The KCK Executive Council Co-Chair Cemil Bayık said that the 14 May elections are a historic opportunity and called on "all peoples and everyone who is against fascism in Turkey to make good use of this historical opportunity."

Here are excerpts of the interview.

CPT and Council of Europe serve the genocide policy of the Turkish state

Bayık said: "For a long time there has been absolutely no contact with Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. This absolute isolation is the continuation of the conspiracy [imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan in 1999]. Of course, this absolute isolation causes concern and anxiety in our movement, our people, socialist circles and circles that struggle for democracy and freedom. It is understandable that all of them continue to express their concerns and worries.

Most recently a conference was held in Hamburg. Leader Apo's ideology, philosophy and paradigm were discussed there. Germany put obstacles in the way, but despite this, the conference was very successful. I would therefore like to respectfully greet the organizers and participants of this conference."

A rally was also held recently in Düsseldorf [Germany] to break the absolute isolation of Leader Apo and to realize his physical freedom. There were marches in Marseille and many other places, too. I would like to wholeheartedly greet and congratulate all our people and international friends who participated in these rallies. This clearly shows that if Leader Apo's paradigm is well understood, everyone will accept it. Then everyone will consider this paradigm as a hope and consequently support Leader Apo. That is to say, if we spread the paradigm everywhere and make people understand it well, the support for Leader Apo will increase even more. The realization of Leader Apo's physical freedom will become much more likely on this basis. For this reason, everyone needs to act responsibly and increase their struggle. It is necessary to understand the conditions under which Leader Apo has been waging his struggle and how he developed this paradigm. If this is done, I think the pressure on the Turkish state will increase and Leader Apo's physical freedom will be achieved.

The position of the CPT and the Council of Europe on this issue is very interesting. They throw the ball to the Turkish state and the Turkish state throws it back to them. The Turkish state is carrying out a genocide policy against our people. The policy of the CPT and the Council of Europe on this issue completely serves this genocide policy of the Turkish state. They thus become part of this genocide. They should not be part of this. They should respect their own laws, rules and principles. If they show respect and do not support the genocide, I think the Turkish state will not be able to impose such an absolute isolation on Leader Apo."

Heavy Attacks by Turkish state 

Bayık continued: "Why did we take this decision? Because the AKP-MHP government had left hundreds of thousands of people in the earthquake zone to die. We can not remain indifferent to this because we are a socialist movement. We are a humanitarian, moral and conscientious movement. Our people had to be saved. Deaths had to be prevented. All energy had to be mobilized for this. This is why we took the decision to halt all attacks by the guerrillas. Shortly after, the elections entered the agenda. All the peoples of Turkey have since been saying ‘no more’ to the AKP-MHP government. They have been wanting change. But the AKP and MHP were trying to prevent this change with provocations and to thus remain in power. Almost everyone said that provocations could take place. Taking this into account, we decided to extend our decision to halt all attacks until the election in order not to sabotage the change and to eliminate the grounds for possible provocations. It is important for everyone to understand this decision correctly. We have thus lived up to our responsibility. Although we have taken such a decision and have not carried out any attacks in the cities, the Turkish state has continued and increased its attacks. It has done this both in Turkey, in the Media Defense Zones [South Kurdistan/North Iraq], South Kurdistan and Rojava. And it has arrested many people who pursue democratic politics. It has also increased the torture in prisons.

The reason for all this is the stance taken by NATO and the European Union. Taking advantage of this, the AKP-MHP government has continued to increase its attacks. Despite all these difficulties, we continue to fulfill our responsibilities. If NATO and the European Union did not support the Turkish state, this fascist, colonialist and genocidal state would not be able to carry out these heavy attacks. Therefore, NATO and the EU are in a way part of these attacks. They are practically part of the genocide policy pursued by the Turkish state. My call is for them to abandon this policy. They should not be a part of the Kurdish genocide."

Coming end of AKP-MHP government 

Bayık added: "The AKP-MHP government has turned the Turkish state into a mafia state. There is no constitution, no laws and no justice. They trampled on all of this. Thus, they have dragged Turkey into a quagmire that is very difficult to get out of. Because this situation stems from their mentality. They label everyone who does not serve them, who is not with them as enemies of Turkey and of democracy. They label them terrorists and traitors. They think that they can cover up what they have done, that they can deceive everyone, that they can maintain their power in this way. That is why they call everyone who does not serve them terrorists and traitors. And they accuse them of serving the PKK.

But this has now come to an end. Maybe they have been able to do these things until now, but at this stage, these accusations and this pressure are backfiring. They wanted to shut down the HDP but they couldn't. Now, a few days before the elections, they carried out an operation and arrested politicians, artists, journalists and lawyers. And it is clear that they will continue these operations. Because the socialists, the democracy and freedom forces in Turkey have built an alliance: the ‘Labor and Freedom Alliance’. On this basis, they are entering the elections as the Green Left Party. The AKP-MHP considers this as very dangerous and wants to prevent this development. It wants to reassert its power on this basis. The recent operation is a clear intervention in the election. On this occasion, I would therefore like to call on everyone to respond to these attacks at the ballot box. The AKP-MHP mentality must be brought to an end at the ballot box. And no one should take a step back. On the contrary, everybody should work harder, organize and make the AKP-MHP pay for this.

The AKP-MHP has a fascist and genocidal mentality. That is why it is hostile to everyone. It poisons society with hostility towards Kurds, Alevis and socialists. It promotes nationalism and chauvinism. Along with this, it constantly increases its war machine. It even bases its election propaganda on these things. Thus, the AKP-MHP uses the society of Turkey for its own purposes. But now, it is blocked and about to loose.

The women are the ones who grasped the reality of the AKP the earliest. Women have gained consciousness. That is why they started the struggle against this government before everybody else. This shows that women determine the future of society's desire for change. The struggle led by women is now bringing an end to the genocide carried out by AKP-MHP fascism. The AKP, which previously had partial support from women, is now deprived of this support. The women have realized that this government and this party are carrying out a feminicide. Therefore, they have stopped their support. The AKP, which had maintained its power with the support of women, can no longer remain in power because they don’t have that support anymore. No force that loses the support of women can succeed."

May 14 Elections in Turkey 

Bayık said: "Socialists, patriots and all those who struggle for democracy and freedom in Turkey now have a historic opportunity. There is the opportunity to develop Turkey into a democratic republic. In order to make use of this historic opportunity, the Green Left Party must become a strong part of parliament. It is the Green Left Party that will determine the future of Turkey. Almost everyone is saying this. That is why the Green Left Party needs to play its role well. A great struggle has already been waged. Great martyrs have fallen, a great price has been paid and great pains have been endured.

The Green Left Party must therefore not say that it has done enough already. It needs to be focused on reaching more people, on influencing, organizing and mobilizing even more people. On this basis, it must become a strong part of parliament. Because this election is not just any election. It is an election that determines the future of Turkey, the future of the Kurds, Alevis, women, laborers, youth and all peoples. Either fascism will be institutionalized in Turkey, or the country will take steps towards becoming a democratic republic.

There is no such thing as easy. Therefore, everyone must work and not be satisfied with anything. Everybody must do all they can to get the maximum results. If they do this, I can easily say that AKP-MHP fascism will come to an end and Turkey will take a step towards democratization. The AKP-MHP no longer has anything to give to society. Therefore, I call on the Labor and Freedom Alliance, the Green Left Party, the Kurdish people, Alevis, women, youth, laborers and all the people in Turkey who are against fascism to make the best use of this historic opportunity."