NEWS CENTER – Yesterday, the action of the Long March of the revolutionary youth, Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger and the young women in England, Switzerland, Greece, Germany and Rojava came to a successful end after several days.
In France, the Long March had to be cancelled due to the arbitrary pressure of the French repressive authorities and also in the south of Kurdistan, the Long March that started yesterday was stopped prematurely as the collaborative KDP stood in the way of the legitimate protest of the youth against the occupation and betrayal and threatened to use firearms against the unarmed youth.
The Long March had been organized by the revolutionary youth movement and the militant young women in order to respond to the call for mobilizing the coordination of Komalên Ciwan, which was launched under the slogan “LI DIJÎ DAGIRKERÎ Û ÎXANETÊ, WERIN CENGA AZADIYÊ”. In this sense, the patriotic youth gathered in different European cities and parts of Kurdistan and marched against the occupation of Kurdistan by the fascist AKP-MHP regime, which is supported by NATO and the Kurdish party KDP in its plans of massacring the Kurds. Internationalist friends took part in the action, who also see their responsibility towards the attacks of the Turkish occupying state and especially oppose the support of NATO.
With the Long Marches, not only publicity was created in the respective regions against the occupation invasion in Kurdistan, but also the heroic and self-sacrificing resistance of the guerrillas in the free mountains of Kurdistan was welcomed and united with.
In the following, we give a brief overview of the conclusion of the Long March in the different countries.
ROJAVA
After the Long March started in Qamişlo on May 30, the young activists arrived at their destination Dêrik yesterday afternoon. With high morale and participation, they marched for three days through the localities of north-eastern Syria and clarified a clear stance of the youth against the occupation plans of fascist Turkey towards Rojava. The young women and men who came together from many different localities in North-East Syria and were not only of Kurdish descent showed their solidarity with Rêber Apo and the resistance guerrillas and made it clear that they have a clear stance against the betrayal of the KDP. Especially the youth in north-eastern Syria had already had their experiences with the collaborating forces of the KDP last year, who attacked them with weapons and stones at the Semalka border point, after the youth wanted to support the protest of the families who had been holding out there for weeks and demanded their fallen sons and daughters, whom the KDP had murdered behind their backs.
The population welcomed the protest that took place under the leadership of the youth and welcomed the activists in the different localities. On the evening of the days of action, concerts and seminars were held in the respective localities, where the youth strengthened their morale and knowledge. With the participation of hundreds of youth, the march, which covered the whole of north-eastern Syria, became the scene of great enthusiasm and morale. Many institutions participated in the Long March led by youth and young women.
The march ended today in Dêrîk, while a group of young Arab and Kurdish youth announced that they had joined the ranks of the guerrillas, a rally was held at the Dêrîk Youth Center.
At the rally, Tolhildan Zerdeşt said that the occupation will be defeated through the resistance of the youth. After Tolhildan Zerdeşt’s speech, 10 young people announced that they had joined the ranks of the guerrillas. After the speeches and declarations, the young activists ended their action with songs by Baran Buhar and Numan Amed and danced together with great enthusiasm.
BAŞUR (SOUTH KURDISTAN)
The young activists who had started a “long march” from Koyê to Behdînan against the invasion attacks of the Turkish occupying state in Başur Kurdistan were stopped at the checkpoint of the security forces of the collaborationist KDP in Dêgele, near Hewler. The KDP forces that had gathered at the site did not allow the youth to continue their Long March.
The people protested against this attitude of the KDP collaborators, who did not allow the march, by staging a sit-in. The KDP collaborators threatened to shoot the youth and stated that they had been ordered to shoot them if they passed the checkpoint.
The members of Başur Youth Initiative and the public announced that they ended their march in order to protect the safety of the participants during the action and not to cause an attack. An internationalist delegation of around 20 people had also participated in the Long March, also opposing the fascist AKP-MHP’s occupation of Kurdistan and positioning themselves against the KDP’s betrayal and NATO’s support.
GREECE
The long march organized by Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger (TCŞ) and Jinên Ciwan ên Têkoşer (TekoJIN) in Greece to salute the guerrilla resistance against the invasion attacks and KDP betrayal ended with a grand finale in Athens on the third day.
The activists, who reached Athens as part of the Long March that started the day before with the participation of hundreds of people in Lavrio camp, were welcomed with great enthusiasm by hundreds of people in front of the Athens Academy. The crowd marched from there to the Turkish Consulate. Banners reading “Li dijî xiyanet û dagirkeriyê Werin Cenga Azadîyê”- and “Defend Kurdistan”, as well as flags of Chairman Abdullah Öcalan, and flags of the PKK freedom movement set colorful accents during the Long March and expressed the protesters’ attachment to the Kurdistan freedom struggle.
The protesters often shouted “Terrorist Erdoğan”, “Bimre îxanet”, “Bijî Serok Apo”, “Bijî Serok Apo” during the action, expressing their attitude towards the occupation invasion of Kurdistan by Turkish fascism. The residents of the city also supported the activists and greeted them with applause.
Upon reaching the Turkish consulate, the crowd protested with slogans against the invasion attacks. Afterwards, a minute of silence was held, accompanied by the Çerxa Şoreşê anthem.
THE ONLY FRIENDS OF THE KURDS ARE THE MOUNTAINS
Erkan Erenci, Co-Chairman of the Kurdish Cultural Association made a statement after the minute of silence and drew attention to the importance of guerrilla resistance and ongoing actions. Pointing out that all neighboring states in Kurdistan’s history have carried out attacks on Kurds, Erenci said that Kurds protect their freedom by leaning their backs against the mountains. Noting that a new wave of fascist attacks has begun under Erdoğan’s leadership, Erenci stressed that guerrilla resistance is crucial for the future of Kurdistan.
After the statement, the action ended with slogans. In the evening, a public celebration was held at Lavrio camp as part of the June 1 offensive.
ENGLAND
The British branch of the Long March action organized by TCŞ (Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger) and TekoJIN (Jinên Ciwan ên Têkoşer) ended their protests at London Central Station last night. In the morning, their action started at Highbury & Islington Station and continued with great enthusiasm and morale of the youth on the third and final day.
While welcoming the guerrilla resistance in the youth-led action by wearing guerrilla clothes and meccaps, they called on the youth and the general public to take more responsibility towards the annihilation invasion in Kurdistan and oppose the fascist massacre regime with a clear stance.
When they reached Leicester Square, the crowd here started to dance together. Young people read out a statement in English calling on the community to take action in Britain on June 11. The youth continued their protest and arrived at the London office of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Here, a press release was read out by youth from Başur.
The young activists declared: “We, the Kurdish youth, will stand up everywhere against the use of chemical weapons against the guerrillas and the occupation in four parts of Kurdistan. We will respond to the concept of annihilation of the Kurdish people by reviving the spirit of breakthrough on June 1. Today, defending the guerrillas’ faith in their chairman and fighting in areas of freedom means ensuring the freedom of both our chairman and Kurdistan.”
While large HPG and YJA-STAR flags were unfurled in front of the KRG building, the slogan “Bimre Xiyanet” was chanted. After deciphering the London buildings of the KRG (KDP offshoot) in public, the activists continued their march and ended it for the third consecutive day in front of London Central Station by singing the anthem Çerxa Şoreşe together. They also declared that they will continue their activities in the public squares and streets until their demands are met and Turkish fascism is ended.
SWITZERLAND
Under the leadership of the youth movements TCŞ and TekoJIN, within the framework of the action “Werin Cenga Azadiyê” the three-day march, started in Solothurn, Switzerland and ended yesterday afternoon in the city of Zollikopfen. The finale of the Long March took place at the Kurdish Community Center in Bern, with a panel and a concert.
On the third day of the march, the demonstrators gathered in the town of Schüpfen at 11:00 am and began the march with banners, PKK flags and posters of Chairman Abdullah Öcalan. Despite the rain on the way, the youth continued their action with high morale and enthusiasm. The march ended with a press release in German in Zollikofen, where the demonstrators sang folk songs with slogans.
WE WELCOME THE OFFENSIVE JUNE 01.
During the panel at the Democratic Center in Bern, TekoJin activist Berivan Laleş first congratulated the participants of the 3-day march. In her speech, Berivan Laleş emphasized the need to take a stand against betrayal and said the following:
“Today is June 1, international forces, especially the Turkish occupying state, have always been on the offensive against the freedom struggle. We remember all the martyrs, Erdal, Adil and Nuda who sacrificed their lives during the June 1 offensive, the will that drives us today. Today, a betrayal is imposed on the Kurdistan freedom struggle. We must fight against this line of betrayal and destruction. Especially our people living in Europe should organize themselves according to the war policy. Rêber APO defined the Kurd in the grip of political genocide.
The occupation state wants to destroy our identity and culture. Everyone should fight against this. The greatest love is to fight for Kurdistan. Fighting for freedom is the greatest love. We have to organize ourselves in all areas so that the ideas put forward by our chairman come to life. Kurdish friends want to come to us and experience freedom. In Europe, people lose hope and end their lives. Why does a young man lose hope? We cannot accept this slave life any longer. Everyone lives, but what kind of life does he live? This must be made conscious. The chairman has shown us how we can live a better life. Betrayal has always been condemned in our society. Those who cheat have lost their honor and dignity. No Kurd should forget Şengal, should forget Kobanê. If he forgets it, he will lose himself. The guerrilla is currently defending itself against all attacks. It believes in the paradigm of the guerrilla leadership and resists with this belief. That is why we will always protect the chairman,” she said.
GERMANY
The German branch of the Long March action, which started in Dortmund, ended yesterday in Düsseldorf. The Long March action, which was planned as a protest against the occupation and genocidal attacks on the Medya defense areas and the four parts of Kurdistan, found its finale in front of the Düsseldorf main station, despite the interventions of the German police and provocations by Turkish fascists.
The march led by Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger (TCŞ) and Jinên Ciwan ên Têkoşer (TekoJIN) with the slogan “Werin Cenga Azadiyê against betrayal and occupation” started yesterday from the Land Day Square.
While the march started with the declaration in the name of TCŞ and TekoJIN, it was stressed that all Kurdish youth in the areas should take action within the offensive “Werin Cenga Azadiyê”. It was called to adopt the resistance and struggle of the guerrillas and to oppose Turkish fascism. The young people who led the march carried placards of the leader APO and T-shirts with the inscription “Defend Kurdistan”.
In the march, which included young people from all four parts of Kurdistan, the crowd, which often chanted German, Kurdish and Turkish slogans, ended their protests by dancing halay together and chanting slogans in front of the main train station in Düsseldorf.
