The co-presidency of the KCK Executive Council issued a statement on the anniversary of the execution of Seyit Riza, pioneer of the Kurdish people and resistance.

The statement said: "We are approaching the anniversary of the execution of Seyit Riza, the leader of the Dersim (tr. Tunceli) resistance. We commemorate Seyit Riza and those executed with him with respect and also commemorate with great respect all those who were massacred during the mass slaughter of Dersim and condemn the mentality that caused it. The struggle of our people will hold all those who are responsible for massacres against the people to account."

The statement added: "The Dersim massacre is one of the most brutal massacres in human history. It caused great suffering to our people and deeply shook the conscience of humanity. Tens of thousands of people were murdered with bullets, bayonets, through bombardment and chemical gases. Even unborn children were stabbed in their mothers’ wombs and no one captured was left alive. As we painfully remember, the water of the Munzur river turned red with blood. The mass slaughter of Dersim has left a deep pain and anger in the consciousness of the people of Kurdistan. It is engraved in the memory of the Kurdish people, never to be forgotten again.

Undoubtedly, the Dersim massacre was carried out as part of the Kurdish genocide. The Turkish state, which is being led by a genocidal and colonialist mentality, has carried out dozens of massacres to wipe out the Kurdish people. The Dersim massacre, being one of the gravest the Kurdish people ever faced, revealed the Turkish state’s enmity towards the Kurdish people and the depth of this mentality in the clearest way. Therefore, a correct reading of history cannot be made without seeing and confronting the massacres and genocides committed against the Kurdish people and other peoples."

The statement continued: "We cannot fulfill the responsibility imposed on us by history, and live truthfully and correctly without holding the responsible for these massacres and the genocide to account. Undoubtedly, today's Kurdish freedom struggle is fulfilling this historical responsibility by developing the consciousness of freedom, regressing the genocidal colonialist mentality, liberating the people of Kurdistan, and holding the mass murderers to account. Our struggle for the liberation of Kurdistan, for the democratization of Turkey and the Middle East and for the co-existence, common and equal life of the peoples is rewriting the history of freedom by destroying the genocidal colonialist massacring mentality.

Once again, we condemn the genocidal colonialist massacre mentality and commemorate with respect and gratitude all the martyrs of revolution and democracy in the person of Pir Seyit Riza and his comrades. Pir Seyit Rıza did not bow down to the enemy and bequeathed resistance and living by resistance to all oppressed peoples and humanity, especially the people of Kurdistan. It is our main aim to realize this precious memory and lead our people to freedom. We reiterate our promise that we will realize this goal, and we bow with respect in front of the precious memories and struggles of the pioneers like Seyit Riza."