Sozdar Avesta, member of the Presidential Council of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union), spoke about the ongoing attacks by the Turkish army against Norh and East Syria, Shengal and Medya Defense Areas in a special program on Sterk TV.

The first part of this interview can be read here. 

The Turkish state is carrying out heavy attacks against both the free mountains and North and East Syria. Following Abdullah Öcalan’s message to the Êzidî (Yazidi) community on 18 March, attacks were launched against Shengal on the same day. How should one evaluate the attacks in this period? Do these attacks have something to do with the ongoing process?

When Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] made the call, the delegation that went to the meeting drew attention to provocations in their statements to the press, but not in the content of the call. Bahceli and Erdoğan also drew attention to this, but what Rêber Apo drew attention to is different from what they drew attention to. Rêber Apo, with all his power, with his long years of experience and foresight, said many years ago that the coup mechanism was in motion. That is why there has been no decrease in the attacks against society, attacks against the Medya Defense Areas, attacks against Shengal and Rojava. Every day, the guerrilla announces the balance sheet of the Turkish state’s attacks. The state is disturbed by our declaration of a ceasefire. Is there such a thing in the world? They ask why we declared a ceasefire… The ceasefire was declared to prevent provocations. They were going to make provocations so that when the guerrilla responded, they would blame the guerrilla. But the guerrillas foresaw this and declared a ceasefire to prevent any provocation by the state. Despite all the attacks, it has adhered to the decision until now. Every day the balance sheets of attacks are published. Thousands of attacks are taking place. They are attacking from both land and air.

Also, the resistance continues in North and East Syria, at the Tishrin Dam. In this very process, they committed a massacre in the village of Berxbotan in Kobane. If we had responded to their actions in the same way, the process would have ended long ago. What is happening in North and East Syria is not independent of the Turkish state. Very important processes have developed in North and East Syria, and in Syria in general. On March 10, an agreement was signed between the SDF commander and Colani. He announces himself as the President of Damascus, like a copy of the Turkish state-Erdoğan. A few days ago, he announced a government and declared himself both prime minister and president. It is a copy of Turkey. This is why they are preventing a solution in Syria.

North and East Syria has problems with the new government, and they should solve them together. The Turkish state sees itself as the owner of Syria. With the attacks they are carrying out, they are trying to force them to do as they wish. The autonomous administration and SDF are expressing their stance in their frequent statements. They act according to what they see as beneficial for themselves. But the Turkish state wants the Kurds to have no will anywhere, no matter what, and their enmity towards the Kurds does not end. According to them, Kurds should never get any rights. We reject this approach; no one will ever accept it.

They are also attacking Shengal. When Shengal was liberated, the people experienced great happiness. On this occasion, I salute the resistance of our people in Shengal and Rêber Apo’s message for all Êzidî (Yazidi) people. We take Rêber Apo’s words as a basis; we should act accordingly and serve our society accordingly. In a democratic society, of course, the Êzidî community can profit the most, claim its rights, and be itself. Because the Êzidî community has always fled from the state, since the state has always fragmented, plundered, and imposed edicts on the Êzidî community. In a democratic society, of course, the Êzidî community will live freely. Rêber Apo sent a letter saluting the stance of the people of Shengal. Despite the brutality of the ISIS gangs, the fate of many women and children is still unknown; they are still captives. Despite all this, the people of Shengal have shown a great will and stance. This was thanks to Rêber Apo’s ideas and thoughts, thanks to the fighters who fought in the line of Rêber Apo. They intervened in Shengal and saved this society.

Now, YBS fighters were ambushed on the mountain of Shengal, and some of them were taken captive after being wounded. This only serves those who do not want peace. It is a provocation. This situation does not help Iraq either. What will Iraq gain by attacking the Êzidî forces? In 2022, they blockaded Shengal and launched an operation to bring fighters into the conflict. But again they achieved nothing. The Iraqi state should immediately release those fighters and apologize to the Êzidî people. The Êzidî people should live as they want to live, and their rights must be recognized. The Êzidî community wants to live in their own land, with their own beliefs. They are not harming anyone. But Iraq does what those who do not want a solution say. The Êzidî people always say that it is the YBS forces that have protected the dignity and honor of Iraq. How can they come and set up ambushes on Mount Shengal, wound fighters, and take them captive? The stance of our people in this sense is very valuable; they are protecting their fighters, and they should do so. Rêber Apo’s letter to our society is not just a letter or a message; it is a manifesto to recreate oneself, to organize accordingly, and to claim one’s self-defense power and existence. Wherever our Êzidî community is, they should lead this process. I see this as very valuable. We are in April, ‘Carsema Sere Nisane’ is approaching. April is a very valuable month; it is the birthday of Rêber Apo, it is ‘Carsema Sere Nisane’, it is the herald of spring. I congratulate our people on the ‘Carsema Sere Nisane’ feast. This struggle must continue stronger, more massively, and more responsibility must be taken.

Despite all the attacks of the Turkish state, the Kurdish people and their friends are making a great effort and labor for a free and democratic society. For example, important work is being carried out in Europe. Everywhere there are demonstrations both in support of peoples leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call and for his physical freedom. How should everyone fulfill their duties in order for these efforts to reach their goal?

A few days ago, a Kurdish conference was held in the European Parliament. Scientists, writers, academics, artists, and historians from all over the world attended the conference, including Nobel Peace Prize winners and Nobel Prize laureates. I salute and congratulate everyone who contributed to this conference. It was a very important work. In this conference, the Kurdish people and their international friends did three important works. One; a court was established to deal with the crimes against humanity and genocide committed against the people of Rojava. In that court, the Turkish state and its collaborators were found guilty. Because they committed these massacres in another country. Two; decisions were taken on how to respond to Rêber Apo’s call. The call was made that in order for Rêber Apo to play his role and lead the democratic society, his physical freedom must be ensured. Three; After the conference, 200 people, including Nobel laureates, called again to collect signatures and to carry out this process in all geographies. This is also a very, very important work. Once again, I salute those who are carrying out these works. I also salute Jody Williams, who read the statement on behalf of the freedom guerrillas and our women’s movement for leading this process, and I salute everyone who is carrying out this work. They are carrying out very valuable work, and we value it very much. This is important.

The global campaign for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the solution to the Kurdish question has continued uninterruptedly since 2023. The current process, with its shortcomings and inadequacies, has emerged as a result of this great struggle, even though the state has not given a complete answer. The struggle has grown as a result of the efforts of our people, our friends, and internationalists, from freedom guerrillas to those resisting in the prisons, and the process has developed on this basis. Therefore, we must believe in our own work; we must be aware of our role and mission. Let no one hesitate or deceive themselves; let no one say that a new peace process has started in Imrali, that Rêber Apo made a call, that the Imrali delegation is holding talks with some parties, that everything is running well, and that they are celebrating Eid al-Fitr. They say that they are celebrating Eid al-Fitr for the first time, but these are very humanitarian things; what could be more natural than two political parties sitting side by side in parliament celebrating Eid al-Fitr? Since the Kurds are deprived of everything, their holidays and everything else are banned; even if someone says hello to them, it is something special. However, basic things need to be normalized. No one abroad or in Kurdistan should play these games; Rêber Apo’s physical freedom will become permanent through struggle. The message and statements given at Newroz show this. The message on March 8, the message of Kurdish unity, shows this. It was the first time that the Newroz in Amed was supported by so many different parties, but it should not stop there. Everyone must do their part.

There is a strong basis for national unity. Millions of people have participated in this process. Tens of millions of people participated in this year’s Newroz to support this process. All work must be carried out on the basis of Rêber Apo’s ideas. Statements should be made everywhere, conferences should be organized, education should be organized, and people should be visited. Especially our international friends and Nobel laureates should step in. We call on them; just as they united and signed a petition, called for freedom for Rêber Apo, and attended the conference, they should also try to go and meet Rêber Apo. They should get Rêber Apo’s opinion; women should go and discuss with Rêber Apo the issue of women and what their role is in a democratic society. They can do this. They can carry out these activities in society wherever they are. In the past, maybe some people used to say ‘PKK is on the terrorist list’ or something like that, but Rêber Apo has been fighting on this line for 52 years. He made the call on February 27th, and yet he is still in isolation. Therefore, it is everyone’s democratic duty to protect this process. Those who call themselves democrats have to protect Rêber Apo. The criterion of patriotism is to protect Rêber Apo; the criterion of Kurdish unity is to protect Rêber Apo. If there is to be unity among Kurds, they must first develop moves for Rêber Apo’s physical freedom.

If the youth want to get their rights, they must fight for it. Women, in particular, are the soul and voice of this process, and, as in every period, they are the pioneers of the process. The most striking of Rêber Apo’s ideas is women’s freedom and Jineoloji. The first thing people ask us when looking at our paradigm is Jineoloji; they ask Rêber Apo to tell them more about it. This is why humanity needs Rêber Apo. Rêber Apo is resisting on behalf of all humanity; he is developing this process under the most difficult conditions on behalf of all humanity. Some people ask, ‘Do you trust the Turkish state?’ It is not a question of trusting or not trusting. Everyone has duties that must be fulfilled. And first and foremost, the state has to recognize the rights of the Kurdish people, and for this, the physical freedom of Rêber Apo is inevitable. There is no obstacle left in front of Rêber Apo’s physical freedom. It is just those who are not taking the required steps. For example, the so-called ‘Right to Hope’. The Council of Europe has given the Turkish state until September. This must be emphasized now. The European Union and the Council of Europe must step in. Since 2014, despite this decision, they still have not fulfilled their duty. These legal rights must be fulfilled. The Turkish Minister of Justice says that this is not in their legislation. But the question is, what is in their legislation? If it suits them, it will be applied; if not, then not. When it comes to letting a few murderers go free or pardoning Hezbollahists, the ones who threw the Kurdish people into acid wells, then they can change the legislation without batting an eyelid. But when it comes to democratic rights, the rights of the Kurdish people, and collective rights, they say it is not in their legislation.

In this process, the international friends of our people should voice their demands for talks with Rêber Apo, put more pressure on the Turkish state, and put their own countries under political pressure. Because the physical freedom of Rêber Apo means the freedom of the whole region and the world. On this basis, I once again point out that I attach great value and importance to the struggle of our people and international friends. I salute and pay my respects to them for the efforts they have made so far and for still carrying out such work. Wherever they are, on the occasion of April 4th, they should cover every place they are with saplings, roses, and flowers; they can create a more ecologically vibrant world. Every tree is a person; every tree is an artifact. Our people also have such celebrations; we don’t say anything; it’s their own choice; there are children, and they make cakes, but Rêber Apo said to plant more saplings, and everyone should beautify and clean their surroundings. On this occasion, I once again congratulate Rêber Apo on his birthday and wish a happy birthday to all women, young people, and peoples. I wish everyone success.