Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Executive Committee issued a written statement on the May 1 Day of Unity, Solidarity and Struggle and said historic results can be achieved when people fight with the spirit of May 1.

The PKK statement continued with important messages for the June 24 elections.

The PKK statement issued the following reminder on the history of May 1: “In Chicago in 1886, workers went on a strike for the 8 hour work day, ever since that day May 1 has been the day for unity, solidarity and struggle for workers. With 132 years of struggle, May 1 has become the day to fight for democratic socialism. May 1 is the most celebrated day among humanity, whatever their religion, language or skin color may be. The consuming character of capitalism has broken down all societal values, and the fight against capitalism has come to encompass all of humanity. Humanity and its historic societal values can only survive with democratic socialism that will be created through the fight against capitalism. In this sense, May 1 is celebrated as a day of unity, solidarity and struggle against capitalism for all of humanity.”

THERE IS A NEED FOR A MAY 1 CONSCIOUSNESS

PKK said humanity’s need for a May 1 consciousness, i.e. the unity, solidarity and struggle, more than ever today and added: “When the struggle is waged, important developments will emerge towards creating democratic socialism in the constant crisis atmosphere of capitalism.”

The PKK Executive Committee statement continued with: “As the crisis of capitalism can’t be overcome with social democratic or liberal policies, right wing parties are coming to power throughout the world. Right wing governments want to overcome capitalism’s crisis through an increase in coercion, oppression and exploitation. As it is impossible for those who created the crises to resolve them, these attempts will do nothing but deepen the crisis.

A time has come when the democratic socialism line based on the democratic confederalism system built on the foundation of organized democratic society that isn’t pro-state or pro-power will make great lunges. When creative thought, right policies and tactical approaches suitable to capitalism’s global characteristics are developed, the coming decades will be marked by democratic socialism. The 132 year long struggle with millions of martyrs has created a strong democratic accumulation that will end capitalism. For this reason, there is a greater than ever need for international solidarity.

WHEN PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH THE SPIRIT OF MAY 1 HISTORIC RESULTS WILL BE ACHIEVED

The statist system and capitalist modernity are experiencing their greatest crises and chaos in the Middle East. When people struggle with the spirit of May 1 in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East, historic results towards developing a democratic revolution will emerge. Times of crisis and chaos are also times when great revolutionary developments emerge. In this sense, we stand on the dawn of great change and developments in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East. That is why in the Middle East, where the World War III is focused, all counter-revolutionary forces, and the fascist AKP-MHP government in Turkey in particular, have entered a regressive resistance to keep themselves up.

As seen throughout history, in times of chaos, the flow of history changes with ideas that will resolve societal issues. If creative thinking, correct strategies, tactics and alliances are developed in the chaos of the Middle East, the biggest democratic revolution will take place in the Middle East. That is why, bringing forth the consciousness of unity, solidarity and struggle inherently present in the spirit of May 1 at the highest level has become a historic responsibility for all socialist forces and revolutionary democrats. With Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s non-pro-power/pro-state line of democratic socialism and understanding of democratic nation, the PKK is currently carrying out a democratic revolutionary maneuver throughout the Middle East, starting with Kurdistan. The democratic revolution lunge develops in all four parts of Kurdistan, and a new revolution is developing in Rojava today based on the democratic confederalism system. This revolution has taken hold among Arab, Syriac, Armenian, Durzi, Chechen and Turkmen peoples, and all peoples of Syria, and it is affecting all of the Middle East.

WHEN AKP-MHP IS DEFEATED THE GREATEST OBSTACLE WILL BE LIFTED

In the face of this democratic revolutionary development in Kurdistan, Turkey and the Middle East, the AKP-MHP fascism has risen up in attack in the name of all despotic and regressive forces. The AKP-MHP fascism’s animosity against the Kurdish people and intent to enact a Kurdish genocide has very clearly turned into an animosity against democracy, peoples and workers. When this government that is an enemy to democracy is defeated, the greatest obstacle on the path to a democratic revolution in Turkey and the whole of the Middle East will be lifted, and the age of democracy will begin in the Middle East for the peoples.

AKP-MHP fascism right now is a force against democracy never before seen in Turkey or the Middle East. The animosity of this government against democracy and against the Kurdish people have become intertwined. Their animosity against the democratic revolution that develops in Syria, their invasion of Afrin, their constantly aggressive policies of war are the clearest examples of their animosity against democracy. On top of having arrested thousands of politicians, there are a record number of journalists in prison and sentenced to heavy penalties, which shows how big of an enemy the AKP-MHP fascism is to democracy and freedom. One can clearly see that the state of emergency the AKP-MHP fascism is implementing is a way to strike the forces of democracy in Erdoğan’s comments of the government “preventing strikes under the State of Emergency”.

The fundamental forces of democracy against the AKP-MHP fascism’s animosity against democracy, the Kurds, Alevis, women, and all forces of democracy waging a joint struggle for democracy has become urgent. On this basis, the founding of the Peoples’ United Revolutionary Movement (Halkların Birleşik Devrim Hareketi - HBDH) that includes the PKK and a significant portion of the revolutionary forces in Turkey has been an important step. Accompanying this step, there is a need for the creation of a joint platform for the struggle with widest base of democratic forces including all parties, women’s and youth organizations and workers’ unions.

THE NEED TO TURN MAY 1 INTO A CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION

In this sense, there is a need to turn the 2018 May 1 into a congress of democratic revolution against the fascist AKP-MHP dictatorship, and a platform for a united struggle. What Turkey needs is such a spirit of joint struggle. When that is achieved, the end of the AKP-MHP fascism will come soon after. The fascist system in Turkey is at its weakest. It has lost the power to govern peoples and workers, so it tries to remain standing through constant attacks. Their animosity against democracy on the basis of animosity against Kurdish people also only serves to hold up their power. All forces of democracy and the peoples of Turkey should see this fact. Kurds do not defend the fracturing of Turkey, but the democratic unity and a common life therein. They are the most fundamental constituent of the fight for democracy. If there will be a life in fraternity with Kurds in Turkey, forces of democracy must dismantle this play against democracy and labor based on animosity against Kurds.

NEED FOR A COMMON STANCE AGAINST AKP-MHP FASCISM IN JUNE 24 ELECTIONS

An election will be held in Turkey on June 24. The choice won’t be among individuals on June 24, it will be between opening the path to democratization or fortifying the dictatorship and seeing it more aggressive. In this sense, all forces of democracy need to have a common stance against the AKP-MHP fascism. June 24 elections will also be a platform for the struggle for democracy against fascism. Kurds, as always, will actively participate in this platform for democracy against fascism and dictatorship.

CALL FOR A UNITED STRUGGLE

At this point in time when we will fortify the will for a united struggle, as the Kurdish Freedom Movement we will uphold the spirit of May 1 at the highest level today as we always have. We will wave the flag of peoples’ fraternity and workers’ freedom, equality, democracy and socialism at the highest peaks. On this foundation, we are calling on the Kurdish people, the peoples of Turkey and all peoples of the Middle East to come together in the squares to raise the united struggle.”