Duran Kalkan, member of the KCK Executive Council, spoke about the resistance against the so-called 'Imrali-system', the profiteers of the international conspiracy since 9 October 1998. 

The 25th anniversary of the conspiracy of October 9, 1998, which was the day Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] was forced to leave Syria, which marks the beginning of the odyssey ending in the international conspiracy of February 15, 1999, is approaching. What can you tell us about the conspiracy, the role of Rêber Apo and the resistance against the so-called Imrali System?

First of all, I would like to respectfully greet the historic resistance of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. The struggle against the system of isolation, torture and genocide on [the prison island] Imrali continues at all levels. But still, for more than 31 months, there has been no new information from or about Rêber Apo. No legal steps are allowed to learn more about the situation right now and it seems like there are no legal rules applying there. This unique situation in Rêber Apo is continuing and it arouses anger among the Kurdish people, women, young people and humanity.

There are legal initiatives in this direction and also many different efforts are being made. Most recently the lawyers gave a statement, in which they are applying to the [‘European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’] CPT and other relevant institutions. And also not long ago, after the last meeting, it was stated that 449 applications by the lawyers and the family to meet Rêber Apo had been made and no response had been given to them.

It is not known what the current situation is, but considering the practices outside and the attacks of the AKP-MHP fascism, one can imagine what is going on on Imrali. There were things that were done in the past on this subject, and there were also statements made by Rêber Apo himself. Therefore, it is necessary to be sensitive, not to be naive, and to approach with extreme caution. It can be seen that there is a rise of struggle. There are protests in the four parts of Kurdistan and abroad. Kurds, their international friends, intellectuals, politicians and artists from different parts of the world have shown great interest and protests have been organized. It can be seen that Rêber Apo’s thoughts are being discussed in many areas. In Rojava [Northern Syria], our people are constantly on their feet. In Northern Kurdistan [South-East Turkey], there is an accumulation ready to explode and we will continue the struggle even further.

As has been reflected to us recently, on a state level, there are discussions on the correct understanding of the situation of Rêber Apo; his resistance, and the correct approach to his role-mission. They are trying to figure out how to get out of the chaos they created with the international conspiracy and are trying to put themselves forward a little bit according to their own situation. It seems that there are those who are tired of war and isolation. The situation of absolute isolation, torture and genocide in Imrali is now affecting everyone very deeply. In this respect, everyone is making some suggestions and statements according to themselves. These are understandable situations. But as we live through another anniversary of the conspiracy, it is useful to underline some things once again.

As we have always stated, there has to be a Kurdish-Turkish peace. The only person who can bring it about is Rêber Apo. Apart from him, there is no one who can work this out, who can develop such a process. We fight, we fight a war of self-defense and resistance, we wage a military struggle. It has been like this from the beginning. But if there is to be a political solution, if a democratic solution is to be realized, there is only one address for this: Rêber Apo. Our people shout this on the streets every day, because society is extremely sensitive about this issue. Therefore, everyone has to take responsibility. We need to be very careful and sensitive in this regard. Those who are not like this will lose. I would like to underline this once again. Whether from the PKK, the whole Kurdish society or other circles, no one can play that role. No one can assume the mission, role and position of Rêber Apo.

We are approaching a new anniversary of the October 9 conspiracy. It is necessary to raise the struggle even more on this anniversary and in the new year. In the 25th year, there has been a lot of sensitization and discussions have developed a lot. The ideas of Rêber Apo, the situation on Imrali, what it means to live under the system of torture, isolation and genocide for 25 years were discussed and evaluated from both legal and political perspectives. According to this, the struggle developed at a certain level.

On this 25th anniversary of the resistance against the conspiracy, it is necessary to raise the struggle against the Imrali system of torture, isolation and genocide, aiming for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. There are many calls out there and they hint in the right direction. In order to raise the struggle, it is necessary to understand the reality of the Imrali resistance correctly. In order to understand the Imrali resistance correctly, it is necessary to understand the system of Imrali correctly. Now the effect of this system is touching everyone. Some people start to make noise when it touches them. But 25 years have passed and one should ask where these people have been for the last 25 years. Only when it touches them, they remember it. This is obviously not the right attitude. That just shows that the Imrali system is not understood. There is  great torture there, there is a process of extermination, this system is a system of genocide. Our friends have expressed this many times and they still do. The genocidal attack on the Kurdish people is being carried out through Imrali.

The ‘Kurdish question’ was created in Lausanne by Britain, France and Turkey. They created Turkey and other nation states, showing that this question has always been based on joint governance. The Kurdish genocide is not only practiced by the Turkish Republic, Arab states and Iran. There was always a joint administration based on this agreement in Lausanne. Then this joint administration, the Sadabat Pact, Britain and France, the pioneers of capitalist modernity at the time, made these agreements. Then they made the Baghdad Pact. Then, after the Second World War, the USA joined. After the Second World War, they organized CENTO. Parallel to NATO, a special military pact was established to rule Kurdistan, which was broken by the Iran-Iraq war and the developments in Iran. In 1980, the system became alarmed. So immediately afterwards, in 1987, they introduced the State of Emergency in Turkey, which was actually the Kurdish genocide administration. Actually, all the forces that created the ‘Kurdish question’ were there. Turkey and even the global system were based on that administration. Imrali means the system of executing and managing the Kurdish genocide. Therefore, the international conspiracy attack continues like the Imrali system.

The isolation is a method of this attack, the essence of the torture method is actually genocide. The genocidal attack imposed on the Kurds is managed from Imrali as a joint administration. Therefore, there is all kinds of lawlessness. That is to say, no rules, principles, morality or law are working. Everyone is playing blind, deaf, dumb. All the international organizations that consider themselves democratic remain silent, while the attack on the Kurds is continuing. This system not only rules Kurdistan, but also Turkey. When it comes to Turkey, it is a strict fascist dictatorship; there are racist, chauvinist, nationalist attacks. Many people watching in Turkey are now complaining “where did this come from, why is it happening like this”. It is because of the Imrali system. If you want to fight against fascism in Turkey, you have to fight against the Imrali system, you have to fight for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo.

Not understanding this sufficiently prevents the development of the struggle. This struggle needs to spread throughout Turkey. Kurdish society, women and young people have felt this reality in their bones, but meanwhile, many circles in Turkey do not. They did not fulfill their democratic duties, they did not have a democratic attitude. Now as this policy also touches them, they start to remember this. They are a little late, but everyone should pay attention to this reality. Everyone should understand correctly, knowing that this is an attack against themselves, and they should see the dismantling of the Imrali torture and isolation system as their own achievement of free life and democratic governance, and they should support and carry it out as their own struggle.

After 25 years of ongoing conspiracy, how would you evaluate what has happened in this time? Did the conspiracy reach its goal and how successful is the resistance going?

I would like to salute this great resistance of 25 years against the conspiracy. This is the greatest and most meaningful struggle of our people, our entire movement and our international friends led by Rêber Apo. I would like to respectfully commemorate all those who have been martyred in the 25 years of resistance against the international conspiracy and want to express my love to those who gave their lives in the campaign ‘You cannot darken our sun’. They were the ones who understood Rêber Apo, the Imrali system and the Imrali resistance the best. They developed and put forward the most correct attitude in time as they formed a ring of fire around Rêber Apo. And indeed, they played the most fundamental role in the failure of the international conspiracy and in taking care of Rêber Apo’s security and health problems.

Now 25 years ago, the October 9, 1998 conspiracy has completed a quarter of a century. For 25 years, the system of global capitalist modernity has been attacking Kurdish society on the basis of the Imrali system of torture, isolation and genocide through the existing states. Against this, the Kurdish people, our movement, our guerrilla forces, all our international friends; in fact, humanity is resisting. This 25-year attack is unique, as the resistance against it is also unique. In other words, the ‘Kurdish question’ is unique. Those who can make analogies compare it to Mandela the most, but those who evaluate him say “Mandela was not treated like that”. This is true, as it resembles him partially, but just very little.

The ones creating the ‘Kurdish question’ are the ones who created the conspiracy. The US, Britain, Israel decided and planned it, and they carried it out under the leadership of the US. In other words, they included the entire power and state system in this conspiracy as needed.

The goal of the conspiracy was the destruction of Rêber Apo. They hoped that by destroying Rêber Apo in one day, on October 9th, they would be able to liquidate the PKK and, on this basis, achieve the Kurdish genocide. This is how they calculated. Now 25 years have passed and it can be stated that they have failed. Rêber Apo made the extermination futile. He defeated the execution on the basis of who-knows-who. He frustrated the Imrali rotting policy and the isolation, by spreading himself all over the world with the new ideas he developed, with the paradigm shift, by conveying this to the movement, the people and humanity with the scarcest means. He said that wherever the defenses are, I am there. Defenses are now all over the world. Then Rêber Apo is all over the world. He is not kept within the walls of Imrali. I mean, some people think they keep him that way, but that has already been overcome. Rêber Apo has already broken those walls.

I would like to stress out, that in these 25 years, the international conspiracy has been repeatedly frustrated, failed and defeated. They made attack plans again and again and put them into practice. No matter what they did, they did not succeed. The conspiracy failed to realize its goals. Still, they continue the joint administration on the basis of the Imrali system. Thus, they are determined and persistent in implementing the Kurdish genocide, as their interests require it. They are terrified and afraid of the solution of the ‘Kurdish question’. Because if it could be solved, if the Kurds were granted freedom, then it will be revealed that everything they have said in this century was a mere a lie and that everything they have been eating has been haram. They will be seen to be guilty, they will be held accountable. They are perpetuating the ‘Kurdish question’ in order to escape such a reckoning.

They prevent Kurdish freedom. They also benefit from this, they make a profit. Who and what has gained from the attack based on the international conspiracy in the last 25 years? Which monopoly powers, capitalists and how much did they gain? It is worth investigating.

When we look back at the 25th anniversary of the Kurdish question and the genocide mentality and politics imposed on the Kurds, it was a world reality. Therefore, it was also connected to the so-called Third World War. In 25 years, the Middle East turned into a bloodbath. Kurdistan, Turkey turned into a bloodbath. Conspiratorial forces, conspiratorial attacks did this. How much blood was shed, how much opportunity was spent? It is necessary to investigate these and make a good breakdown, to show and reveal what the international conspiracy attack means and what it has led to. Let’s be careful, they tore Saddam Hussein’s regime to pieces. It was connected to him. What kind of military interventions have they made in the Middle East? Let’s look at the state of Syria, the state of Iraq. What has become of Afghanistan? What is the situation in Kurdistan and Turkey? They are shattered. Social fabrics are disappearing, almost disappearing. It has been brought to that point. The problems are severe, as severe as they can get. All kinds of chauvinistic nationalism, division, fragmentation, contradiction and conflict are at their peak. In other words, it has been better seen in these 25 years that the nation state system is actually war, conflict, fascist dictatorship, enmity, enmity against society and other societies, war.

Let’s put it this way. For example, what would have happened if the international conspiracy had not existed or had failed at the first moment? Kurdish freedom and democracy would have spread to South Kurdistan. It would have spread to Arabia through Iraq. None of these contradictions and conflicts would have existed. Brotherhood and better relations between peoples would have developed. Possibilities and opportunities would be used on this basis. In other words, they would be used for people, women and young people to develop their free lives and democracy.

Now the situation in the Middle East is obvious and the situation in Turkey even more. The person of Tayyip Erdoğan emerged; a person who ran after a soccer ball on the streets of Istanbul grew and grew, until he has now become the sole owner of Turkey. What has Turkey and society lost? How much blood has been shed? How many billions of dollars has been spent on this war? What has become of its foreign relations, its internal relations? Here used to be Anatolia. The strategic position was constantly being marketed. The historical Silk Road, the trade between Asia and Europe, used to pass through here. What happened? With the recent G20 meeting in India, the agreements signed afterwards, the agreements announced, the Silk Road is indeed history. New energy routes and trade routes have emerged between Asia and Europe. From the north of the Black Sea, through India, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Southern Cyprus and Greece… Turkey lost its strategic position, lost its position as a bridge. It lost its historical role. It no longer makes much sense militarily and commercially. That is because of this genocidal mentality and politics, because of the international conspiracy attack, because of the war being waged, because there is instability, no capital is coming. Tayyip Erdoğan went to America and was almost on the street calling for people to come and invest in Turkey. But nobody comes, as capital also wants stability and trust. Of course, no one will invest in such an environment of war and conflict.

Erdoğan has brought Turkey to the point that it has lost its historical importance and role. Turkey has become seriously excluded from the system. The state has dissolved and disintegrated and what is left is the gangsterism of Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli. It has turned into a gang system. There is no trace of the state that Mustafa Kemal established with much care and effort. Many times, we have stated that this administration is leading Turkey to collapse, to disaster. Now people are living in a disaster but they still do not want to realize it. The press, everyone is trying to hide this reality by creating fabricated agendas. They want to advertise as if Tayyip Erdoğan is still successful. Rêber Apo said that the conspiracy is more against Turks than Kurds. The Turks will suffer as much as the Kurds from the conspiracy. This conspiracy is directed against Turkey as much as against Kurdistan. At that time, Bülent Ecevit, the Prime Minister of the time, was also affected by this. He was skeptical and said that he couldn’t understand why they gave Apo to them. When he was told he had died, he couldn’t understand it. Now, on the 25th anniversary, those who love Turkey should examine the past 25 years. They gave it to turn Turkey into this state. And they brought it to this state. By carrying out international conspiracy attacks, by giving support from behind, by always saying “we will support, you attack, do this and that”… They have brought Turkey to this point.

As you pointed out, society is losing while the states are continuing their attempts to complete the conspiracy. But are there also ‘winners’ profiting from the conspiracy?

So, of course, there have been winners in 25 years. The money lords, the monopoly capitalist powers have won both at the global and regional level. The forces that run the system of oppression and exploitation through war benefited from this. The US needed such an attack to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime. One of the most fundamental attacks of the Third World War was the international conspiracy of October 9. Rêber Apo considered it as a very important stage and initiative of the Third World War, which was correct. And there were winners in this aspect.

There was the Greater Middle East Project that the USA could not organize. They managed to weaken Iraq, Syria and other governments as Israel’s security depended on this weakening, but it could not create a stable system. What happened in Syria and Iraq is obvious. We see what is happening in Mosul and Kirkuk; people are being burned, murdered and poisoned. There is no relationship or trust between societies and also no government left. What they gain is organizing an energy route. Other than that, they could not realize what they aimed for. In this sense, there were those who profited from the conspiracy attack. Those who feed on war and blood feed on conspiracy to attack. But apart from that, no one benefited much.

What else do you want to share with us in the context of the conspiracy?

The Kurds have suffered greatly and paid a heavy price, but they have also experienced great revolutionary development. The consciousness of freedom reached its greatest mass level in the struggle against the conspiracy. Rêber Apo’s paradigm shift has emerged as a solution project to all the social problems created by the 5,000-year power and state system, especially the ‘Kurdish question’ and the ‘women’s question’, and there is no one else who can produce solutions to these problems.

The revolution in Rojava Revolution developed and most importantly, Jineolojî [the science of women] developed. The women’s liberation revolution developed on such a scientific basis and today it is spreading around the world. The Jin, Jiyan, Azadî revolution is having an impact on women all over the world. It seems that in the past, socialists have always waited for a world revolution. The vanguard, the engine and the basis of this revolution will be the women’s liberation revolution. This is why Jin, Jiyan, Azadî is so impressive, and why it is so frightening for the system, the male-dominated mentality and politics.

They shed blood, paid a high price, suffered a lot, but Kurdistan’s freedom struggle developed, its organization developed. Kurdish society introduced itself to the world, introduced itself to humanity. Kurdish women and young people introduced themselves to the women and youth of the world. The consciousness and action for freedom has become globalized, it has become a struggle that inspires and excites all humanity.

The struggle against fascism by the so-called ‘Islamic State’ [IS] revealed this. In fact, one side of IS is the AKP and the MHP. This a known fact, but some still want to hide it for their own interests. The struggle against IS, the women’s liberation revolution, the organization of democratic nations in Rojava and North and East Syria, has actually become a new source of hope for humanity. If Turks and Kurds can look each other in the face, it is thanks to this struggle. If there is still hope for humanity in Turkey, in the Middle East and globally, it is thanks to this struggle. Everyone draws their inspiration from this struggle and they are planting this hope here. They get their enthusiasm, excitement and morale from this struggle. There can be no greater development than this. Kurdishness, which was on the verge of poverty, has turned itself into such a great global power by resisting the international conspiracy in 25 years under the leadership of Rêber Apo, under the leadership of the Imrali resistance, and by paying the price.

Of course, the legal struggle alone will not achieve results. It is about to struggle for the solution to the ‘Kurdish question’, for the freedom of the Kurds, for the democratization of Turkey, and, on this basis, for the democratization of the Middle East and the development of a democratic revolution. The physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the complete defeat of the international conspiracy depend on this. As long as the system of torture, isolation and genocide in Imrali continues, the conspiracy continues. Only with the physical freedom of Rêber Apo will the international conspiracy be stopped. This means the solution to the ‘Kurdish question’. It means moving away from politics with the fascist, colonialist and genocidal mentality imposed on Kurds.

Those who think that the struggle is hitting the walls of Imrali and not yielding many results should look at the gains that have emerged in 25 years. In this time, the greatest libertarian, democratic and humanitarian developments in the history of humanity have been achieved through the struggle. This means that the struggle pays off. In this respect, in the 26th year, it is necessary to develop total resistance in every field and at every level against the mentality, politics and practice of this international conspiracy that started on October 9, 1998. This has to be carried out in the four parts of Kurdistan, in the entire Middle East and all over the world. We need to develop the struggle aiming for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the solution to  the  ‘Kurdish question’ with every legal, political, method, and means. We need to find and develop more effective, more radical methods of struggle, more holistic methods of collective struggle. Considering this struggle as our own struggle, we need to unite more, create more power and increase the struggle. We need a new move, a new exit, a big exit. There are calls in this direction, which are giving hope.

The 25th year has not only created a consciousness, but after 25 years of attacks, people are now slowly convinced of this. This is an attack against all of us, a centralized attack by the system. The consciousness of breaking the Imrali system, defeating and eliminating the international conspiracy is spreading. As a movement, we will carry out our struggle more accurately and more effectively. The guerrilla will always develop its war on the basis of success against this fascist, colonialist, genocidal mentality and politics. Our women’s and youth movements, all our people, all our patriotic people, wherever they are, are and will be fighting by showing all kinds of courage and sacrifice, saying that the freedom of Rêber Apo is the freedom of all of us. We will spread this struggle more, make it more versatile, develop it with richer methods, globalize it more, regionalize it more and turn it into a struggle for humanity, a global struggle for freedom and a fundamental struggle for democracy.

First and foremost, we will do this by striking blows at the groups that are enemies of democracy, that feed on the international conspiracy. Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey has been feeding this conspiracy. Without the international conspiracy, Tayyip Erdoğan would never have existed.

But not only Tayyip Erdogan was fed by the conspiracy, also the Barzanis. They were fed, as betrayers are always getting fed. The aim of the international conspiracy is to destroy the Kurd that is standing up for freedom and democracy, for the Kurd that is taking a clear stance. They want the Kurds to remain as pulp, as human-like creatures who have betrayed themselves, who have betrayed their national existence, their country, who have sold everything for simple material interests, for individual and family interests, who have lost their Kurdishness and humanity and all Kurdish folk values. It is these people who continue the conspiracy in Turkey who continue the conspiracy in Kurdistan. Therefore, the struggle against the conspiracy is the struggle against the fascist dictatorship in Turkey and the struggle against collaborators and betrayal in Kurdistan. The struggle against the conspiracy, the struggle against the Imrali torture and isolation system, the genocide system is inseparable from the struggle against the fascist dictatorship, collaborationism and betrayal. As the struggle against the conspiracy develops to defeat the conspiracy, the fascist dictatorship and collaborationist treasonism will be defeated, the Imrali system will be dismantled, fascism will be overthrown, Rêber Apo will regain his physical freedom, Kurdish freedom and democratization of Turkey will be achieved. In the 26th year of struggling we will develop this at every level, in every field, with this spirit, this consciousness and this goal.