On March 12, 2016, the guerrilla alliance Peoples’ United Revolutionary Movement (Halkların Birleşik Devrim Hareketi, HBDH) was founded. Since then, it has appeared with spectacular anti-capitalist and anti-militarist urban guerrilla actions. On the occasion of the anniversary of its foundation, ANF spoke with Ferzad Can from the organisation's Executive Council.

Asked whether the movement deliberately chose 12 March as the founding date, Can affirmed that this date marks the anniversary of the massacres of Gazi (1995) and Qamişlo (2004) and the military coup of 1971. The HBDH unites the revolutionary tradition of pioneering figures such as Mahir Çayan, Deniz Gezmiş and İbrahim Kaypakkaya, emphasizes Can. A central task of the movement is to retaliate for the massacres against the peoples of Turkey and Kurdistan.

Committed to the struggle against all backwardness

Can continues: "The HBDH, when it was founded, was dedicated to the struggle against imperialism, fascism and any form of backwardness and became the expression of the will of the workers, women and youth against these forces. It called for the common struggle of the workers and the peoples. The fascist leader Erdoğan and his party have started a total attack on the Kurdish freedom movement and all revolutionary and socialist forces, especially after the coup in 2015 [meaning the cancellation of the elections and the enforcement of new elections by the Erdoğan regime]. They tried to imprison the whole society and force it to surrender. For this, the leading revolutionary parties had to be destroyed.

Common revolution necessary for success

A revolution has been taking place in Kurdistan for many years. It is a national revolution, but behind it there is a much bigger revolution. In order for the revolution to succeed, it was necessary to organize in a common, united revolution. In this context the HBDH was created. In the four years since the foundation of the HBDH great prices have been paid, but at the same time severe defeats have been inflicted on fascism. We have lost our founding members Delal Amed, Atakan, Baran Serhat, Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu, Ulaş Adalı, Aynur, Ceren, Taylan and many other comrades in the struggle.

The revolution of Rojava became the source of our strength

The developments between 2016 and 2017 were extremely significant from a revolutionary perspective. The HBDH was a new organisation, it was in its founding process and it is only natural that a lot of problems and difficulties arise. But we can say in retrospect that we have made great progress and our organization has become very strong. In such a phase of imperialist wars and the participation of the regional colonial powers, the importance of a united revolutionary movement of the peoples became even clearer.

The fascist Turkish colonial state tried to destroy the Rojava revolution, the hope of the peoples of the Middle East, to suffocate it with all its strength. But we can say that the colonial fascist regime could not achieve its aim. The situation it got into in Rojava becomes more than clear at the international meetings. The revolution of Rojava and its achievements have to be mentioned at the same time as an urgent necessity for Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. The fascist regime wants the peoples and workers to pay for the crisis caused by the war. It is not about a state austerity policy. They want our people to be silenced through all kinds of fascist laws and methods. We can say that at the moment there is a fascist attack to subdue and destroy society as a whole."

The armed struggle is imperative

Can emphasizes that there is no other way than the uprising, the fight against fascism: "Without resistance, without struggle, without retaliation there is no chance of success. People of all religious and ethnic identities, women, workers and youth are invited to fight together with the HBDH.

The guerrilla struggle must be developed

Can continues: "We must develop the guerrilla struggle, the armed struggle in the cities and in the countryside. But in the meantime we must not leave the streets and squares under any circumstances. Whether it is the struggle on the front of legitimate self-defence or on the military level; we must increase the resistance and stand resolutely against the annihilation policy of the colonial fascist regime.”

Can describes the actions of the HBDH militias and revenge units in recent times and the series of actions started in 2019 as "groundbreaking", but not sufficient. "They are proceeding on a line of revolutionary sacrifice. If we look at the success of the actions and their diversity, they were decisive and should be the basis of the perspective on which we must continue."

We have a historic responsibility

Regarding the policies of the AKP/MHP regime, Can explains: "The regime relies on war, racism, occupation and colonialism to save itself. Besides structural crises, it is also experiencing economic crises. It does not look like it will soon overcome this situation. Again and again people burn themselves on the streets because of hunger, poverty or unemployment, but the colonial fascist regime sends soldiers to Libya. They are spending billions to stifle the revolution of Rojava and are sending money to their FSA militias. Our people should know exactly that the destruction of the Rojava revolution and the deployment of troops to Libya will not bring the slightest benefit to the workers in Turkey. On the contrary, they cause economic impoverishment. The workers in Turkey must oppose the colonialist and imperialist attitude of the Turkish state. They should join or support the HBDH. There is no other way to unhinge this repressive, exploitative system. We know that the way to a democratic Turkey and a free Kurdistan is through struggle, resistance and retaliation. On this basis, the HBDH will act even more decisively. It has made it its primary task to develop and strengthen the struggle.

Movement against imperialism, capitalism, fascism and patriarchy

The HBDH is a movement against imperialism, capitalism, fascism and patriarchy. Today, the victims of fascism and capitalism, those who suffer under it, the peoples, workers, women and youth must join the HBDH and strengthen the ranks of their militias and guerrillas in the cities and in the countryside. They must settle accounts with the system. On the trail of our martyrs and with their willingness for self-sacrifice, we will be successful in any case".

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