Revolutionaries who lost their lives during the July 14 Hunger Strike Resistance were commemorated in the ceremony held in Medya Defense Zones. People’s Protection Central Headquarters Commander Murat Karayılan described July 14 as the spirit of victory and said that the Kurdistan Freedom Movement had recently entered a new period of freedom and victory. Karayılan noted that peoples were resisting ISIS attacks in Rojava and South Kurdistan with the spirit of July 14.

People’s Defense Central Headquarters commanders Murat Karayılan and Delal Amed, HPG Apollon Academies Command members Koçer Diderî and Azê Malazgirt, and many other guerillas participated in the July 14 commemoration ceremony held in Medya Defense Zones. Karayılan spoke during the ceremony and said that Amed Prison became the fort of resistance after the great hunger strike of Mehmet Hayri Durmuş, Kemal Pir, Akif Yılmaz and Ali Çiçek on July 14, 1982. Karayılan said that July 14 martyrs defeated the state’s attempts to put Kurds through genocide and dissolve the Kurdistan Freedom Movement with their great resistance. Karayılan emphasized that July 14 was the spirit of victory that showed how the conditions for victory could be prepared even under the direst circumstances. Karayılan stated that July 14 was the basis of Kurdistan Freedom Movement and the August 15 Initiative led by Commander Egîd.

Karayılan noted that Kurdistan Freedom Movement had recently entered a new period of freedom and victory, and peoples were resisting ISIS attacks in Rojava and South Kurdistan with the spirit of July 14.

‘THE TURKISH STATE IS PREPARING FOR WAR IN NORTH KURDISTAN’

Karayılan said that the isolation of Leader Apo made the political process in North Kurdistan critical and fragile, and described Öcalan’s isolation as a method of genocide and war. Karayılan noted that the Turkish state was also carrying out political genocide operations and oppressing Kurdish people through its police and gendarme forces. Karayılan recalled how soldiers beat up a representative of Kurdish people in Roboskî and increased their operations against guerilla forces recently. Karayılan said that the Turkish state was both trying to intervene in Rojava Kurdistan and prepare for war in North Kurdistan. Karayılan described the construction of guard posts, dams and roads as the military preparations of the Turkish army.

‘OUR REVOLUTIONARY FORCES WILL RESPOND TO THE COLONISTS’ ATTACKS’

Karayılan stated that peoples would respond to these policies and have already took the liberation of Leader Apo to the streets under the leadership of Kurdish youth and women. Karayılan said that they had the right to defend themselves against all attacks and would not allow AKP and the Turkish state to use the existing ceasefire in order to buy time for their military preparations. Karayılan stated that Kurdistan Freedom guerillas were protecting the ceasefire due to the call of Leader Apo, but Turkish state’s current isolation of Leader Apo was making the ceasefire meaningless. Karayılan said that they would not be silent in the face of Leader Apo’s isolation and the current preparations for war. Karayılan emphasized that the ceasefire is not yet over but the Turkish state was making the ceasefire meaningless with its attacks.

‘KURDISTAN YOUTH SHOULD PLAY ITS ROLE AND JOIN THE DEFENSE FORCES’

Karayılan highlighted that they were in a historical period of self-defense and victory, and reminded that the most challenging duties belonged to Kurdish youth. Karayılan invited the youth in Kurdistan to play its role and join the defense forces in order to strengthen the resistance and the uprising. Karayılan said that such a process would transform the spirit of July 14 into a great victory.

‘OUR MARTYRS WILL BE IMMORTALIZED IN OUR STRUGGLE’

People’s Defense Central Headquarters Commander Karayılan ended his speech by saying that people continue to fall as martyrs today with the spirit of July 14, and promised all revolutionary martyrs that the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle would keep their memories alive. Karayılan stated that they needed more of the self-sacrificing pro-Apo spirit of July 14 today, and emphasized the PKK’s priority to immortalize its martyrs.