BEHDINAN – KCK Executive Council Member Sabri Ok, who participated in the special program broadcast on Stêrk TV, made important evaluations on the agenda.
Pointing out that the isolation against Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan is getting worse day by day, Ok said, “Our people and our friends should know that the fascist Turkish state will continue the isolation. We, too, must fulfill our duties and responsibilities to ensure the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. We are in a very important period. We can only guess what kind of oppression and persecution took place in Imrali. Our reaction and struggle against this situation will continue in every field.”
Emphasizing that the guerrilla put up a tremendous resistance against the invasion attacks of the invading Turkish state against the Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna areas, Ok stated that the enemy planned to occupy the Medya Defense Areas in three weeks, but could not achieve their goal.
Emphasizing the importance of the elections to be held on May 14, Ok said that everyone should work hard to completely destroy the 20-year-old AKP fascism.
KCK Executive Council Member Sabri Ok’s interview broadcast on Stêrk TV is as follows:
The isolation in Imrali continues, getting worse with each passing day. The AKP-MHP fascism, which has remained silent until now, considered the latest isolation a ‘reasonable’ situation. The Kurdish people and their friends continue to voice their opposition to the isolation in the international arena and stand up for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. How do you evaluate this situation?
The isolation against Rêber Apo has been going on for 25 years. The Turkish Minister of Justice, who is deceiving himself, wants to deceive everyone in the same way. They state that they do not know what kind of situation Rêber Apo is in, of course they are lying. They are already implementing the isolation against Rêber Apo. In this sense, they are in agreement with the CPT. If the CPT acts according to its own morals and standards, it can put pressure on the Turkish state. They also know very well that there is a heavy isolation in Imrali. Our people, our movement, our friends, and democracy forces, who want to learn about Rêber Apo’s situation, are standing 24 hours a day, showing their reactions against the Imrali isolation using different methods. This process continues. The Kurdish people have no patience anymore. That Rêber Apo is held captive in this way is unacceptable for us and our people.
As it is known, a successful conference was held in Hamburg a few days ago to learn about Rêber Apo’s situation and demand his physical freedom. It has also been widely discussed internationally. Many foreign politicians, writers and intellectuals stated that this isolation against Rêber Apo is no longer acceptable. Our people are already standing 24 hours a day against the isolation. Last week, they organized a march for the physical freedom of the Leader in Dusseldorf. In other words, our people, our movement and our friends everywhere say that a life without a Leader is not possible. This is not an ordinary discourse, hundreds of our comrades set their bodies on fire for this. Our people have fought for years, risking everything. But now we have come to the end point.
Both the Turkish state and the Minister of Justice should know that they cannot deceive the Kurdish people, they cannot deceive our movement. They cannot deceive people who are conscientious and loyal to the law with their lies. We can only guess what kind of oppression and persecution took place in Imrali. Our reaction and struggle against this situation will continue in every political, legal and social field. There has been no news from Rêber Apo for 2 years. Our people and our friends should know that the fascist Turkish state will continue the isolation. We, too, must fulfill our duties and responsibilities to ensure the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. We are in a very important period. There is a 25-year isolation, a lifetime means 25 years. We know very well what the government that normalized the isolation is trying to do. Our attitude and response to this situation must be greater than ever before.
There is a great embrace of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan in the international arena. Is Abdullah Öcalan’s paradigm so embraced by the people because it provides solutions to the crises?
Because Rêber Apo was not an ordinary person, he was exposed to international conspiracy. Rêber Apo has created an alternative solution to the problems that have been experienced for 100 years. Rêber Apo created a new paradigm against capitalist modernity. Of course, women, oppressed societies, peoples who are in favor of freedom, politicians and intellectuals were naturally affected by this situation. If we, as the movement and cadres, could better explain Rêber Apo’s paradigm, defenses, to humanity and the world, then the ownership of Rêber Apo would be on a much higher level. This is our shortcoming. It is very important that we dwell more on this subject.
A year has passed since the invasion attacks on Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna areas. The invading enemy wanted to reach his goal in 3 weeks, but his calculations at home did not fit the market. What were the occupiers calculating and how did it happen? What did the guerrilla resistance reveal?
Our armed struggle against the invading Turkish state has been going on for more than 30 years. Ever since the 15 August Breakthrough took place, they have been making statements that “PKK has come to an end, they have a 24-hour, 48-hour lifespan”. In other words, they calculated our lifespan in hours. They said they would destroy us. Decades later, they still say the same things. They believe their own lies and want everyone to believe it. Of course, one pillar of private warfare is psychological warfare. The Turkish state is also an expert on this issue. A state founded on lies, therefore, turns many things upside down and presents them to the public. Of course, they lie about the war in the Medya Defense Zones, especially in Zap, Avaşîn and Metina. They told the same lies in 2008, but they took a big hit in Zap and they came back. This time they made strategic preparations against the guerrilla. They have been attacking the guerrilla nonstop for 8 years, using all inhumane methods.
We’ve had losses, it’s true, but surviving such massive attacks for 8 years is an achievement in itself. Undoubtedly, we will not fall into complacency, but in the history of the invading Turkish state, there has been no uninterrupted resistance that lasted for 8 years. Our people should know how the guerrilla resisted against one of the strongest armies of NATO. The resistance of the guerrilla still continues. Nobody should be fooled by the lies of the Turkish state. The war continues. Zap has a history. When we say Zap, the first thing that comes to our mind is Heval Fazıl. Because the positions he made in Zap are still used today. On this occasion, I respectfully commemorate the immortal commander Heval Fazıl. Thousands of Kurdistan guerrillas are following in the footsteps of heval Fazil with a self-sacrificing spirit and are resisting in all areas of Kurdistan.
There is a breathless war between us and the invading Turkish state. Kurdish, revolutionary, socialist politicians, all forces against injustice and fascism, especially our people, should not forget that the guerrilla occupied every place, especially Syria, Iraq, Libya, and nobody said, “Stop, you have no right to do this, what are you doing”. is displaying a great resistance against the fascist Turkish state. What would a power that set fire to and burn its own soldiers do to the Kurdish people and the guerrilla? Let it be known that we are fighting against such a barbaric power. Of course, we had made our preparations against such an enemy, devoid of humanity and morality. That’s why they didn’t get results. The resistance that has continued for 8 years along the lines of Rêber Apo and the martyrs will win.
Another pillar of war is propaganda. For us, war also has a morality. Both our commanders and our movement take the international morality of war into consideration. That is what is true. This is how we fight and propagate. But the Turkish state is not like that, it is an immoral state that does not recognize the law of war. Every day they make a statement that “we have brought the end of the guerrilla”, but HPG and YJA Star have given the biggest answer to the enemy with their annual regular meeting. Even holding a meeting attended by our entire command level in such a panting war is an achievement in itself.
Undoubtedly, we had a very difficult year. Without the PKK, HPG and YJA Star’s self-defense guerrillas, neither reason nor will could have resisted such a brutal enemy. Therefore, the meeting is also historical. Because Süleyman Soylu used to say that they cannot come together every day, they cannot leave their shelters, we do not allow them to breathe, but against this, friends, the Command Council held such a meeting. He made the necessary decisions. We thank our friends and wish them success. At the same time, the invading Turkish state’s lies were answered.
There is an economic crisis in Turkey right now. Even the government is talking about the economic crisis, but no one talks about the source of this crisis. Although the cause of the crisis is the war budget used against the Kurdish people, why are different reasons mentioned? Why is no one talking about the real reason?
Who can express or criticize this truth against the AKP-MHP fascist government? Every day we witness what kind of oppression there is, they arrest people and torture them. In other words, they block the way for discussion and criticism. Those who speak and argue in Turkish society are also speaking at the price. Of course, there are those who discuss and talk about AKP’s war policies, they are doing something important. Turkey’s economy is in a state of crisis not only today but since the past. The reason for this is the war waged against the Kurdish people and the guerrilla. They never really tell the public about their budget for the war. Once, Erdogan mistakenly said, “Do you know how much a bullet costs?” But they do not tell the real reason of the crisis and hunger. Because they don’t want a single person to say why we are fighting. They’re getting ahead of it. They are already waging a special war. They are using all their resources in this war. They owe everyone. The bombs, planes and bullets they use daily in Zap alone cost a lot of money. It is impossible for this war not to have an impact on the Turkish economy.
They are making the Turkish society pay for this war. The Turkish society should know that this war is the cause of so much poverty, hunger and economic crisis. The society has no interest in this war, but the bill is paid to the society. The Turkish state spends hundreds of millions of dollars on its war with us. They said it themselves a few times; If this war had not existed, the Turkish economy would have been 50 times better than it is today. It’s not just about economic resources, but wherever there is a poor person, an unconscious, poor person who doesn’t know why he went to the military, it drags him to war.
According to the balance sheets given by HPG; About 2,000 soldiers died last year. These are just the known ones. But beware, no one asks why so many of us have died. They dare not. Those who do not speak out for their lives, for their rights, for their economic situation cannot question whether Turkey’s economy has sunk or not. Of course, the AKP-MHP government constantly says, “We are mobilizing everything for the country, for the nation, so that the country does not fall apart,” but neither Erdogan’s son nor anyone around him died in the military or came to serve in the mountains of Kurdistan. But they are sending Turkish society to death.
On the other hand, what was the economic situation of Erdogan and his family when he first came to the government, and how is it now? Everyone says there is a world of difference. They are like a company, a holding, with their surroundings, so they are inseparable from each other. No one can speak because they all had a hand in this theft. Therefore, neither the government nor its environment are interested in Turkey’s economy. Everyone should know that due to the war they waged against us, Turkey’s economy has sunk so much that it is in such a deep crisis that it is impossible to get out of it.
April 24 is the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Many peoples lived together in these lands for centuries, but the Armenian people were subjected to genocide because of the fascist Union and Progress mentality. Today, the AKP-MHP, the continuation of that fascist mentality, is carrying out a cultural and political genocide against the Kurdish people. What message would you like to give on the occasion of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide?
First of all, I condemn this genocide against the Armenian community. The history of the Turkish state is the history of genocide. They massacred them, whoever was not a slave, Kurdish, Alevi, Armenian or Greek. And the Republic was founded on this. Only in the 20th century, 600 thousand people from Maraş, Adıyaman region lost their lives from the disease, the rest were subjected to genocide, and those who saved their lives had to flee. It is such a cruel state. The same mentality continues today. They say, “We have already massacred the Armenian society, the Kurdish society remained”. Keep the courts, the army, the security; In other words, Erdogan-Bahçeli, who has seized everything in the name of the state, is trying to break the will of the PKK and the Kurdish people, and to make the Kurdish society live the same as they did to the Armenian community.
In the worst case, they set targets such as making the Kurdish people accept slavery. But they also know that it is not possible to destroy the PKK, the guerrilla and the Kurdish people. On the contrary, we have brought the end of the AKP’s 20-year rule. It’s the end of them. This is one of the reasons why they attack so brutally. So no matter what they do, they can no longer stay in power. They have no arguments. Let them say “we will fix the economy, we will bring democracy” as much as they want. Not possible. They have only one argument that they put gum in their mouths; ‘We will end the PKK, we will destroy it.’ They want to create such a psychology in society, to make themselves accepted in the international arena and to use international opportunities. They are experts in genocide of peoples and destroying identities, but I believe that the end has come.
There are discussions on the solution of the Kurdish issue and other problems on the agenda of the elections to be held on 14 May in Turkey and Bakur. How do you evaluate these discussions about the elections?
Everyone says this election is different, not like past elections. It is even called the most important election of the 100-year-old Turkish Republic. Such an important choice. Why is this election so important? AKP-MHP fascism affects everyone except them. That’s why everyone who isn’t AKP-MHP is against them. If you notice, this was also the case in World War II. Even the Soviets, America and Europe formed the front of democratic resistance against Hitler, Mussolini, Franco fascism. However, each one was different. The same is true for Türkiye right now. Erdogan-Bahceli opposes everything and anyone that is outside their interests. Sometimes they say, PKK, IYI Party are in the same place. We are against fascism. They say they are against it now. If they were not such pure fascists, not everyone would have taken such an attitude. AKP-MHP fascism is at this level.
At the moment, the subject of the elections is whether they can bring the end of this power in a democratic way or will they not? Democratic politics, politicians and other parties want to get results in the elections, bring an end to this fascism and return to the parliamentary system. I should also point out that the parliamentary system does not mean a completely democratic system either. The content is important, but what matters now is the destruction of this fascism. For this reason, the Nation Alliance and the Labor and Democracy Alliance were established in the elections. The truth is that 20 years of AKP fascism will be destroyed. The overthrow of AKP-MHP fascism will start a new process in Türkiye and Kurdistan. From where? Because many things have been tried. They attacked the Kurdish people, PKK, democratic forces and institutions with cruelty, immoral and inhumane methods. But in the end, fascism was defeated. In other words, those who will come to power should not repeat the same things. There is a suitable atmosphere for the democratization of society and politics against fascism and for solving problems. If the AKP-MHP fascism is destroyed in these elections, then it will be a milestone for everyone. For people who will be before and after the election. That’s why these elections are so important.
How do you evaluate the work of the Labor and Democracy Alliance?
Missing for choices. Because every hour, every second is very important. Let no one be complacent. The possibilities of the state are many and now AKP-MHP is the state. There is a lot of play in the Turkish state, they can do anything. They already believe that by playing some games, they will change the situation and win for sure. This issue is too serious to be taken lightly. But more serious than that is working much harder. For example, we watch on television, there is a great interest in the Alliance for Labor and Democracy, they are greeted with enthusiasm everywhere. This society has been under great pressure for 8 years, they do not even allow anyone to breathe. Therefore, during the election process, one should go from street to street, neighborhood to neighborhood, house to house, door to door. But it is a great danger for them to disperse only with slogans and dances after the opening of the offices and to say that they have carried out this work. On the contrary, they should be working 24 hours a day. For example, women should say how many houses, how many villages, how many neighborhoods have we visited today. Again, young people should flow into villages, towns and cities 24 hours a day. So it’s not just about office openings.
Of course there is faith, motivation, self-confidence; This is an important and good thing. But it is limited. There is nothing good to talk about about the AKP anyway. They can say anything. But they can also speak the truth. There is also ground for strong propaganda and agitation for this. Again, they should reach everyone in the society. There will be tribes, there will be people of different faiths, there should be no one they can’t reach. When you tell someone who is a human about the evils of AKP-MHP, it is impossible not to be affected by that person. But as I said, work should be carried out for this. This is our recommendation. Of course, the Labor and Democracy Alliance is also discussing them. If you have noticed, there is no excitement in the AKP in these elections. Erdogan is not what it used to be. It should be used well. As I said, the Labor and Democracy Alliance should be more active.
One week later, May 1st is Workers Day. What is the significance of May 1 this year for Türkiye and Bakur? What is your May 1 message?
May is important for the world because of May 1, but it has a special place in our party. We commemorate the Martyrs of May in the person of Haki Karer and Halil Çavgun.
May 1 is Workers Day. Today is a day won with hard work, struggle and price. It is an honorable day. I congratulate everyone’s May 1st in advance, and I commemorate the May martyrs with respect. I also gratefully commemorate the martyrs who were killed in 1978 in Istanbul during the 1 May celebrations, and I condemn the invading Turkish state. As I said, May is the month of martyrs for us. The martyrs of May 1, Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan were executed on May 6, and the Leader was assassinated on May 6, 1996. As it is known, heval Zîlan carried out the first bodyguard action in the history of our movement against the conspiracy. So, in every sense, May is an important month. May 1 is resistance, it was obtained by paying a price. It is a day when all workers around the world take a stand against injustice, exploitation of labor and oppression and decide their future together.
This year, May 1 has a different meaning for Türkiye and Bakure Kurdistan. It is related to the process we are in. There will be an election soon. As important as the elections are, this year’s May 1 is just as important. May 1 has an impact on both Turkish politics and elections. All workers, women, youth and forces of democracy should make sense of May 1 as the day of resistance and celebrate it everywhere in a massive way. The most affected by fascism are the workers. Because their work is stolen. For this reason, all workers and young people should celebrate May 1 with the spirit of the seas with determination and morale.
