Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Co-presidency protested the US issuing warrants for PKK founders and administrators KCK Executive Council Co-chair Cemil Bayik and PKK Executive Committee Members Duran Kalkan and Murat Karayilan, saying: “Our people and forces of democracy must rise up at once against the attack that is part of the plot against Leader Apo. The stance against this attack must be combined with the fight for Leader Apo’s freedom and the fight against the plot, and this multi-faceted struggle must be continued everywhere the Kurds live together with all forces of democracy.”

KCK Executive Council Co-presidency issued a written statement and said:

“The US has issued warrants for PKK founders and Kurdish Freedom Movement’s leading cadres, PKK, KCK and HPG administrators comrades Cemil Bayik, Duran Kalkan and Murat Karayilan with baseless excuses, and put rewards on them. This hostile approach against our Freedom Movement and the decisions that were made have no justification in politics, society, ethics, conscience, or universal law. This is an utterly ideological and political decision. This decision that could only be made with a hostile approach constitutes an attack against not just the PKK, KCK or HPG, but all Kurdish people fighting for freedom and democracy.

THE DECISION IS A CONTINUATION OF THE PLOT

Without a doubt, the states who implement the Kurdish genocide against Leader Apo, PKK and the Kurdish Freedom Movement they lead have been hostile since the beginning along with their international supporters, and have wanted to disband the movement through attacks. This attack has the same goals as the plot against Leader Apo launched on October 9, 1998 and ended with his imprisonment in Imrali on February 15, 1999. This unwarranted decision by the US is a part and a continuation of the plot against Leader Apo. There is a direct connection between this decision and the 1999 plot being foiled for the most part by Leader Apo’s power of great thought and our freedom struggle led by the PKK, and the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom achieving a political power that affects Middle Eastern politics greatly.

On the other hand, the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom has affected the Middle Eastern peoples’ struggle for freedom and democracy, and opened a new frontier for the peoples of the world in their struggle for freedom and democracy. Leader Apo’s understanding of democratic nation and democratic confederal social governance as an alternative to the state becomes an alternative for the whole world for the solution of political, social and economic issues. This decision being made at a time when trade unions in the UK, the birthplace of unionism, and democratic forces, writers and intellectuals throughout the world launch a campaign for the safety, health and freedom of Leader Apo; when the Kurdish people and forces of democracy fight for the freedom of Leader Apo with the slogan ‘Let’s break the isolation, demolish fascism and free Kurdistan’ is an approach geared towards stopping these developments as well.

Considering the timing of this announcement that constitutes a hostile attack against our Freedom Movement, and Leader Apo’s influence and PKK’s role in political developments in the Middle East as a whole, this attitude is a plot against the Freedom Movement and an immoral attack against the Kurdish people. The Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom has developed everywhere and Kurds have come very close to achieving a free and democratic life. This plot against the PKK means supporting the genocidal colonialist powers’ hegemony over Kurds through pushing back our freedom movement.

In all the developments in Kurdistan in the last 40 years, the PKK has had a determining role. This 40 year long struggle has a role in the presence and political influence of Kurdish political powers who oppose the PKK as well. It is impossible to make an analysis without considering the PKK’s role in all national, political and social developments in all parts of Kurdistan. Anti-Kurdish sentiment manifesting most frequently as an animosity against Leader Apo and the PKK is an expression of this reality.

PKK CARRIED OUT THE GREATEST RESISTANCE AGAINST ISIS ATTACKS

The issue most prominent in Middle Eastern and world politics in recent years has been ISIS attacks. The PKK has prevented a genocide in Shengal against Yazidis, who have the most ancient faith and culture of humanity, presenting a lesson in ethics and saving international and especially regional political powers from a heavy burden. It was the HPG-YJA Star guerrillas who held the Hewler gate during the ISIS attack and stopped ISIS from entering Hewler. It was again the HPG-YJA Star guerrillas along with the Peshmarga who removed the ISIS attacks and threats in Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. The HPG-YJA Star guerrillas who fought valiantly alongside YPG/YPJ fighters had a great role in the victory for the Kobanê resistance, supported by all peoples of the world and forces of democracy. The PKK didn’t just fight against ISIS, but took very important steps in creating a new Middle East based on the fraternity of Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Armenians, Circassians, Persians and Turks with the understanding of democratic nation.

The whole world knows that the YPG/YPJ fighters, who say they fight with Leader Apo’s line in mind, have been received in the French palaces, and representatives of the Rojava Revolution have been received in the US foreign relations halls. Throughout these years, the ones whose relationship with ISIS was most questioned and talked about have been Tayyip Erdogan and his government. Now the US putting rewards on administrators of PKK, KCK and HPG, who have paid a heavy price in the fight against ISIS, means support for Tayyip Erdogan’s and the AKP’s anti-Kurdish and anti-democracy policies. Those fighting against ISIS are attempted to be disbanded and those with a relationship with ISIS are being rewarded.

OUR PEOPLE AND FORCES OF DEMOCRACY MUST RISE UP AT ONCE

The peoples of the world and forces of democracy know that Leader Apo is the leader of freedom on the women’s freedom line, PKK is the leader of the struggle for freedom, and HPG is the guerrilla force fighting the struggle for freedom for the Kurdish people who are one of the most ancient peoples in history. The US can’t overturn this reality with ideological and political motives and unwarranted excuses. The US administration can’t make the American people, who they get their legitimacy from, believe these ugly lies. This approach and decision by the US has been made on political and financial interests, and made them into accomplices for genocidal and colonialist powers. Our people and the forces of democracy expected an approach that would show self-criticism for the 1999 plot against Leader Apo from the US, but they have taken on such an approach today, which will be put on trial by the peoples today and history tomorrow.

In the face of this unwarranted and immoral decision, the Kurdish people, the peoples of the Middle East and forces of democracy throughout the world can’t be expected to stay silent. At this point in time when people demand Leader Apo’s freedom and discuss removing the PKK from the terrorist organizations list in Europe, our people and the forces of democracy must take on a stand, and a fight against this attack on our comrades Duran Kalkan, Cemil Bayik and Murat Karayilan. Our people and all forces o democracy must rise up at once against this attack that took place as part of the plot against Leader Apo. The stance against this attack must be combined with the fight for Leader Apo’s freedom and the fight against the plot, and this multi-faceted struggle must be continued everywhere the Kurds live together with all forces of democracy. It must be put forth with great force that there will be a fight against these attacks geared towards disbanding the Freedom Movement in the person of these comrades.”