CENTRAL NEWS
During various periods of history, there have been stages that have been engraved in our memory as unforgettable; such as the starting point and pioneering history of the youth movement.
The 1968 Youth Movement echoed around the world as a movement of rebellion against obscurantism and the systems it creates. 1968 was born out of the hopes of the youth.
With the slogan ‘another world is possible’, the spirit of uncontrollable freedom spread like an epidemic. This movement has once again proved that historical and political movements bearing the stamp of youth cannot be defeated.
1968 became a revival of thought. Although it was not a very systematic youth movement, its opposing reaction, especially the capitalist system, made it the movement of uprising. It was a stand against the system that does not respond to society but instead poisons it.
Against capitalism in capitalist countries, it stood against real socialism in real socialist countries. In countries with national liberation problems, it gave the people the power of exhortation. The strengthening of resistance in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and many other places has taken its energy from this youth movement. while in the Middle East, Palestine and Kurdistan has seen the most tangible outputs of the spirit of organization and action, especially Turkey.
In the organization of Feminism, which has an important place in the Women’s Freedom Struggle, 68 generations play an important role. In 1960s and 1980s, the second wave organisation of feminism, formed by women, started out with fascism as their main target.
They formed women’s committees in the youth movement and made their way towards socialism in the war against capitalism. With the slogan ’There is no personal life, everything is a political struggle’, the spirit of the generation 68 is manifested in its actions.
With the consciousness that capitalism represents the traditional woman, they take their places in every field of struggle. Women take their place in the guerrilla struggle led by El Salvador. In India, they join the Maoist guerrilla units. In Afghanistan, Afghanistan’s Revolutionary Women Organization (RAWA-1977), with the pioneers called Mina, they shouted “Our dream is a free and socialist country. Let the colonialists disappear, men and women live free”.
In Palestine they organised under the Union of Palestinian Women, Democratic Women’s Organization’, they trained their people in the struggle for national liberation and continue their organization by taking part in the battle front. The dozens of female self-sacrifices like Delal Maghrib and Wefa Idris take their place in history. The struggle of women grew with the Revolutionary Youth Belt; From Lebanon to Spain, from Egypt to Latin America.
From all aspects, the 1968 Youth Movement served as a turning point for the struggle for revolutionary democracy. In Turkey, 1968, Ibrahim Kaypakkaya became a revolutionary vanguard for many generations to follow along with Deniz Gezmiş, Mahir Cayan, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin Inan amongst dozens of other valiant young socialist; they have organized against the practices of nation-state and fascism.
For the first time, the Kurdish Question was expressed in such a clear manner in terms of the radical debates on the basis of the right of self-defence of the Kurds. These revolutionary leaders had made a change in mindset.
As per imperialist Americas demands, the 6th Ship of the US Navy turned up to the coasts of Turkey. As the troops stepped off the ship, they were thrown directly back into the sea. An imperialist world system was being thrown into the sea, it was being drowned.
Of the 68 generation; the people who took the direct attitude against the state, who swallowed their fears, created a revolution in the minds regardless of their organized struggle. On the 6th of May, Deniz Gezmis, Hüseyin İnan and Yusuf Aslan were executed. But the Revolutionary Leaders, like the young bodies of their thoughts, will always remain alive and as determined as they were on death row; where they cried out for the advocacy of the brotherhood of the Kurdish and Turkish peoples and their common struggle against imperialism. Their ideas could not be killed, and their struggle with the Apoist Movement of Freedom took over from where they had left. Their struggle has become massive.
We, as revolutioaniry youth of today, have seen yet again another anniversary of 6th May. On this occasion, we ask ourselves, how do we carry the legacy of the 68 generation that has been left to young women and youth? `Another world is possible ’, they said, `a socialist life and future is possible` they said.
The peoples leader, Abdullah Ocalan also says Socialist and Democratic life will be built under the leadership of youth and women ’. So how much socialism do we dream of as young women and young people now? How much are we aware of the sacrifices that are being given to a socialist world, its life and responsibility?
