´t happening. One cannot be a Kurd with such an attitude. The people of Kurdistan do not accept this kind of attitude. The KDP sides with the genocidal colonialist Turkish state in the war against the guerrilla forces and supports the Turkish army. This is very clear and our people see and know this. South Kurdish political forces have also not taken the necessary stance against the occupying Turkish state and its crimes against humanity. This approach is incompatible with patriotism and with being Kurdish. All democrats and patriots, intellectuals, artists and writers from South Kurdistan, especially the South Kurdish political forces, therefore need to take a clearer stance.

The genocidal colonialist Turkish state is still using chemical weapons on a daily basis and is thus committing crimes against humanity. The guerrilla command continues to inform the public about this by publishing daily statements. Therefore, the patriotic people of Kurdistan, in the four parts of Kurdistan and wherever they are, must take an even clearer stance against the genocidal colonialist Turkish state, further increase their struggle and must not stop until the fascist AKP-MHP alliance is destroyed. The international friends of the Kurdish people should also increase their meaningful support and continue until the Kurds break out of the genocidal grip and ensure their freedom. Our people and international friends should know that the AKP-MHP alliance is a fascist structure that has taken anti-Kurdish hostility to a peak and that this alliance can only be destroyed through struggle. We would like to congratulate everyone on their recent protests against the Turkish state’s crimes against humanity. We call on everybody to take an even stronger stance from now on and to continue the protests until our struggle – an expression of human dignity and conscience – succeeds.”