Kurdish institutions issued a joint statement and called on all to come together in the “Berxwedan Jiyanê” cortege in the central march that will start from Deichtorhallen Square on July 8 at 11.00.

The joint statement by NAV-DEM, Cenî, TJK-E, JYK/YXK, ISKU, TATORT Kürdistan, Ciwanên Azad and Jinen Ciwanên Azad says that capitalist modernity is in a deep crisis, and that nationalism, industrialism and monopolism destroy the basis for all societies and continues:

“Those who rule the world continue to fortify their power through more and more cruel methods every day. They stockpile soldiers and policemen. Making war and selling weapons for wars again makes them so much money. The state of emergency gifted to us by the G20 countries is joining with real politics more every day. With the newly elected US President Trump racism, sexism and chauvinism has come to power. The Erdoğan government is also shown tolerance in the international arena despite using all fascist oppression methods and suppressing resistance by their own people. The fact that the governments of formerly “developing countries” sit at the same table now hasn’t changed the role the G20 play for us at all. As people looking out from within the point of view of a colonized society, we know that the nation states never represent the people.

The Kurdish institutions state that the states are responsible for exploiting the peoples and point out that severe rights violations in Turkey will continue as the G20 convenes in Hamburg.

The statement offers a system based on gender equality, self governance, free life and democratic confederalism instead of the system based on patriarchy, the state and violence.

PROTEST TIMELINE

There will be many activities and demonstrations before and during the summit to protest the G20 states, and Erdoğan’s policies in particular. According to NAV-DEM administrator Yavuz Fersoğlu, Kurds will be leading the central march organized by a wide platform and expecting 100.000 participants on July 8 at 11.00. The march will start in Deichtorhallen Square and Kurds will be behind the “Berxwedan Jiyanê” banner. The Kurds’ cortege will be second in line and women will be at the front. Fersoğlu says they will voice their own demands in the mass protest called by over 200 NGOs like Die Linke, unions and ATAC that will be followed globally and that the democratic confederalism model put forth by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan offers solutions for global issues and thus the Kurds are seen as inspiration for the G20 protests.

PYD Co-chair Saleh Moslem and NAV-DEM Co-chair Ayten Kaplan will attend the march as speakers and Kurdish musician Serhado will take the stage in the rally to be held by the end of the march.

One of the activities in the G20 protests will be the International Solidarity Summit to be held by some 80 institutions on July 5-6. The alternative summit will host representatives from many revolutionary and feminist movements and Saleh Moslem will give a speech there. The summit will host panel discussions and workshops on various issues to develop long term projects. There are also seminars on Democratic Confederalism and Jineology planned.

July 7 is set aside for civil disobedience demonstrations. Simultaneous barricade demonstrations will be held on this day and women’s institutions including the Rojbin Women’s Assembly will hold a “Women’s City Tour” to promote the women’s movements throughout the world.

COST 130 MILLION EUROS

The G20 Summit cost at least 130 million Euros, and will have 20 thousand police officers, 61 horses and 153 dogs on duty from Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. 11 helicopters will be patrolling the city and security details for every state head to attend the summit will be added on top of all these. Border controls abolished by the Schengen agreement throughout Europe will be reestablished to prevent protesters from abroad. The people of Hamburg are already at great discomfort due to the drills, the helicopters and the drone activity.