Abdullah OCALAN
There has been celebrations of my birthday. I know that the issue is not really that day being my birthday but the people see such a day their own birth. It is not a matter of me being born in that city, village or that region. I think the people are really celebrating their own birth and consider it their own and see it as their own renaissance. And I am grateful those who travelled all the way there, those who celebrated and those who contributed to it in some way. But it should not be eviscerated from such a meaning. Middle East has such a culture and I am respectful of this culture however it should not be turned into an eviscerated cult. I do believe I have such a meaning and hence it is important that this meaning is acknowledged. I feel that I tried to fit much into 61 years of my life. The people have identified themselves with this.
I was also thinking of issuing a message for the Assyrians because of the Easter period. I wanted the message to encompass all the Christians in fact. I have been studying and focusing on Christianity for some time now. I am comparing Islam with that of Christianity and Judaism. I feel that there has been much injustices done to Christianity. Assyrians represent the Eastern Christianity, it belongs to the East. The Western Christianity should especially try and understand the Eastern Christianity. There is a need for a Renaissance in the Middle East not only for the sake of the Kurds but the Assyrians and all the people of the Middle East. On this basis I celebrate their festivities.
In my defences I have in detail explained how the local governments should operate. Municipalities should not act as an extension of the state but should operate as municipalities that rest on the society. Local communes should be formed. If such works are realized with the people then the state shall respect it as well. But if you await for the state to give you the money then you shan’t be able to achieve anything. Such an approach must be abandoned. The model constructed in the South is state based and is a draft nation-state. It can not be successful, will degenerate and decay. But our model shall continue to advance only because it basis itself on the society. There will not even be any need for this as the democratic communes are established. When you achieve successful organizations in all areas then all the other things such as money shall also pour in. The local communes can also organize themselves in terms of a democratic confederation. This is the only way to resolve the social problems. I am not saying that 100% of the problems shall be resolved if you do all this. It maybe that the conditions Turkey is under all problems shall not be resolved but I think around 50% of problems can be resolved this way. But in order to achieve even this there must be concerted effort and focused preparations.
Our people in Europe too must be well organized as well. They also need to develop their own organizations. In Europe it is also a KCK style organisation. They should organize themselves with a consideration of the laws there. In any case, everything done there is out in the open. If over here such an organisation succeeds they would influence one another positively. My defences focus on such topics the most.
In relation to the woman question: In fact my life of 61 years was spent in struggling against the fake honor imposed on woman. My exodus from the village was linked with this. I really did focus on this issue. I believe that woman has uncovered her own knowledge of freedom. This is also a summary of 61 years old life. The live burial of the woman in Adiyaman and the things done to little girls are before you all. Women should generate their own organizations as well as developing education for all women including young girls. I had previously mentioned the Free Women’s Academy, this should not be handled ordinarily. There should be intense education from arts to health, culture and even fashion. I had read a news article about a woman-model all the way from Ukraine for a new opening store in Batman. I found it very funny. Fashion indeed was born in Mesopotamia and that includes Batman as well. What is important is to expose this. The education given should even reflect to everyone’s clothing.
I am not rejecting the importance of individualism of woman, it is of importance. But without sociality indiviudalism can not have much meaning. Such an understanding was attempted to be inserted into PKK as well. The simple marriages or unions of those who ran off from us indeed to me the end of woman. I nevertheless wish them all the success and send my greetings.
On the other hand, the left should understand well why and how Mustafa Suphi and his friends were elimianted. If they don’t analyze this well they will not be able to leap forward.
It is good to hear that the all from South Kurdistan have come under a single block. I congratulate them. I think the total number of Kurdish parlamentarians are around 57. It has fallen a bit. I had told them earlier, it looks a bit difficult succeed this way- The Kurds need national unity. They need to work for national unity from now on. Talabani and Barzani should also strive for this. I congratulate them as well in relation to the elections and wish them well.
In relation to the discussions on the constitution I must say that as yet there is still no room for the Kurds. This is not a constitutional amendment package that shall recognize the Kurds. Not only the Kurds, for the other democratic areas as well there is no opening at all, there is nothing new. On the one hand there is the White Turkish fascism represented by the CHP and MHP and on the other hand power and Islam line lead by the AKP. I can not proclaim that the AKP’s line is less dangerous then the White Turkish fascism. Neither of them are democratic but hegemonic. The first one is Ankara based while the latter is formed at the Kayseri-Konya tracks and supported by the Saudi capital. Both have a historical past.
The first one is White Turkish oligarchy and fascism. They are the continuation of the Union and Progess’ mentality. After the establishment of the Republic they besieged M. Kemal and paralellızed him. During the Liberation War, M. Kemal was able to implement his policies by relying on the Kurds for four years in 1916/17/18/19. If he had not relied on the Kurds when implementing his policies and struggle then there may not have been a liberation struggle. Such a unity found its reflection in the 1921 constitution. This is why when I talk about Union and Progress as well as this White Turkish fascism I am not talking about this 1921 constitution. The 1921 Constitution is democratic, it is the result of a collective approach by the state and the Kurds. Hence I keep on saying that 1921 Constitution should be revised according to the present circumstances. BDP should work hard in revising the 1921 Constitution according to todays circumstances. During that time there were two different stances against the Kurds: First was that of Inönü, leading the English line. This was implemented by the Union and Progress cadres. The other line was that of M.Kemal and Fethi Okyar. At the time they even withdrew Fethi Okyar from the position of Prime Minister only because he was soft with the Kurds. Instead they reinstated Inönü. Two grandchildren of Cibranlı Halit have sent me letter. They are asking me how their grandfather was eliminated. This is exactly how it happened. There is grandchildren of Şeyh Sait as well. Their situation is similar. They were eliminated by the secular white Turkish fascism that I have been talking about. The 1924 Constitution is the constitutional expression of this line of Unionist, oligarchic white Turkish fascism. This 1924 constitution albeit with some small changes has been able to preserve itself to date. CHP and MHP are the two representatives of this.
When it comes to the second line; it is represented by the AKP and is a statized Islam that can be traced back to the Umayyad’s and can also be called Islamic fascism. It is the Islam of the power and is anti-Islam. In neither of the lines there is no room for the Kurds. Both the BDP and the democratic sections must understand this well. In both of the lines there are no democratic openenings. The Kurds and the democratic sections do not have to choose either one of them. BDP and democratic forces must make much effort for the constitution and make their own suggestions. And indeed they are. The election threshold and inner party democracy are very important. The Kurds shall support those who prepare a constitution that shall recognise them and pave the way for democratic policies. Even though if this is AKP, CHP or even MHP. But if they are not recognised and there are no democratic openings in the constitution then they shall not support such a constitution.
I had mentioned in the past weeks. I had divided our histroy of struggle into three periods. First period, then the second period that ended in 1993 and then the third period that continues to date. In fact the third period was up until 2002. I was about to end the period back then but AKP had just come to power. I wanted to give them a chance but instead they wanted to delay us and brought us to date. The AKP aims nothing but elimination. For the past 17 years I am playing my own role. Many things have been left to me. This is not right. Things that I can do here, the role that I can play for peace are restricted to my conditions here. In the period ahead, they shall themselves decide on what they want and how they shall steer the struggle.
May is around the corner, there maybe some critical things then. There should preparations for all options. There are no in between options left for the Kurds anymore. In the period ahead there could be some developments both in terms of elimination and resolution. AKP on the other hand arrested thousands of Kurds and continues to arrest them. I am not even including in this the physical assaults.
The state in the 1920s eliminated the left in personage of Mustafa Suphi and his friends, and with the 1924 constitution eliminated the Kurds and later in the personage of Mehmet Akif and Said-i Nursi eliminated the Islamists.
I believe there is work being done in relation to the party that shall bering together all parties. I had made a proposal of the roof of the roof. There are many parties and circles. There is also EDP. They should all work mutually.
The Kurds can resolve their own internal problems. There should be work done to obtain internal peace. I am not just talking about the Kurds here. There must be work done to ensure internal peace and union of the Kurds in all parts. For example there are the village guards, they have committed many cromes but yet one could bring them together. The Democratic Society Congress could work on such activities.
Give my greetings to all those at Diyarbakır Prison. I received many cards in relation to Newroz. I also celebrate everyone’s Newroz. There were letters from Bismil. People from Bismil and Hasankeyf should stand against the Illusu Dam project. It has nothing to do with water irrigation. It has military aims and is strategic. There was a letter from Nilüfer Sahin at Sincan Prison I really liked what she had written. She interprets my evaluation of Marx. She is right, Marx has done so much good work on labor-value theory and sociology but when it comes to nation-state and industrialism he has failed.
7 APRIL 2010