PKK Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan said, “The anti-Kurdish, war mongering and genocidal mindset and politics will take down Turkey, like they took down the Ottoman Empire,” and warned KDP that leans on them. “The Republic of Turkey and Tayyip Erdoğan won’t allow for even a minimal Kurdish state. Unless this mindset and these policies are taken down, that won’t be allowed,” said Kalkan and underlined that all the Kurdish people are expecting answers from KDP for their just and legitimate questions.

PKK Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan attended the “From the Country” program on News Channel television and answered journalist Derviş Eren’s questions. The second part of the extensive interview in News Channel is below, edited for clarity:

What do the Shengal and Qereçox attacks mean? What do you think about the approach the political circles have taken towards these attacks?

The sacred values of Kurds and humanity have been attacked.

- Shengal is a sacred area, it is under UN protection and it is not only sacred for Kurds, but it also has great value for humanity in general.

- And Qereçox is the headquarters for YPG and YPJ. It is the epicenter of YPG and YPJ, who stood tall against the menace on humanity ISIS fascism, defeated them and led them to destruction, becoming the hope of free humanity, the leader and symbol of the resistance.

SDF led by YPG and YPJ are on their way to defeat Tabqa and to take the capital of ISIS, and their headquarters are being hit. This is an open act of protection for ISIS.

What is the connection with the developments inside the country?

An external attack was developed to crush the “No to Fascism” movement that emerged as an important outcome on April 16 and to improve the oppression and terror. This is a classic policy of fascism. It is a policy to misdirect and focus attention outside, expand chauvinism and nationalism inside, crush revolutionary democratic forces based on this, and to cover up the oppression and terror against revolutionaries.

Did the US, Europe, Russia, Iran, KDP and the Iraq administration know about these attacks?

They did. On the day Turkey launched the attack on Jarablus, the US Vice President and KDP leader Masoud Barzani were in Ankara. In a coalition, Turkey was made to attack Jarablus and was brought all the way to al-Bab. They approved this. KDP openly stated that they approve. And Binali Yıldırım stated that they informed all relevant parties.

These attacks are carried out within their knowledge. These circles have opened the way for Tayyip Erdoğan. This approach gave Tayyip Erdoğan the nerve. Erdoğan wasn’t paid attention to and him being in power was approved. That was also how it went with Hitler. He was underrated and in the end he became a menace for the whole world. Today, those who say “AKP will hit Kurds, democrats and revolutionaries while we profit from it” will be left in the cold when fascism hits them tomorrow, they will not find anybody to form an alliance with. Nobody should think they are pushing the PKK forward, doing their dirty work. In this sense, we have called on the relevant powers to take a stand.

The methods Tayyip Erdoğan follows are no different from those of Hitler. Thus, we are warning everybody one more time.

Maybe there needs to be a separate parenthesis for the KDP here...

The KDP first sent forces to Shengal and started clashes on March 3 by Ankara’s encouragement. Binali Yıldırım stated that they encouraged the KDP. Now, while the executioner tortures and kills, they are asking the victim “why do you exist,” instead of saying “stop!” to the murderer. Turkey is attacking the PKK, thus the Kurd, in Bakur, Başur and Rojava. If the PKK disappeared tomorrow, they would attack the KDP. Everybody knows what Turkey did when the flag was put up in Kirkuk. The flag was retracted and it is apparent how much the Southern Kurdistan administration was able to resist against Tayyip Erdoğan’s threats.

KDP is not on a right path. I want to warn the KDP administration and the people of Southern Kurdistan. They say they know Iraq well. We know Turkey and Tayyip Erdoğan well. In this sense, it must be known that Tayyip Erdoğan is not only anti-PKK but anti-Kurdish. The Kurds in Northern Kurdistan didn’t demand even half of what the Kurds of Southern Kurdistan have. But the genocidal regime doesn’t even accept that and pushes for massacres. Those who push massacres on the North, Rojava and Shengal will do the same in Hewler and Sulaymaniyah tomorrow. Which they already are, like they did in Kirkuk. There are questions all Kurds expect answers for from the KDP.

- Will they fight for democracy and the existence of Kurds and for freedom against the genocidal mindset and politics of Turkey that foresees denial and annihilation for the Kurd, or will they surrender?

- Turkey calls PKK who resist their genocidal attacks a terrorist organization. What does the KDP call it, how do they see it?

- In this situation, where do they stand with the PKK’s struggle, fighting for the existence and freedom of Kurds against a mind that wants to annihilate the Kurd and the fascist attacks?

- Where do they consider Kurdistan?

- Who do they consider “Kurds”?

- Are there Kurds in Bakur? What will happen to the rights of Kurds in Bakur?

- Are there Kurds in Rojava? What will happen to the rights of Kurds in Rojava?

- Or are there only Kurds in Hewlêr and Dûhok?

Will Turkey ruled by Erdoğan consider even a minimal Kurdish state in a positive light? Can a Kurdishness only centered in Hewlêr exist?

Like the Armenian Genocide was carried out with Yerevan, now they are proposing massacring the whole of Kurdistan with Hewlêr as the most advanced solution. But I don’t believe that either. If the Kurds continue their great resistance, this may be a final solution. But without Kurds in the other areas, Kurdishness can’t exist in Hewlêr.

Turkey and Tayyip Erdoğan won’t allow for even a minimal Kurdish state. Unless this mindset and these policies are taken down, that won’t be allowed. When we say this, they say “PKK is trying to pull us into their own conflict.” But we are stating the truth and the reality.

Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli can’t take Turkey anywhere but to the country’s end with their current politics. The anti-Kurdish, war mongering and genocidal mind and politics will take Turkey down, just like they took the Ottoman Empire down. And a KDP that adjusts itself according to the failing Turkish state can’t exist. A KDP fixed to the AKP-MHP alliance won’t have a future.

The PKK Executive Committee issued a written statement after the Shengal and Qereçox attacks and stressed that resistance everywhere has become a legitimate right. Can you expand on this?

PKK is a movement that emerged to fight against fascism, genocide and all types of regressive ideologies, and for the freedom of the Kurdish people, democracy in the Midlde East and the development of a free humanity. It is committed to these values and principles. It will fight against whoever harms them. Wherever there are such attacks, it will be there to fight against them. Te how and the exact methods will be determined by the circumstances. PKK will decide. PKK didn’t act in a way that lets others decide on these issues up to now, and it will not do that in the future. I stress once again, wherever there is fascism, the PKK will be there, it will resist. Nobody can face us with a different stance.

The alliances developed by the Rojava forces and the reflections of these on the field is also seen. What do you think of the relationship between global actors and the local forces of democracy?

We as the PKK are employing our own line. We can’t decide how others will act. But we assess however they do.

ISIS fascism as a menace in the Middle East was developed right in the middle of Syria and Iraq like a sword. Then it was pushed to attack the Kurds. Kurds had a great resistance against this. This resistance found support from Kurdish people in all parts of Kurdistan and throughout the world. In time it included other peoples and political powers. A coalition formed against ISIS fascism. Now there is a struggle based on this coalition. This coalition has trapped ISIS in Mosul and Raqqa.

Especially the local forces of democracy must be careful with the struggle they wage and the relationships they build. This power-seeking, statist system is a system of interest. They build their politics over their interests. Gains are what shapes their direction. The concepts of democracy and freedom exist only when they serve their interests. This doesn’t mean there won’t be any relationship or political flexibility. Everybody builds relationships with everybody in the world. The bipolar world doesn’t exist anymore. Both the powers that employ the most global hegemonic policies and the most local powers need these kinds of relationships. That is how today’s world works. In this sense, everybody can form relationships according to their own interests, with powers that they consider close to themselves against common enemies. In this framework, the US and the SDF and the Rojava freedom forces can have various relationships. But it must be known what these relationships will bring, and what they will take away.

War and politics in the Middle East are very dynamic. Sometimes policies change within 24 hours. So, in such a volatile and dynamic political landscape, revolutionary-democratic forces should be aware, cautious and prepared. They can’t stand without relationships and politics. They have to see political change and not be conservatives. They also should employ political flexibility, but they must know of the conflicts of interest. A force of freedom must protect its own freedom, that is the only way they can develop their free existence and become permanent.

Let me give the France example. The socialist administration in France hosted YPJ in the Palace on one hand, and on the other Europe’s institutions that claim freedom of press is their red line approved the shutting down of television networks for broadcasting YPJ’s actions. Some television networks were shut down before, and now others are under threat.

As you will recall, there is an attempt to shut down News Channel, Stêrk TV and Ronahî TV. What does it mean to silence the Kurds in the media area in such a time?

Turkey comes in last in Europe in terms of press freedom. The RTÜK (Supreme Council of Radio and Television) has trampled press freedom and now demands some Kurdish channels in Europe be shut down. The same Europe that claims press freedom and freedom of expression is their red line accepts this and shuts them down. As I said, they did it in the past. And now it seems like they will again. Then, Eutelsat and Europe must answer these questions:

- What are Europe’s red lines?

- What is the line of press freedom in Europe?

- What does the RTÜK cite as an excuse?

- The “praising terror” they cite is Ronahî TV broadcasting YPG’s resistance against ISIS, it is the same for the other channels. Does Eutelsat stand with ISIS or with the fight against ISIS?

- Are they with fascism or democracy?

- How will the institution that considers shutting these channels down explain its actions?

- Do those who want to shut these channels down not want it to be heard that Turkey attacked Shengal and Qereçox to save ISIS?

- Where is the freedom and democracy?

- For over two years, the AKP-MHP fascism has committed countless massacres and acts of terror in Kurdistan. The dungeons are overflowing. There is all kinds of oppression. The prisoners were on hunger strike for 60 days. The bodies were left on the streets for months. Neighborhoods were torn down. Every day, 15 to 20 young Kurdish people are murdered in the mountains and in the cities. Who is the terrorist here, what terror are we talking about?

- Turkey has the right to murder Kurds as they please, but the Kurds don’t have the right to defend themselves?

All these questions should be clarified by Europe and their institutions. It’s not possible for Europe to continue with their stance to go along with both sides and profit over the Kurdish genocide. Kurds and the rest of the world can see this clearly. That is compliance with fascism.

If Europe’s rule of law and freedom comes down to this, we want it away from us! Protecting fascism to this extent is unbelievable. The Tayyip Erdoğan-Devlet Bahçeli dictatorship was emboldened by this stance and attacked Shengal and Qereçox. Those who shut down the television networks will be in cahoots with these attacks.

There should be more protests against this issue, this situation should be exposed. The forces of democracy in Europe should speak out louder. They claim to be democratic, pro-freedom and even against AKP-MHP fascism and for Kurdish rights. We don’t see it. Then this question is also right and legitimate: Are they in collusion with Tayyip Erdoğan?

What should Kurds and their allies do?

The Kurdish people should bring their allies and their democratic forces together to protect their own voice. All democratic forces should support the voice resisting ISIS. These networks are the voice of resistance, freedom and democracy. They are the voice of standing against fascism and for the brotherhood of peoples. All who call themselves democrats should protect this voice, and resist those who want to silence it.