The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Central Committee has concluded its annual meeting. With the participation of 27 members, the practice of 2021 was analysed and perspectives for 2022 were developed. In its statement, the PKK Central Committee called on "all members and sympathisers, the patriotic population and all democratic-revolutionary circles" to participate even more strongly in the 'Time for Freedom' campaign for the freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Regarding the past year of struggle, the statement said, "As is well known, the freedom struggle led by our party has reached a new peak in 2021 in every respect. The occupation attacks on Gare in mid-February and on Metîna, Zap and Avaşîn from 23 April onwards were broken by the courageous resistance of the fighters of the HPG (People's Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free women's Troops). All over the world, our people and our friends participated in this historic process of resistance. Thus, the annihilation plan of AKP/MHP fascism supported by the USA and the KDP was neutralised and smashed. As a result, AKP/MHP fascism, which could not occupy the Medya Defense Zones as planned and could not break the freedom struggle of our people and our friends in all four parts of Kurdistan from the dungeons to the exile, entered into a process of disintegration and collapse.

Our Assembly welcomes the resistance of 2021, which has produced historic results. It also criticised the mistakes and shortcomings in the resistance and drew rich lessons from them. In this context, it was considered necessary to condemn any individualist, narrow and conservative perspectives and forms of action that contradict the strategy, and to bring into being a form based on an intensive and broad guerrilla struggle on the line of democratic modernity within the strategy of revolutionary people's war, fighting creatively in the mountains, the plains and the cities, aiming at comprehensive attacks against fascism on the economic, political and military levels and attacking the enemy everywhere. In this context, all fighting forces, especially the guerrillas, are called upon to renew themselves in every way and to fight effectively."

"The greatest struggle is being fought on Imrali"

The situation of Abdullah Öcalan in Imrali was an important item on the agenda of the meeting. It was stressed that it was necessary to spread the situation of Öcalan and his philosophy further in the Middle East and worldwide. It is a main task that Öcalan's theories reach all oppressed people, especially women and youth, worldwide. The PKK Central Committee pointed to the escalating isolation in Imrali and Öcalan's resistance against it, and said that the greatest battle in the freedom struggle was being fought in Imrali. In this context, the Central Committee condemned positions that are based on the belief that the Imrali negotiations will simply be repeated as in the past. It called for "understanding the current phase correctly and fighting accordingly". The meeting also assessed the danger posed by the total isolation of Öcalan, remarking that the isolation is spreading to the whole of Kurdistan and Turkey, which is why a comprehensive resistance is necessary.

The special importance of art and culture

The Central Committee analysed the Third World War and the Kurdish freedom struggle as "80 per cent ideological". Therefore, the ideological and cultural struggle is of the utmost importance, the committee said and continued: "In this context, special attention has been paid to the assimilation and genocide efforts of AKP/MHP fascism. Our propaganda, literature and art will put a stop to this. The whole society will be formed on the line of democratic modernity. Raising the quantitative and qualitative level is of the utmost importance. The ideological struggle against individualism, which has reached a pathological level in capitalist modernity, must be expanded at all levels. In contrast, a sociality based on the free individual and the democratic commune must be developed. This is of historical importance. On this basis, all patriotic Kurdish intellectuals, writers, artists and authors are called upon to organise themselves more strongly and to further develop the cultural dimension of our freedom revolution."

"There is no winning with a defensive attitude today"

At the meeting of the Central Committee, the current political and military situation as well as possible developments were discussed and the resulting tasks were identified. The statement said: "In the meeting, the signs of the decline of the USA were pointed out and it was emphasised that the perspectives that Abdullah Öcalan had developed thirty years ago were confirmed. It was stressed that the Third World War would continue and the Middle East would continue to play a central role in this war. It was stated that a defence-oriented, preservationist attitude and form of action cannot win under the current conditions. Instead, an active and offensive stance is necessary. Referring to the historical collapse of capitalism and its system of power and state, the historical importance of developing the struggle for global democracy based on women's freedom and social ecology was emphasised."

"Isolate the line of betrayal"

Regarding the political and military positioning of the PKK in the struggle of the big and regional powers, the Central Committee stated: "At the meeting, the relationship and contradictions between the classical genocidal line of AKP/MHP fascism and the line of the USA and KDP to create nation states were described as multi-faceted. Although there are partial contradictions between these forces, they are united when it comes to allying against the PKK's freedom line. In this context, it has been highlighted that the level that the KDP’s alliance with AKP/MHP fascism has reached in recent years is the biggest threat to Kurdish existence and freedom, and by supporting the KDP, the AKP/MHP's fascist rule is maintained. Therefore, it is of historical importance to make efforts on many levels to bring this down. It was stated that the revolutionary war against AKP/MHP fascism is developing at all levels. At the same time, it is of historical importance to expose and isolate the line of betrayal and collaboration."

"The struggle against AKP/MHP fascism must be globalised"

The PKK Central Committee stated that the struggle to crush AKP/MHP fascism is the "biggest democratic and revolutionary struggle of the Middle East and worldwide". This struggle must be waged together in unity in Kurdistan, Turkey and worldwide, said the statement and continued, “At the meeting, a call was made to act together against the enemy of the Kurds, AKP/MHP fascism. This call is for all patriotic and revolutionary forces of Kurdistan, parties, organisations, circles and social structures and especially the women's and youth movements. In order to prevent something similar from arising again after the collapse of AKP/MHP fascism, all left, socialist, revolutionary, democratic forces, the women's and youth movements, parties, organisations, trade unions and associations are called upon to lead a common anti-fascist democratic struggle for the revolution and to organise the democracy movement on the basis of the third way."

Call to the political forces in the region

The assembly statement stressed the importance of tactical relations with all forces, saying, “The deepening of the revolution of democratic modernity of Rojava is of historical importance and the basis of a solution to the problems in Syria and Iraq. In this sense, the Central Committee calls on all political forces in these areas, especially the Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian governments, to work together for a solution to the Kurdish question on the basis of democratisation.”

The Central Committee underlined the historical significance of the victory of the peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria over ISIS and congratulated them for their consistent struggle and the success of their struggle until today, despite the breaking of words of some forces.

"Renewal of organisation and leadership successfully completed"

The Central Committee saluted the worldwide solidarity with Abdullah Öcalan and the PKK and underlined that the struggle for the freedom of the Kurds and global democracy has to develop much further: "On this basis, very important decisions regarding the planning of the work and the struggle were developed at our meeting and the renewal of our form of organisation and leadership was successfully completed accordingly."

"A year of the greatest struggle and victory"

The Central Committee concluded: "It is very clear that with the meeting of the Central Committee of the PKK, our freedom movement and our people are even more organised and prepared for the new year of struggle. The struggle for the crushing of AKP/MHP fascism, for breaking the isolation on Imrali, for the liberation of Kurdistan and the democratisation of Turkey will be even more organised and effective on the way to victory. For this, enemies will be isolated and friends will be united even more. At the beginning of the 24th year of the international conspiracy, the struggle will take place in this sense on 15 February and will reach a new peak in the struggle for freedom on 8 March and Newroz. In the 50th year of the party, we will make every day a Newroz day and we will make this year the year of the greatest struggle and the biggest victories.

Viyan Soran from South Kurdistan, a member of the PKK Reconstruction Committee, fell 16 years ago. We commemorate her on the occasion of this meeting with respect, love and gratitude. We declare that on the basis of the results of our meeting, we will lead a historic struggle for freedom. On this basis, we call on all party comrades, all patriots of Kurdistan and their friends to interpret the results of the Central Committee meeting correctly, to implement them effectively and to struggle creatively in order to destroy the plot of 15 February and to make the 50th year of Abdullah Öcalan and the party a historic year of victory."