Leading PKK cadres M. Hayri Durmuş, Kemal Pir, Ali Çiçek and Akif Yılmaz had carried out the historic July 14 hunger strike and defeated the fascist military interveners’ plans to intimidate Kurdish people and the Kurdish Freedom Movement.

KCK Education Committee member Yılmaz Dağlum who had participated in the July 14 resistance said that Kenan Evren had to confess the ideological victory of people like Hayri, Kemal and Mazlum as he said that ‘there were people who would not give up on their cause even if you beheaded them.’

KCK Education Committee member Yılmaz Dağlum spoke to ANF on the historic resistance in which he was also a participant.

‘THEY TRIED TO BURY KURDS’ HOPES FOR RESURRECTION IN PRISON NUMBER 5’

Dağlum said that the September 12 military interveners were panicked at Kurdish people’s fight for their identity and values through the PKK. Dağlum stated that Turkish state officials tried to bury Kurds’ hopes for resurrection in Prison Number 5 through policies targeting PKK cadres and sympathizers. Dağlum recalled the caricature that was published in Cumhuriyet newspaper, which said ‘the imaginary Kurdistan is buried here’ in reference to the Turkish state’s quelling of 1930 Ağrı uprising, and said that the emergence of the pro-Apo movement crushed the grave mentioned in the aforementioned caricature. Dağlum reminded that fascist general Kenan Evren had written in his memoirs that Turkish generals decided to intervene in politics after flying over the Hilvan-Siverek route with their helicopters. Dağlum stated that this quote successfully illustrated the fears of the state against Kurdish hopes for resurrection.

‘IT PREVENTED THE SILENT DEFEAT OF THE 29th KURDISH UPRISING’

Dağlum described the July 14 resistance as an end to the development of traitorous personalities and said that the resistance brought the ideological victory of the Kurdish Freedom Movement. Dağlum recalled that Kemal Pir and Hayri Durmuş had requested to be put on trial alongside all PKK members because they wanted to defend Kurdish people’s cause for existence and the PKK. According to Dağlum, the July 14 resistance prevented the silent defeat of the PKK, which is often described as the 29th Kurdish uprising.

‘KURDS KNOW HOW TO RESIST WELL, BUT THEY SHOULD LEARN HOW TO TURN RESISTANCE INTO VICTORY’

Yılmaz Dağlum said that July 14 was not only a spirit of resistance but also a spirit of a great victory. Dağlum noted that Kurds know how to resist well, but they should learn how to turn resistance into victory. Dağlum said that the heroes of July 14 created the consciousness of victory and their resistance was a victory of bare will and courage. Dağlum stated that July 14 meant the defeat of colonizers who view themselves not only as the owners of Kurdistan and Turkey but also the universe and the will of all people.

‘LEADER APO CREATED THE ABSOLUTE CONDITIONS OF SOCIAL VICTORY’

KCK Education Committee member stated that Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan crowned the resistance spirit of July 14 with the paradigm he create, and criticized the isolation of Öcalan. Dağlum said that Leader Apo created a new system and an alternative paradigm in response to the isolation and psychological oppression he has been enduring for 17 years, and this alternative paradigm created the absolute conditions of not only political but also social victory. Dağlum recalled that Leader Apo developed the paradigms of democratic modernity and democratic nation in response to capitalist modernity and nation state fascism, respectively. Dağlum called on everyone finalize the social and political victories Leader Apo set up and initiated.

‘OUR ACTIONS MUST MATCH THE RESISTANCE OF LEADER APO’

Yılmaz Dağlum invited everyone to abandon ineffective methods and actions with regards to ending the isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, and said that the actions of the struggle must now match the resistance of Leader Apo. Dağlum statedthat press conferences and hunger strikes are limited acts of resistance and called upon everyone to develop more complex types of actions. Dağlum said that these new actions must prioritize the liberation of Leader Apo and Kurdish people could not go to sleep in peace without the realization of Öcalan’s freedom. Dağlum described Gezi and 6-7 October resistances as small sparks of the peoples’ great anger, and warned that an uprising for the love and freedom of Leader Apo would turn every day into 6-7 October.