The Co-Presidency of the KCK Executive Council released a statement on the 10th anniversary of the Ankara train station massacre, which was carried out by ISIS under the guidance of the state and claimed the lives of over 100 people.
The KCK statement on Thursday includes the following:
“On October 10, 2015, more than 100 participants of the ‘Labor, Peace, and Democracy Rally’ held in front of Ankara Train Station lost their lives in a bomb attack, with several hundred more who were injured. We strongly condemn this despicable massacre, which targeted the brotherhood of peoples and the ideal of democratic and common life, once again on its 10th anniversary, and we respectfully commemorate those who lost their lives. Their ideals of brotherhood among peoples, peace, freedom, and democratic life live on in the struggle of our peoples and continue their journey towards victory. Bloody massacres will not end the peoples’ yearning for peace, freedom, and brotherhood. In a democratizing Turkey, the ideal of equal, free, and shared life for Turks, Kurds, and all peoples cannot be prevented. Those who sing songs of peace and brotherhood for the equal and free life of the peoples, who express this in the classical dances, have defeated these forces from the outset. Their aspirations will be realized.
The massacre in front of the Ankara train station was carried out under the supervision of the state. The fact that the massacre has not been fully illuminated even after ten years shows the role of the state and the government itself in the massacre. The fact that the massacre was carried out by ISIS does not exonerate the state and the government. ISIS has been directed and used in many attacks and massacres.
The fact that this massacre took place before the new escalation of the war against the Kurdish people, which has been going on for years, reveals that it was directed. The occurrence of many such massacres before the June 7 and November 1 elections cannot be seen as coincidental. The historic actions taken by workers, women, and democratic social organizations during the period when such attacks were carried out to prevent war and secure peace will always be remembered in the struggle for democracy and freedom in Turkey. After these attacks, all democratic spaces in Turkey were gradually narrowed, and freedoms were restricted. The dirty and special war waged against the Kurdish people and the democratic forces in Turkey for ten years was the result of such a process.
Ten years of oppression failed to subdue the Kurdish people and the democratic forces in Turkey. On the contrary, these policies have brought Turkey to a political, social, economic, and diplomatic impasse. Our peoples have paid a heavy price during these ten years, but they have not given up on the struggle for democracy, freedom, and peace. The result of this struggle has been the entry into the ‘Peace and Democratic Society’ process initiated by Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan. The primary aim of the ‘Peace and Democratic Society’ process is to fulfill the aspirations of the martyrs of the October 10 massacre. When this process succeeds, the heavy price paid with the lives of our martyrs will become even more meaningful.
All our people and international friends must actively contribute to the struggle for the success of the ‘Peace and Democratic Society’ process. This is the most appropriate response we can give in memory of those who lost their lives in the massacres. With this understanding and conviction, we once again respectfully commemorate those who lost their lives in the Ankara train station massacre, and we pledge to keep their memories alive in our struggle and to fulfill their aspirations.”