The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement regarding the Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan's efforts to move from the ground of conflict to the political and legal ground, to end the war, to find a democratic solution to the Kurdish question, and to democratize Turkey. The statement also elaborates on the AKP government's attempts to sabotage the new process.

The KCK statement on Friday includes the following:

“Rêber Apo (Leader Abdullah Öcalan) is currently making great sacrificial efforts to put an end to the era of war and to achieve a solution to the Kurdish question by democratic means. He has underlined that if the conditions are created, he has the power to move the process from the era of war to the era of political and legal exchange. And we as a movement have stated that we will take the will of Rêber Apo and the process he will develop as a basis for every step we take.

It is a very positive development that the DEM Party delegation went to Imrali and held a meeting with Rêber Apo, also the fact that the delegation afterwards discussed Rêber Apo’s thoughts and proposals for a solution to the Kurdish question and for the end of the era of war and for the process to move to a political and legal ground by meeting with the political parties represented in the parliament. We consider it an important development and a new beginning for Turkish politics to discuss Rêber Apo’s views and proposals. Rêber Apo is striving to restore the historically grown Kurdish-Turkish relationship in order to set an end to this conflictual era, which it has been in now, particularly over the past century, and instead to rebuild it on a basis of mutual recognition and mutual strengthening. He assesses the current period as both an opportunity and a last chance for this historical goal. That is why Rêber Apo is acting with such great devotion, responsibility, and determination in the harsh Imrali conditions and calls on everyone to act with historical responsibility and seriousness.

While Rêber Apo’s efforts to move from the ground of conflict to the political and legal ground, to end the war, to find a democratic solution to the Kurdish question, and to democratize Turkey create hope and faith in society, the statements of some AKP executives and the discussions of some media organs based on them do the opposite and try to break the hope and faith in the society.

As seen in the attacks on North and East Syria, the AKP government is pursuing a policy that continues and deepens the war and conflict. On the one hand, there is the talk of brotherhood, peace, and negotiations with Rêber Apo to end the war, but on the other hand, the AKP government’s approach to deepening the war and conflict points to a paradox. This attitude of the AKP government does make it difficult for the process to evolve on political ground; it undermines the process that Rêber Apo is trying to develop. The increasing repression against the people, the insulting remarks against the Kurdish people and Rêber Apo, the continuation of trustee appointments, and the invasion attacks against Rojava reveal the approach of the AKP government. Just recently, it has been publicized that a trustee has been appointed to the Akdeniz Municipality, once again usurping the will of the people. It is very clear that these approaches are aimed at frustrating the efforts developed by Rêber Apo and at deepening the war even further.

The AKP government’s attacks on Rojava through gangs and mercenaries under the name of SNA reveal how it approaches the Kurds. The AKP government’s Kurdish enmity is not over. This enmity continues and clearly expresses itself in Rojava. By attacking the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the AKP government is trying to destroy the will of the peoples for democratic co-existence. It is clear that a government with such a mentality and politics is not in favor of brotherhood and peace; on the contrary, it fosters war and enmity.

The attack on Rojava is an attack on humanity. Rojava has become a common value of humanity and an achievement of its democratic struggle. Rojava fought against ISIS for the honor of humanity and paid a heavy price for this cause. Now the AKP government is attacking it and wants to destroy it. The AKP government wants to resurrect ISIS and make it a dominant power. The AKP government is committing massacres and assassinations on a daily basis, bombing houses, roads, bridges, living spaces, and sources of nutrition. It has even bombed and massacred civilians who were marching to the Tishrin Dam to set a halt to the attacks. At the same time, its attacks on the Tishrin Dam are opening the door to a great catastrophe. What they do constitutes a crime against humanity. Everyone must see this reality, oppose it, and take an attitude and make efforts to defend Rojava. All international powers and public opinion need to see and understand who is working for a solution and who is sabotaging these efforts and profiting from war and the continuation of the existence of the Kurdish question.

Based on these, we call on all peoples and revolutionary-democratic forces to oppose the attacks of the AKP government and its gangs and mercenaries against Rojava and to take action by strongly embracing Rojava. The Kurdish people, especially the peoples of North and East Syria, must also play their role in the defense of Rojava, no matter where they are.

The march of the peoples of North and East Syria to the Tishrin Dam to set a halt to the attacks is a great and very meaningful action. We congratulate the peoples of North and East Syria for their courageous stance and salute their meaningful action. We commemorate with respect those who were martyred as a result of the attacks by the Turkish state and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded. The attitude and will of the peoples are much greater than all attacks and enemies and are capable of stopping and defeating them. In this framework, the developing attitude of the peoples will break and defeat the invasion and genocidal attacks.

Once again, we call on all our patriotic people and democratic forces to understand and embrace the new process correctly, to be vigilant, cautious, and organized against all kinds of attacks, tricks, and deceptive games that may develop, and to further develop unity and struggle!”