The PKK Central Committee published the following statement on its website on the occasion of its 43rd anniversary:

 “We are celebrating the 43rd anniversary of our party, the PKK, which was officially established during its founding congress in the village of Fis in Lice on 26-27 November 1978. As the movement and the people, we are entering the 44th year of the freedom struggle under the leadership of the PKK. We wish the 43rd anniversary of the PKK's establishment, our Party and Resurrection Day, to be a happy one to all our comrades, especially Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], to our patriotic people and our revolutionary-democratic friends. In the person of our first great martyr, Comrade Haki Karer, we commemorate all our heroic martyrs with respect, love and gratitude. We wish success to all those who are fighting for freedom and democracy in the 44th year of the PKK."

The statement added: "We call on all our patriotic people and our revolutionary-democratic friends, especially women and youth, to celebrate our 43rd official foundation anniversary with greater enthusiasm than ever before.

At this point, we should ask the question: What would be the situation of Kurdistan and the Kurdish people if it were not for the fact of Leader Apo and the PKK struggle that have left their mark on the last fifty years? Undoubtedly, the only correct answer to be given to the question in question is this: There would be nothing left in the name of Kurdistan and Kurdishness in this world today, and the colonial-genocidal mentality and politics would have completely succeeded. With nearly fifty years of struggle, Leader Apo and the PKK prevented a genocide, guaranteed the existence and freedom of the Kurdish people, and saved humanity from a new genocide. Everyone accepts this fact today, except those who are sworn enemies of the Kurds and PKK.”

The statement continued: “Leader Apo and the PKK recreated the Kurdish people and society on the basis of freedom with their 43-year historical freedom struggle. It promoted the democratic nation development by realizing the National Revival Revolution. By inflicting serious blows on fascist-genocidal rule, it opened the way for a free life and democratic administration for the Kurdish people. While it had a decisive impact on the political status of Bashur Kurdistan, it created a new hope for all the oppressed with the Rojava Freedom Revolution. It saved the dignity of humanity by preventing the Yazidi Kurdish genocide in Shengal and defeating ISIS.”

The PKK opened the way to women’s freedom

The statement added: “Undoubtedly, Leader Apo and the PKK created the greatest and most meaningful development in history in the field of women's freedom. By making the Women's Freedom Revolution the basis of social freedom and democracy along with the ecological revolution, it showed the consciousness, path, organization and action of the solution to all social problems created by the power and state system.

Today, the Women's Freedom Revolution, which developed under the leadership of PAJK and with the heroism of YJA-Star, is, on the one hand, a guarantee of the existence and freedom of the Kurdish people, while on the other, it improves women's and social freedom on this basis by breaking the male-dominated mentality and politics of millennia. Thus, the 21st century has become the century of women and a free, equal and democratic life based on differences. The impact of these developments will be much more visible in the coming years.”

The PKK continued: “Of course, the creation of these historical developments has not been easy. Leader Apo made huge efforts. Every moment of 43 years has passed through a heroic struggle on the basis of great courage and sacrifice. Each year has witnessed a much more comprehensive and difficult struggle than the previous one. Every day of the past 43 years, epics of heroism have been written and dozens of heroic martyrs have been given. It is clear that these historical developments have been carried out with the loss of more than forty thousand martyrs. Overcoming difficulties and overcoming obstacles has been the basic style of Apoist militancy. The most valiant daughters and sons of the Kurdish people struggled along the line of the sacrifice and revealed these developments. The constructive effect of this heroic epic will be much greater in the coming period.”

We welcome the 43rd year of challenge

The PKK added: “Like every year, the PKK's 43rd year struggle has been glorious. The AKP-MHP fascism, supported by the US and KDP, carried out a planned all-out attack in order to destroy and liquidate the PKK. And in pursuing this, it used all kinds of methods and means, from psychological warfare to military occupation. Our Movement and our people developed an all-out resistance aimed at the freedom of Leader Apo on the basis of the Dem Dema Azadiye Campaign to counter these attacks. The sacrifice resistance developed by our heroic guerrilla forces in all Medya Defense Areas, especially in Gare, Metina, Zap and Avaşin, and in Bakur Kurdistan played a leading role in breaking the enemy attacks. Our people, drawing strength and morale by the guerrilla resistance, have ensured the success of our campaign by developing continuous actions in the four parts of Kurdistan and abroad. These actions have been led especially by women and young people. The prisoners had already been in constant resistance and made one of the biggest contributions to the campaign. We salute the 43rd anniversary struggle of our heroic guerrillas, our people, and the prisoners, and celebrate their success.”

AKP-MHP fascism will be destroyed in the 44th year of the PKK

The statement added: “Now, as the PKK enters its 44th year, the results are clear. The plan to destroy and liquidate the PKK of the AKP-MHP fascism supported by the US and KDP has been foiled, and the AKP-MHP fascism was clearly defeated. Our heroic guerrilla, who entered the year of struggle with the historical victory in Gare, has also been successful in Metina, Zap and Avaşin, in a military operation that has been going on since 23 April. Unable to break the guerrilla resistance, the fascist AKP-MHP had to withdraw from many areas they occupied. This process will continue, and the AKP-MHP fascism, which was defeated in the 43rd PKK year, will be destroyed in the 44th PKK year.”

The statement added: “It is very clear that AKP-MHP fascism will be ended by force or by election. Now, the main agenda is to develop a struggle that will overthrow the AKP-MHP fascism, but at the same time figure out how the new administration of Turkey will be shaped. As a matter of fact, it is seen that both the US and foreign powers, as well as the CHP and internal system forces, are working for this. Almost in a hurry, they are in search of how to keep the anti-Kurdish and fascist Turkish Republic alive. Let us make it clear here that no party will get anywhere by repeating or imitating the AKP. No one can save the fascist-genocidal regime that collapsed. Those who managed to defeat the AKP-MHP fascism by fighting will also know how to spoil these new attempts.”

Finally, the statement said: “Let us clearly state the following to all parties in Turkey, including the CHP, and to foreign powers related to Turkey: What do you say to overthrow the fascist-genocidal mentality and politics in Turkey, and to democratize Turkey and solve the Kurdish problem on the basis of freedom? Fascism must be destroyed, Kurdistan must be liberated and Turkey must be democratized. Attempts to divert the agenda by fraudulent methods are futile. Everyone should clearly show their stance on this basis. Democratic political forces must succeed in creating a democratic alternative to the AKP-MHP fascism that has been destroyed in this historical process. We say to forces like the KDP, save yourself from being the pillar of the fascist-genocidal mentality and politics. Foreign powers such as the US and the EU should now know how to respect the free will of the Kurdish people and stop playing games to keep the fascist-genocidal mentality and politics alive in Turkey.”