In the second part of this in-depth interview, Besê Hozat, co-chair of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council, talks at length, among other things, about the significance of the international conspiracy on the occasion of the 26th anniversary and elaborates on the global freedom campaign against it. She also goes into great detail about current developments in the context of the Third World War and analyzes the interests of the hegemonic forces of capitalist modernity, with a special focus on Turkey and Iran.

The first part can be read here

The global campaign under the slogan ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ has now completed its first year. The campaign represents resistance at various levels against the international conspiracy. How do you assess the past year of the campaign, and what are the challenges for the coming year?

The global campaign ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ is a campaign led by our international friends, and it is about to complete its first year. It has indeed produced very important results. Very valuable work was done on an international scale. There were many workshops, conferences, concerts, seminars, marches, and readings of the prison writings of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. There were also many struggles in the legal field; letters were written to many institutions, and statements were made by them. 69 Nobel Prize-winning scientists participated in the campaign; they wrote letters to the relevant institutions. There is the participation of trade unions in England, Scotland, and in the Spanish State. There were many events in many parts of the world. The ideology and paradigm of Rêber Apo were discussed very extensively. This led to very serious enlightenment. It led to the recognition of Rêber Apo’s ideas. Therefore, a very large group of people emerged internationally who embraced the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. The global campaign has become global and universal. This produced a very important result. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe took a decision. It gave Turkey one year’s time to correct the system of torture and isolation in Imrali and to eliminate this criminal situation. Otherwise, it said it would issue an interim decision. Of course, all this was the result of this struggle.

At the stage we have reached now, the campaign has gone one year and is entering its second year. Our international friends who developed this campaign will definitely draw up the planning and perspective for the coming year. We believe that very strong planning will emerge for the coming year. Of course, a very important pillar of this campaign is also Kurdistan and its social, political, diplomatic, and legal struggle. In northern Kurdistan, the freedom march, the ‘Give Freedom a Voice’ protests, and justice protests developed. There was the Cologne march. Now it has been rescheduled for November. On 13 October, there will be a rally in Amed (tr. Diyarbakir). And a similar effort is being considered in Istanbul. All of these are extremely valuable and meaningful. Also in Rojava, our people were resisting. Generally, in the four parts of Kurdistan, there was an uninterrupted struggle, even if it was routine and insufficient in some places.

Of course, another crucial pillar is the guerrilla struggle. The guerrillas showed a very strong performance and resistance, particularly this last year. Very strong actions developed. The YJA Star also played a very decisive role in this.

On the occasion of the anniversary, I greet and congratulate all the international friends, patriotic people, and guerrillas who developed this global freedom campaign with respect and love. I believe that the next phase will also develop very successfully. Yes, important results have emerged, but we still haven’t achieved our main aims. Because the aim of the campaign is the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the democratic solution to the Kurdish question. At the current stage, Rêber Apo has not been physically liberated, and the Kurdish question is still not politically and democratically solved. It is in the middle, and the war of genocide continues uninterruptedly. The total genocidal war continues, as the resistance continues uninterrupted.

In this sense, this campaign, which is now in its second year, must and will continue in the coming year in a stronger manner on the basis of the ground that has been formed, and it must and will surely succeed. I strongly believe in this.

As I have mentioned, there have been very important results and achievements in the past year. Rêber Apo has become a universal leader, there has been a very strong embrace around the world. Based on this, we need to develop this campaign more strongly. Social resistance must continue to grow everywhere.

Social resistance has a great impact on the legal struggle, the political struggle, and the diplomatic struggle. Our people also see and know this. Northern Kurdistan and Turkey should gradually become the center of social struggle. An uninterrupted struggle must be developed in northern Kurdistan. Because northern Kurdistan is the center of genocidal attacks. Right now, northern Kurdistan is the center of total genocidal attacks. The center of this is Imrali and northern Kurdistan in particular. There is a very intense special war. Language, culture, and nature are under fire. There is a policy of massacre against young people with drugs and prostitution. It is the same for Kurdish women and Kurdish children. There is a recent example of Narin. In this sense, against special war attacks, against total genocidal attacks, our people, particularly in northern Kurdistan, and Turkey’s democratic forces must take part in this global campaign in a stronger way. An uninterrupted resistance must be developed.

This is also the case in Rojava. Rojava must be able to develop a strong revolutionary people’s war. This is more crucial for the survival of Rojava than bread and water are. The revolution in Rojava is under great danger. The Turkish state aims to occupy the remaining areas of Rojava when it finds the opportunity. It is just trying to seize the opportunity and conjuncture for this. In this sense, our people must be in an uninterrupted resistance here. This resistance cannot only be done by taking to the streets and marching on several occasions. Our people must be organized on the basis of self-defense, regardless of age. It must be organized on the basis of a revolutionary people’s war. They must be able to develop their own self-defense. There should not be a single unorganized person anywhere, not a single person without self-defense. In the coming year, we must continue the social struggle in the four parts of Kurdistan by increasing and sustaining it.

Also, the legal struggle gains importance. We have seen this very clearly throughout the past year. The struggle on this issue had a significant impact and result. The Council of Europe (CoE), the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), and the forces that developed this conspiracy are all partners in these genocidal policies. They are responsible for the torture and isolation system in Imrali. They established this system.

The legal, political, diplomatic, and social struggle against these forces must continue strongly. As long as this struggle continues, we will achieve results. We will make them apply their own laws. They will be forced to apply international conventions, and the Turkish state will be forced to apply them. The way to this is through struggle. Nothing can happen without a struggle. No development can be created without struggle. Without struggle, without resistance, you cannot liberate Rêber Apo; you cannot solve the Kurdish question; you cannot liberate Kurdistan. The path to freedom and democracy is through struggle and resistance. The process we are going through necessitates a total struggle and resistance as indispensable prerequisites. We must definitely lead this global freedom campaign to success with great resistance.

While the absolute isolation against Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Ocalan continues, an intensive war is being waged outside. The Turkish state is constantly attacking with all the technical means at its disposal or provided by its NATO partners. It is a war that is currently taking place with a focus on the Medya Defense Zones. How do you assess the course of this war?

The war continues with all its intensity. It is a really fierce war. There are very intense attacks, especially centered on West Zap, Metina, Xakurke, and Xinere, and there is  very strong resistance of the guerrillas, who launch impressive actions.

The Turkish state aims to occupy and annex all these areas and gradually establish its complete sovereignty over southern Kurdistan. We always say that by occupying and annexing southern Kurdistan and Rojava, they are trying to establish their hegemony over Iraq and Syria by reaching the borders of Misak-i Milli. They aim to become the hegemonic power of the region. This is the basic strategy and policy of the Turkish state. To seize the Misak-i Milli on the basis of the Kurdish genocide, and to establish its hegemony over the region by seizing it. Accordingly, it continues this war very persistently.

The Turkish state is waging war wherever it enters. For the last four to five years, it has been building a lot of forces, piling up a lot of techniques, hitting from the air, hitting from the ground, using chemical weapons, using everything. And there is still a great resistance in those tunnels. At the moment, the Turkish state has no control over West Zap, Metina, Xakurke, or Xinere. There is an intertwined, hand-to-hand battle going on here. There is great guerrilla resistance. I take this opportunity to commemorate with love, respect, and gratitude all the comrades who were martyred in this resistance. And I also greet with love and respect all the comrades who are struggling and taking part in this sacrificial resistance. They are developing an honorable and noble resistance. They are defending and representing the dignity of humanity.

The KDP is very actively involved in the annexation and occupation attacks of this genocidal war. Right now, for example, in Duhok, Amediye, and Zakho, KDP businessmen have made agreements with the Turkish state and are developing joint construction projects. They are building positions, roads, and outposts for the Turkish state. They have made agreements with these companies. Currently, all these works are being undertaken and carried out by KDP businessmen in southern Kurdistan. They provide all kinds of intelligence information and logistical support. All these attacks are happening with the active support of the KDP. There is a situation that is really up to its neck in betrayal and collaborationism.

The attacks intensified after the agreement between the Iraqi government, the KDP, and the Turkish state. There have already been intense attacks against civilians. By becoming a partner in these attacks, in the Turkish state’s occupation, annexation, and expansionist policies, Iraq legitimized these attacks in the eyes of international states. The current Iraqi administration has no dignity and respect in the eyes of the Kurdish people, the Iraqi peoples and the peoples of the region. It is a completely discredited government that has lost its respect and prestige. It has done the greatest disservice to the Iraqi people. It has earned the great anger and hatred of the Kurdish people. It has earned the great anger of the Iraqi people. We know that there are very serious disturbances within Iraq right now. There are many tendencies, different wings within the state. We know that there are many contradictions and conflicts between them. It seems that in this form, this administration cannot sustain itself for long. The disservice to the Kurdish people and the Arab community has been too big.

There is a struggle against this; it is going on everywhere. It is going on in southern Kurdistan, as well as in northern Kurdistan. The war continues with all its intensity. There is great resistance, and there are also many great martyrs.