Reading the process correctly

The international conspiracy of 15 February [1999] targeting Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] and the Imrali isolation, torture, and genocide system was protested in a highly evocative manner on its 26th anniversary. All pro-freedom and democratic Kurdish organizations, especially the PKK, issued statements condemning the forces behind the conspiracy and reaffirming their allegiance to Leader Apo. They expressed their continued support for Leader Apo in the context of the new democratic transformation process he is striving to develop. 

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds and their allies filled the streets and squares from Strasbourg to Kobanê, from Aleppo to Maxmur, protesting the international conspiracy of 15 February. They demanded the immediate dismantling of the Imrali isolation, torture, and genocide system and called for Leader Apo to be granted conditions where he can live and work freely. Once again, they declared that they have always been with Leader Apo and will continue to support the new democratic transformation process he is seeking to advance. 

Despite all the oppression, attacks, and massacres, the free media worked with great dedication to inform the public about these developments and to raise awareness of the truth. A well-researched and informative documentary was released about the days in Athens when the 15 February conspiracy was planned, shedding light on the lesser-known Greek leg of the international conspiracy following its Italian phase. This effort both contributed to the fight against one of the most brutal and unjust attacks in history and sought to further introduce Leader Apo’s reality to humanity. 

On 15 February, all forces for freedom and democracy, particularly the party and guerrilla forces, held meetings wherever they were to evaluate the conspiracy, salute the 26-year-long historic resistance, and commemorate the heroic martyrs of the “You Cannot Darken Our Sun” sacrificial resistance. Conferences and TV debates were held, as seen in Austria, to correctly understand and organize around Leader Apo’s Democratic Modernity Paradigm. In all these discussions, support was expressed for the new democratic transformation process Leader Apo is working to develop. 

A delegation from the DEM Party, which met with Leader Apo, traveled to South Kurdistan on 15 February, the 26th anniversary of the conspiracy, to hold meetings with political circles, particularly officials from the PUK and KDP. On 16, 17, and 18 February, they conducted these discussions to inform South Kurdistan’s political groups about Leader Apo’s democratic transformation efforts. They will also gather opinions and suggestions to convey to Leader Apo. 

All these activities summarize the work carried out by the Kurdish people and their democratic allies on the 26th anniversary of the 15 February conspiracy, which targeted not only Leader Apo but also the entire Kurdish people, Middle Eastern societies, and humanity. In fact, this summary does not encompass everything but provides a general framework of the key events. Ultimately, all these efforts signify the fight for Leader Apo’s physical freedom as a foundation for resolving the Kurdish issue, meaning that Kurdish freedom is essential for the democratization of Turkey and the Middle East. In other words, it represents the Kurdish and democratic forces’ understanding of the new process Leader Apo is striving to advance and their efforts to live and work accordingly. 

So, how do the AKP and the state side understand the new process and translate it into practice? Let’s try to answer this question with a few examples. 

To be honest, the only seemingly positive aspect on this front is limited to a few statements by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli and some well-wishes expressed by parliamentary party leaders during meetings with the DEM Party delegation. Immediately after these short statements, however, these parties became consumed with their own internal issues and power struggles, as seen particularly in the main opposition party, the CHP. Perhaps this is not their own doing, but rather the result of directives from special war centers that guide them by setting new agendas. 

That leaves the AKP and Tayyip Erdoğan as the ruling party. As the head of state, Erdoğan continues to say, “Either they lay down their arms, or we will bury them with their weapons.” The AKP government refused to grant permission for a commemoration event by the Sheikh Said Association on 13 February, citing “public security” concerns. The graves of Kurdish leaders like Sheikh Said and Seyit Rıza remain unknown. Additionally, on 15 February, the very day of the conspiracy, the AKP government removed the co-mayor of Van Metropolitan Municipality from office and appointed the governor as trustee in their place. This means that the political will of the Kurdish people, established through elections, continues to be trampled by state power. There is no need to even mention the daily house raids and the arrests of dozens of people who are then thrown into prisons. 

These actions reflect how the AKP and the state interpret and implement the much-discussed new process. 

So, is there a misunderstanding or a misinterpretation of the process? Some believe there is. According to them, the AKP is making mistakes and trying to sabotage the process because it is undermining the “peace process.” But is there a peace process where everyone can live comfortably without struggle? We believe there isn’t, and the real mistake is made by those who think such a peace process exists or will exist. In reality, the ones who fail to read the process correctly or misinterpret it are precisely these people. 

Let’s be clear: Kurds and democratic forces have understood the process correctly, which is why they have mobilized such widespread and effective protests against the 15 February conspiracy. They know that the new democratic transformation process is actually a phase of intensifying and expanding the struggle for freedom and democracy in all areas. Kurdish freedom and Turkey’s democratic transformation can only be achieved through a successful struggle. Indeed, the people of Van are defending their willpower and bravely resisting the fascist trustee attack despite the harsh winter conditions. 

On the other hand, the AKP government and Tayyip Erdoğan also understand the new process correctly. They know that in a democratized Turkey based on Kurdish freedom, their fascist system will collapse, leaving no place for them. Even the business elite organization TÜSIAD has admitted that “the current system has collapsed.” That is why Erdoğan is doing everything he can to block this process, provoke it, escalate fascist and genocidal attacks in every field, and sustain the conflict. He is a war profiteer who thrives on conflict. For 23 years, he has particularly exploited the gaps created by democracy forces, and for the past 15 years, he has stayed in power by feeding off the ongoing conflict. For Erdoğan and the AKP, the continuation of the conflict or the total destruction of freedom and democracy forces—ensuring the survival of Erdoğan’s fascist dictatorship—is what they understand from this process. To achieve this, they are intensifying special warfare tactics, particularly psychological operations, in an attempt to weaken Leader Apo’s influence both domestically and internationally. 

Therefore, it is incorrect to view the new democratic transformation process initiated by Leader Apo as a comfortable, struggle-free process where peace will be easily achieved, negotiations will take place at the table, and all problems will be resolved this way. No one should misunderstand it this way or mislead others. On the contrary, the new process being developed involves a broader and more extensive struggle with diverse methods. It is a process of achieving everything through relentless effort, of dismantling fascism through intense and effective resistance. Democratic change and transformation can only be achieved through such a struggle—Kurdish freedom and Turkey’s democratization will only be realized through this fight. In essence, democratic politics means continuously waging such a rich and uninterrupted democratic struggle. 

We salute all actions protesting the 15 February conspiracy and the people of Van resisting the trustee appointment!