In this in-depth interview, Sozdar Avesta, member of the Presidential Council of the KCK, discusses, among other things, the importance of the greetings of the people's leader Abdullah Öcalan in the current phase. 

For 26 years, the Kurdish people's leader, Abdullah Öcalan, has been raising a great resistance against the system of denial and annihilation under the harsh conditions in Imrali. As is well known, there was no sign of life from him for 44 months. Most recently, on October 23rd, Ömer Öcalan, MP from Riha (tr. Urfa), was allowed to hold a meeting with Rêber Apo. How do you evaluate both Rêber Apo’s message and the ongoing isolation?

After 44 months, for the first time again, we heard from Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] in the framework of a meeting with his family, and he sent us his greetings. First of all, as his comrades and both on behalf of our movement and on behalf of women, with great love and respect, we received Rêber Apo’s greetings, and we also greet Rêber Apo’s resistance and stance with respect and love.

First of all, it must be emphasized that this meeting was Rêber Apo’s right. The family, the lawyers, as well as human rights and other international non-governmental organizations, must be allowed to meet him. This is Rêber Apo’s legal right. But of course it is known that Rêber Apo is no ordinary prisoner. The way he was abducted is well known. An international conspiracy took place, at the end of which he was handed over to the Turkish state. Rêber Apo is being held hostage – this became clear once through the last meeting. Because his right to hold meetings is being exploited as a bargaining chip. They want to use this meeting as blackmail politics against our people, our movement, and our leadership.

Rêber Apo has been in Imrali for 26 years and has been resisting relentlessly, particularly in the past 44 months. At the same time, our people have been resisting continuously under the leadership of women and youth; thousands of prisoners are struggling, and our movement has given thousands of martyrs to break the isolation and ensure the physical freedom, health, and safety of Rêber Apo. The recent meeting is a result of this struggle.

Before the meeting, the fascist Erdogan-Bahceli government had started playing new games. Bahceli had spoken several times in parliament and had tried to create a discourse in public opinion about a possible new solution process. He even said that Rêber Apo should come to the parliament and speak there. So before the meeting, they wanted to create an expectation that there was something new. The message Rêber Apo conveyed through Ömer Öcalan, both MP of Riha and nephew of Rêber Apo, was: “The isolation continues.” and “I have the theoretical and practical power to move this process from the grounds of conflict and violence to the legal and political grounds if the conditions arise.”

This stance and attitude of Rêber Apo made the governments mask fall. They say many things but do not think of implementing them in practice. Again, they thought of playing such a game to break the effect of the global campaign for Rêber Apo’s physical freedom, to create some expectations in society, but not to actually do anything. Rêber Apo has shown his stance and emphasized that if they have a sincere will, he is ready and has the strength to play his role. Immediately following this statement by Rêber Apo, the co-presidency of the KCK Executive Council, and later other comrades also issued statements on behalf of the movement, underlining that we stand behind Rêber Apo’s decision and the process he is developing. They wanted to create a contradiction between the PKK, Rêber Apo, and KCK, but they didn’t succeed in it. Immediately afterwards, they have again given Rêber Apo a three-month visiting ban. In fact, this means that their words are lies, that they are not ready for a true solution process, and that they will insist on the politics of denial and destruction against the Kurdish people.

They continue their concept unabated and focus on Rêber Apo. Yesterday, Rêber Apo emphasized that he was ready to work out a joint solution, and today he is being given a disciplinary punishment. They are not ready for such a process. That was to be expected, because what we see are the intensifying attacks against the Medya Defense Zones, the continued genocidal policies in the political sphere, and the constantly growing extent of attacks against the Kurdish people and the whole of Kurdistan. This government does not have the mentality to solve the Kurdish question. It is a government that is based on enmity against the Kurds. Their lies, their dirty aims, and their true faces were once again revealed. The fact that we received news from Rêber Apo and received his greeting is the result of a great struggle and resistance. The greeting of Rêber Apo gave us strength; we received it with respect and love, and we are making this greeting the basis of a great struggle to break the isolation. It is required to spread the struggle to all areas more and massify the resistance. Only resistance can ensure Rêber Apo’s physical freedom; only struggle can guarantee his safety and health. On this basis, the struggle must be strengthened and grown.

Rêber Apo’s resistance in Imrali is the basis of the struggle of the Kurdish people and the guerrillas. The guerrillas are becoming more and more successful every day in the ongoing war in the Medya Defense Areas. The latest sacrificial action by comrade Asya and Rojger showed that the guerrillas of the democratic modernity can overcome any obstacles and reach its goal wherever it may be.

In this context, I would like to commemorate with respect and gratitude the honorable heroes of Kurdistan, comrade Asya Ali and Rojger Helin, who followed the tradition and path of our commander, the goddess of freedom, comrade Zilan. I bow with respect in the face of their great will and courageous stance. Also on this occasion, I respectfully commemorate all martyrs of November by commemorating the martyred commanders of our special forces, comrade Delal Amed, Reshit Serdar, and Shilan Kobane.

What message should be taken from the war waged by the guerrilla? Both the stage reached by the guerrilla resistance and the action carried out by our two comrades showed everyone the truth. The freedom movement is waging a struggle along the lines of Rêber Apo. The freedom guerrilla is the guerrilla of all Kurdistan and the guerrilla in defense of Rêber Apo. In particular, the ‘Battalion of the Immortals’, of which comrade Asya and Roger were a part, was founded by those who defend Rêber Apo against any false approach, who fight against the fascist mentality behind the isolation and prevent the isolation from becoming a bargaining chip against the peoples of Kurdistan. In this course, our comrades carried out an action against the center in Ankara, where all the materials used in the genocidal war are produced. It was an action with a clear target. The action chosen by these comrades was aimed at a military target. It was carried out in a sacrificial manner and showed what stage the guerrilla struggle has reached.

The letters that the two comrades wrote to become part of the Battalion of the Immortals have been circulating in public for several days. These letters are a manifesto for a free life. The struggle of comrade Asya and Rojger must be understood and analyzed correctly. It should not be glossed over by saying that it was just one action. Before that, in 2022, comrades Sara and Ruken carried out their action in Mersin. Again in 2023, comrades Erdal and Rojhat carried out their action in Ankara. Now, in 2024, the level of this action has been raised to an even higher level, and a target that was considered unattainable has been hit. Therefore, everyone, especially the enemies of the Kurdish people, should be careful in their calculations.

The action of comrades Asya and Rojger took place close to the meeting with Rêber Apo. Our movement had already made a statement that the comrades formed an autonomous unit, determining their targets and the way and time of their action themselves. Neither did our movement know about the meeting with Rêber Apo nor when the comrades would take action. No one knew of the meeting until it was announced publicly.

The action has torn the masks off the faces of many who have recently tried to hide behind deceiving statements. Therefore, this action was an appropriate and timely action. It was also not an action against civilians. It took place according to the rules of war. Kurdish people are being massacred every day with the weapons made in this center. For example, just the other day, families were massacred in Shehba with the weapons produced there. Again, there are the atrocities that were committed by the enemy in Cizir Botan (tr. Cizre), Hezex (tr. Idil), Nisebin (tr. Nusaybin), and Sur in 2015 and 2016, that comrade Rojger described in his letter. Comrade Asya and Rojger showed what it means to struggle for and live a free life. They showed when, where, and what kind of stance to take and what kind of deep love is therefore needed. As long as this genocidal politics, these massacres, and attacks against the Kurdish people continue, no one will be able to stop the Battalion of the Immortals. Not getting any news from Rêber Apo in over 44 months, of course, leads the freedom guerrillas to take action against it. Our comrades have stated everything about their actions in their letters. They should be read, and everybody should take a stance according to them.

There has been great continuing resistance of the guerrillas this year. The resistance will continue with all kinds of actions. There is a relentless struggle and great resistance in the areas of northern Kurdistan, Dersim (tr. Tunceli), Serhat, Bagok, Botan, Amed (tr. Diyarbakir), and the Medya Defense Zones. On this occasion, I greet the Kurdistan freedom guerrillas with respect and dignity and send my love. Most recently, our comrade Memed Cudi, commander in the Merdin (tr. Mardin) area, martyred. I remember comrade Memed Cudi with respect and gratitude. He put up a great resistance and was involved in crucial works before he gave his life in combat.

The few successes they achieve against the guerrillas are only due to betrayal. In northern Kurdistan, the village guards, gangs, mercenaries, and those who collaborate with the enemy play a crucial role in the strategy of the enemy. In the Medya Defense Zones, it is the Barzani family clan and its KDP that, through their treason, pave the way for the Turkish state. They guide the Turkish state and build roads to encircle the guerrillas. The Turkish state cannot get results against the freedom struggle and therefore attacks civilian areas. Using the action in Ankara as a pretext, they attacked North and East Syria and Shengal (Sinjar). In North and East Syria, 18 people were martyred, dozens were wounded, and 6 people were martyred in Shengal. I commemorate all the martyrs with respect and express my condolences to the families of the martyrs. We share their pain. I have great respect for their stance against the enemy. All the families of the martyrs stood firm against the enemy’s attacks. This is of great significance. In fact, these attacks also show the Iraqi government’s disrespect towards the people of Shengal. Even under Saddam, this community was not surrendered to the enemy in such an open way. Instead of doing its duty towards the very people who have been subjected to so many fermans and were directly persecuted by the mercenaries and gangs of ISIS, the Iraqi government made agreements with the Turkish state. It did not take a stand against the attacks on the Êzidî (Yazidi) community and still cooperates with the Turkish state for its own interests. This is a disgrace for Iraq. This must be underlined.

Both in Shengal and in North and East Syria, our people must organize against these attacks, strengthen their self-defense, and increase their defense mechanisms. Again, our people must gather around their self-defense forces. The guerrilla is doing its part, and our people must fulfill their role within the framework of the revolutionary people’s war. Revolution is a joint effort. The guerrillas a recarrying out actions in many areas from Zap, over Xakurke, Dersim, and Merdin, until Ankara, and the people should both take precautions against genocidal attacks everywhere and unite around the guerrillas. In this way, the struggle will succeed. The guerrillas have raised the bar of the struggle through comrades Asya and Rojger. They have shown what kind of stance should be taken.