KCK Executive Council co-chair Cemil Bayık said in the second part of his comprehensive speech that "only if the laws are changed for Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], for the Kurds, if free working conditions are provided, if the Imrali system is eliminated, then he can do it. The Turkish state needs to take these steps. Without taking these steps, there is not much that Rêber Apo can do."

The first part of this speech can be read here.

This is the full second part: 

"When Rêber Apo was taken hostage in the course of the International Conspiracy, he was still able to complete the change, transformation, and restructuring that he had initiated in 1993 under the conditions of Imrali, which are the most difficult conditions in the world. He developed the paradigm that is based on social ecology, women’s liberation, and democratic society. With this, he wanted to take the struggle to political and legal grounds and solve the issue on this basis. However, the International Conspiracy and its affiliated forces, some forces in Turkey, in southern Kurdistan, and within our own movement intervened. They responded with liquidation. They aimed to exhaust the movement. But the movement stood against this, and Rêber Apo continued his efforts in 2003, 2005, 2009, and 2013. His efforts were always met with sabotage. Therefore, the requirements of the paradigm could never be fully realized. The organization and struggle could not be developed according to its requirements. After the International Conspiracy, it was brought to the agenda that on the basis of the new paradigm, the PKK had reached the end of its life, fulfilled its duties and responsibilities, fulfilled its role, and therefore an organization in accordance with the new paradigm should be developed instead. This was decided at the congress, and so the PKK was liquidated and replaced by KADEK. But with the transition to KADEK, again an organization according to the new paradigm could not be developed. A dangerous situation could not be overcome. That is why Rêber Apo stated that the PKK should be re-founded again. This was to be able to eliminate the liquidationist danger that emerged at that time.

I am shedding light on this here because the liquidation of the PKK is not a recent development, not a recent decision. It is a process that started and developed since 1993. Because the PKK has fulfilled its purpose. The PKK was founded under the influence of real socialism, and in the end it was not enough to sufficiently realize Rêber Apo’s understanding of socialism. The PKK has played its role; it has gone beyond itself and has initiated a great movement. Now it must give way so that a new organization can be formed that corresponds to the reality of the struggle. This is what Rêber Apo put in front of his movement, since the struggle for socialism could not be realized at the desired level. In other words, there is no change in ideology, philosophy, or paradigm. The change is in the understanding of organization and struggle. This needs to be emphasized.

Rêber Apo evaluated the situation in Turkey, the developing situation in the Middle East, and the struggle waged by the movement, and as a result of these evaluations, he called for peace and democratic society. He did not make this call by making any bargain. Rêber Apo took this step on his initiative. He had the ground he had wanted to realize since 1993 but could not do so. He wanted to make use of this. Not only for Kurds, but for Turkey, for the Middle East, for humanity. And as he put it: “If you give me the opportunity, I have the theoretical and practical power. I can solve the problem on a political-legal basis.” He expressed this very clearly. This is what he wants. And he also put some options in front of Turkey. “If democratization is developed in Turkey, if Kurdish denial and extermination are abandoned, if steps are taken towards a democratic, political solution to the Kurdish question, this will benefit everyone. Turkey will gain greatly from this. The peoples of the Middle East and humanity will also gain greatly. If this step is not taken, if the current politics is continued, if this is insisted on, this will aggravate Turkey’s problems even more; Turkey will suffer great damage and lose a great deal.” Why is it like this? Turkey could not get results from the policy of denial and destruction, even though it puts all internal and external means in its service. It had the support of NATO, it had the support of the KDP, and it had the support of Iraq, yet it could not get results. This policy is bankrupt. Many of Turkey’s problems have worsened; Turkey is facing a serious danger.

A great change is taking place in the Middle East, and it will continue. The developments in the Middle East are closely related to Turkey and are to its detriment. In regard to the fact that this is combined with the problems in Turkey, the Kurdish question has gained importance and has come to the fore in the Middle East. For the forces that want to achieve results in the Middle East, the support of the Kurds has become decisive. Whoever gets the support of the Kurds will both solve their problems and get positive results.

Israel is working on it, Iran is working on it, and Turkey is working on it. If Turkey does not take steps towards democratization, if it does not solve the Kurdish question, if it does not solve the problem of democracy, then Turkey will suffer great damage. Rêber Apo focuses on Turkey and wants it to be democratized. This can only be successful with the support of the Kurds, with a Kurdish alliance. “This success will only be possible if Turkey steps back to the founding philosophy of the Turkish Republic and takes it as a basis for democratization,” he said and made his call in this regard. Therefore, the success of this call depends on the steps Turkey will take. No problem in the world has ever been solved by unilateral steps. Rêber Apo took the necessary initiative and said that he lifts the responsibility for this historic process and that he is the guarantor of this process. In order for him to advance this process, he must be given the opportunity. In other words, his conditions must be changed; the Imrali system must be ended. Rêber Apo’s physical freedom and free working conditions must be ensured. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey needs to establish a commission and change the according laws in the constitution. Bahceli said that Rêber Apo should “come and speak in the parliament, in the name of the DEM Party group”. How will he speak? There is no possibility to speak. Only if the laws are changed for Rêber Apo, for the Kurds, if free working conditions are provided, if the Imrali system is torn down, then he can do it. The Turkish state needs to take these steps. Without taking these steps, there is not much that Rêber Apo can do. Therefore, if Turkey wants the process to develop, it needs to improve the working conditions of Rêber Apo. He needs to be able to work freely. The Imrali system must be abolished. Then the requirements of this call will be fulfilled.

The Kurdish people have waged a great struggle. In the course of this struggle, they have paid a high price and suffered great pain. As a result, it has created great value, not only for itself but also for all the people of Turkey, the peoples of the Middle East, and humanity. Therefore, everyone’s eyes are on Rêber Apo and the struggle he is waging. This shows how heavy the duty of Rêber Apo is. But it is not right to put all the burden on the shoulders of Rêber Apo. From the very beginning, Rêber Apo has always assumed his duties and responsibilities towards the Kurdish people, peoples, and humanity, and has always made great efforts to fulfill them. He has done this under the most difficult conditions and impossibilities. It is necessary to share this burden. It is now necessary to assume the responsibility and construction of this process. In order for Rêber Apo’s efforts to yield results, everyone must recognize and fulfill their duties and responsibilities in this process. If there are some concerns among the Kurdish people and some friendly circles, they must read the developments and the history of them well. As I said, it is a people and its international friends who have paid high prices, suffered great pain, and gained great gains as a result. Of course they do not want these to weaken. They expect and want them to be strengthened and brought to a conclusion. This is what Rêber Apo is working on. It is to protect these gains and expand them further. It is to realize the aspirations, dreams, and demands of the Kurdish people, the Turkish people, the peoples of the Middle East, and humanity. All the steps he has taken are on this basis. He is not, as some people say, giving up the struggle, pulling back, or jeopardizing the gains. On the contrary, we are endeavoring to find out how to increase the existing gains and how to put them at the service of the Kurdish people, the Turkish people, and humanity.

Now, some may not fully understand the reality of Rêber Apo, they may have concerns about this, this is normal. But I think that these concerns will gradually be overcome, because many times in our history these concerns have arisen, the people have had concerns, but then they realized that these concerns were in vain. Because every time, Rêber Apo has carried the struggle further and further. For this reason, our people and friends have great confidence in the Rêber Apo. They think that if Rêber Apo is taking some steps, then he must know something. And so far they have not been wrong. Anyway, the truth of the Rêber Apo is not to be mistaken and not to mislead. He has demonstrated this in his life until today. Rêber Apo has never lived a day for himself. Under the most difficult conditions and in the face of impossibilities, he has always fought for the Kurdish people, the people of Turkey, the peoples of the Middle East and humanity. And today, everyone can see the level he has reached.

Now no one can conduct politics in the Middle East without Rêber Apos, without the Kurds. Everyone has become dependent on the Kurds. This is the result of the struggle waged by Rêber Apo. That is not something that we simply say; that is something that is reflected everywhere. Maybe there are some sworn enemies of Rêber Apo. From the very beginning, they have always been hostile to Rêber Apo and the struggle he has developed. There is nothing to take them seriously. From the very beginning, psychological and special warfare against this movement has been waged at a very high level and in many dimensions. They wanted to confuse everyone. They wanted to develop disbelief and indecision. Although the special and psychological warfare has been waged at a very high level, our people have grasped this. They have seen clearly why there is so much hostility against Rêber Apo, his struggle, and the solutions he has developed. Because Rêber Apo has demonstrated this with his struggle, his life, and the values he has created. That is why he has gained everyone’s trust. Maybe the forces waging the special war, these forces that are enemies of Rêber Apo, want to shake the belief in Rêber Apo. They are making a great effort for this. Perhaps they will even intensify to do so in the future as well. But just as these efforts have not yielded results so far, it is clear that they will not yield results in the future either. Therefore, my call is for them to better understand this call for peace and democratic society developed by Rêber Apo. Rêber Apo has explained this very extensively in his prison writings. The text of the call is a summary of these. This is the way it can and should be read.

Rêber Apo wants to utilize this historic opportunity for the Kurdish people, the Turkish people, and humanity. He wants to expand the struggle and lead it to success. These efforts of Rêber Apo must be supported. Everyone must unite around Rêber Apo as they did in the past, share the duty and responsibility he has assumed, and realize this through struggle. Therefore, everyone should set the physical freedom of Rêber Apo as a goal and wage a great struggle to realize it. It is necessary to demolish the Imrali system and demand that the Turkish parliament fulfill its duties and responsibilities. If it raises its struggle on this basis, Rêber Apo’s hand will be strengthened.

Rêber Apo will fulfill his duties and responsibilities for the Kurdish people, the peoples of the Middle East, and humanity. Only those who have no conscience, only those who have no aim for freedom and democracy, and only those who have no aim to serve the people can say these things. The PKK has brought great values to the people. It set an end to the politics of denial and extermination of the Kurdish people and opened up the path and possibilities of peace and solution. It realized a great change in the mentality, personality, and life of the Kurdish people. It has transformed the Kurdish people into a people who live and struggle for themselves and who are striving for freedom and democracy. It has raised the reputation of the Kurdish people in the world. Today, everyone takes the Kurds as an example for themselves. Again, Rêber Apo and the freedom movement have brought about a great change, transformation, and restructuring in Kurdistan. It has developed the democratic revolution in Kurdistan and has brought about national unity and, on this basis, the development of a democratic nation. It created the ground for the realization of the national conference and congress. It restored the shattered Kurdish mentality, personality, and life and ensured its integrity. It has brought all the values that had been trampled on and brought great value to them. Most importantly, the PKK brought the line of women’s liberation to the Kurdish freedom movement and the struggle for freedom and democracy in the world. It is as Rêber Apo has made it clear that those who aim for freedom and democracy can only realize their goals based on the freedom of women.

Some people wonder, where the PKK and Rêber Apo draw their strength from. Rêber Apo got his strength from his philosophy, ideology, paradigm, his people, the struggle he waged and the values he created. No one has ever helped the Kurds, Rêber Apo and the freedom struggle, as some people propagandize. On the contrary, they always tried to hold him back, always tried to strangle him. But Rêber Apo, the martyrs and our people broke through all these and were able to bring about this situation. No one can stain this reality."