Statement From The Headquarters Of The ARGK On The Occasion Of The 11th Anniversary Of The Armed Liberation Struggle In Kurdistan

On August 15, we will enter the 12th year of fighting in our national liberation struggle against Turkish colonial fascism, which is seeking to eradicate our people from history. We greet our people and all humanity on this 11th anniversary of our national liberation struggle, which is one of the most legitimate and humane struggles in history, directed against one of the most barbaric regimes in the entire world.

Our national liberation struggle, which began on August 15, 1984 with a few propaganda groups, reached the stage of ’Serhildan’ (popular uprising) by the early 1990s following a long phase of guerrilla warfare. Today, our experienced and powerful guerrilla army has reached the stage when liberated zones will be established.

The past year was very significant, both in terms of the fiascos which the enemy suffered, as well as the aspects of our own development. The year 1994 was a year of intensive and heavy war. The colonial fascist Turkish Republic was forced to rely on major assistance from its allies, particularly Germany and the United States. Our guerrilla forces waged heroic resistance against the massive counter-revolutionary attacks and not only were able to keep the national reality of Kurdistan alive in the face of these brutal assaults, but they also transformed last year into a year of some of the most significant developments our national liberation struggle has seen so far.

Last year, the PKK, which leads our struggle and our people’s liberation army, carried out its 5th Party Congress. The realization of such a meeting with a long period of preparation shows the high level which our national liberation struggle has reached, destroying all of the plans which the enemy had made.

Another significant development last year was the fact that there wasn’t only heavy fighting between our guerrilla forces and the fascist Turkish army in northwest Kurdistan, but in south Kurdistan as well. The military operation which was launched by the Turkish army during Newroz has created a situation of war in south Kurdistan which continues to exist in different forms. This Turkish attack has helped to unify north and south Kurdistan, and steps are now being taken by our forces to create joint military strategy and tactics in all regions of Kurdistan.

The resistance by our forces against the Turkish attacks in south Kurdistan turned their operation into a failure and the Turkish army became bogged down in south Kurdistan. In this way, the revolution in north Kurdistan is being transported to the south and is influencing the population there. The people of south Kurdistan are on the side of our revolution and they support it. South Kurdistan has become an important strategic region for us and it is controlled by our guerrilla forces. Thus, a new revolutionary phase has begun in south Kurdistan. This phase in south Kurdistan, just like in north Kurdistan, is the beginning of the formation of people’s power.

That is the reality in Kurdistan today. The imperialists and colonialists, who have realized that this reality does not fit with their interests, have gathered together collaborationist forces with the aim of halting revolutionary developments. But these dangerous counter-revolutionary measures will be defeated by us. We have not been blind to these plans, and our revolutionary positions, which we have struggled for, will destroy these plots and we will teach the necessary lessons to all those who planned them.

In conjunction with the 5th Congress of the PKK, the stage which was developed in northwest Kurdistan in the spring and summer of this year is on the path to victory for our progressive struggle.

We have inflicted serous blows on the fascist Turkish army in the region between the Zagros mountains and Dersim, and between the Taurus mountains and Serhat. As our guerrilla struggle in northern and central areas becomes further anchored, we are rapidly approaching victory in Botan and the Zagros region.

Now is the time when we will seek to establish liberated zones and people’s power based on the line of victory. The balance of the last year of fighting is proof of this.