Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan participated in a special program of News Channel TV evaluating the historic August 15 initiative.

Kalkan stated that since the August 15 until today everything has been re-created in Kurdistan, and that the August 15 initiative brought into being a new beautiful and meaningful reality in Kurdistan, becoming the rebirth and resurrection of the Kurds. Kalkan said fascism and reactionism has been smashed and stricken down with this initiative.

"AUGUST 15 DEFEATED FASCISM"

Kalkan recalled that the August 15 initiative was carried out against the fascist military coup of 12 September 1980, and inflicted defeat on the coup, saying: "Also now persons like Tayyip Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli are trying to revive fascism anew. But if they look back, they will see clearly how the fascist junta of their predecessor, Kenan Evren ended up in the face of the guerrilla. In this sense, the August 15 initiative became the downfall of fascism, brought an anti-fascist stance and democracy to Turkey, and showed how necessary and meaningful democracy is. Therefore, the meaning of this initiative is as vivid and up to date as it was 33 years ago."

Duran Kalkan pointed out that in the 34th year of this initiative, they will continue the struggle with the spirit of victory and the August 15 initiative, at every front even more organised, stronger and more effective, saying: "Against the ISIS and AKP-MHP fascism, against all kinds of reactionism, collaboration and betrayal we will keep on with our struggle to achieve the freedom of Kurdistan, the democracy of the Middle East and create free human beings. Everyone shall be well aware of this and prepare themselves accordingly. Through the August 15 initiative, there is now a reborn Kurdistan, a new world is developing.

Kurdistan was subject to genocidal practices and consequent repression, terror and massacres with the first world war, which also impacted the entire humanity in the same way. The August 15 guerrilla initiative, that saved Kurdistan from this situation, has illuminated Kurdistan, the entire region, the world and humanity. For this reason it has regionalised and represents a value for everyone now.

Therefore, we believe that in the 34th year of this initiative, our struggle will bring enlightenment, freedom and democracy for all. I call upon everyone to strive for freedom and democracy, and I congratulate this day of all with wishes for success."

“THE GUERRILLA WAR IS BRINGING VICTORY”

Kalkan pointed out that following the military coup of 12th September 1980, fascism got hold of Kurdistan once again, invading the entire territory and filling the dungeons, and said: "They perpetrated massacres on all levels.

In the face of this situation, opportunities to resort to verbal propaganda came totally to an end, and the weapons spoke. The guerrilla became the only means of struggle and emancipation for all the oppressed, women, youth and the peoples amid circumstances that left no other option. Everywhere, in Africa, in Asia, the people fought this way. Even the weakest peoples have managed to bring down the most powerful colonists in that way. The black peoples of Africa fought great battles in guerrilla style and defeated big states. The basic character of that war has always been the guerrilla. Leader Apo called the guerrilla "the way a free human expresses himself". Guerrilla is a life style not only in war, but also to think and exist freely. Therefore, guerrillas were needed in Kurdistan more than anywhere else.

HOW DID THE GUERRILLA GET PREPARED?

PKK Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan stated that the PKK endeavored to give an ideological-political struggle in the seventies, and continued: "Still, the PKK also considered the necessity of getting prepared for a military conflict due to the character of the enemy. Mentally it prepared itself for military conditions. During the 70’s, the PKK always engaged in an examination and research. During the process of the formation of the party, it had to defend itself against fascist and regressive attacks by the police among others. In the face of attacks like the massacre perpetrated in Antep, it was left with no option other than taking up arms in legitimate self-defence.

When in September 12 the fascist military coup took place, opportunities to express oneself and put up a struggle were no more existent. For that reason preparations to form the guerrilla were initialized. The first step was a partial withdrawal to foreign countries. In the Lebanon and in Palestine guerrillas were provided with military and ideological training. If it had been possible, the PKK would have done that in the homeland. The resistance of Siverek served that purpose. But for several reasons it did not succeed, and consequently the move to leave the country was taken. The PKK established a relationship with the Arabic community in the person of the Palestinians, and guerrillas were prepared mainly in the Lebanon and Palestine. Those guerrillas who carried out the August 15 Initiative had received their military training in Palestine. The struggle of the Palestinians and the struggle of the Kurds intertwined there. Therefore the August 15 guerrilla initiative in Kurdistan was born a part of the Arab resistance. Today's foundation of the Kurdish-Arab unity that has set foot in Syria, had been laid at that time.”

“THE REVOLUTION IN PRISONS DETERMINED THE AUGUST 15 ACTION”

Kalkan stated that following the 12 September military coup, it was not the PKK alone that called the fascist putsch by its name, saying: "In order to fight the 12 September coup, many organisations went abroad after the putsch. They went to Southern Kurdistan, to Palestine and underwent military training. However none of them really turned back. They left the country to receive military training, but when it came to returning and fighting in a war, they all scattered to the four winds and never returned. The only force that came back was the PKK. There were two factors that gave rise to the PKK's return. Firstly, the truth and wisdom of Leader Apo. Secondly, the prison resistance of 1982. Everyone was thrown into prison, but the only one who actually resisted in the cells was the PKK. The prison resistance preceded the guerrilla resistance. July 14 is a decision of national honour, the decision to resist. The resolution to put up a struggle was set by the imprisoned revolutionaries, the resisting captives. And the guerrilla put it into action."

"FREE KURDISTAN WILL BE ACHIEVED WITH THE GUERRILLA"

Duran Kalkan recalled that Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan named the guerrillas 'the self-expression of the free human', saying: "He evaluated the guerrilla as the very way of life, labour, struggle and existence. It is cause to happiness that there are guerrillas on the mountains for 33 years without interruption. And they will always be. The freedom of humans in Kurdistan will be certainly achieved with the guerrillas and in their way. This has been the basis for 33 years now, and this will be the case also from now on. In terms of Kurdistan the guerrillas are expressing exactly that. Leader Apo also described this reality. On this ground, he put great importance to the development of the guerrilla, pioneering the party. He adhered to the guerrilla more than anything else. He always endeavored to develop the guerrilla."

"THE REALITY OF A PEOPLE THAT BECOME GUERRILLA"

PKK Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan stated that without defence existence cannot be preserved, and continued: "In this respect the guerrilla is for everyone the only form of a free existence and life as an individual as well as within the society. States themselves are in possession of defence forces, but are using those to exert pressure, exploitation and terrorism. The practices of the Turkish state in Kurdistan can be seen clearly. Is there any freedom, democracy? The society cannot live with their own attributes. But the idea of guerrilla is to make the society protect itself. It is another definition of the reality of a people of warriors, the reality of a people that have become guerrillas. We must attain in every aspect this truth of a people that has become guerrillas."

Kalkan said that a Democratic Nation is not possible without self-defence and added: "All individuals of the society must adopt the culture of self-defence. Let's call it the militant peoples' reality, the reality of a people of guerrillas. It is the reality of a people that conducts its own self-defence, that takes care of its own security. If you leave your security to someone else, you are at the same time handing over your freedom to them. Because a weapon is powerful, the hand that holds the weapon is powerful. If the gun is given to someone, those will put pressure on the unarmed ones and dominate them. And therefore it is unacceptable to hand out the security and self-defence. The conditions and circumstances of attaining freedom entail to take care for one's own security. The guerrilla expresses self-defence and security for the Kurdish society and Kurdistan, and this is the sole condition life brings with it."