People’s Congress of Kurdistan (Kongra-Gel) held its 9th
General Assembly in the Media Defense Areas between the 30 June – 5 July 2013.
The congress which was participated by 162 delegates
from abroad and four parts of Kurdistan witnessed the determination of the
policies to be followed in the coming term, as well as significant decisions
about the democratic solution process and the building of democratic autonomy
from the bottom.
The assembly, held under the slogan "building
democratic nation and free life" was dedicated to Sakine Cansız, a
co-founder of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Fidan Doğan, representative of
the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) in Paris, and Leyla Şaylemez, member of
the Kurdish youth movement, who were brutally executed in Paris on 9 January
2013. Delegates also remembered all "revolutionary martyrs" in the
person of Kurdish militant Zeynep Kınacı and the victims of the Sivas massacre
who burned to death on 2 July 1993.
The General Assembly re-elected Kurdish leader Abdullah
Öcalan as the President of the KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) with the
majority of votes, also changing the management cadre of Kongra Gel and KCK
Executive Council Presidency, switching to co-chair system. The Assembly
elected Cemil Bayık and Besê Hozat as the co-chairs of the KCK, and Hacer
Zagros and Remzi Kartal as the co-chairs of the KONGRA GEL. Delegates also
elected four deputy co-chairs for both organs, two female and two male, abiding
by the gender equality principle of all Kurdish organizations and structures.
The congress ended with a series of decisions, including
to rapidly form and spread academies as well as communal and cooperative
assemblies as the basic organs of the KCK system, to lead works for democratic
nation building on the basis of democratic con-federalism, to ensure the
organization of democratic autonomy from the bottom and to keep the democratic
solution process going despite the AKP government. In the final press release,
published today, Kongra Gel said that the congress handled the political and
social outcomes of the public struggles that emerged in Tunisia in 2011, later
spread to Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen and has eventually turned to a civil war in
Syria.
In this respect, the congress said that, "The
western imperialist powers, local status-quoist and pro-government powers in
the Middle East will no more be able to rule and control the people, nor will
they be an answer to people's demands of democracy and freedom. Between these
figures is a conflict of powers that will bring nothing new to the people. The
third line Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan has developed for true
freedom and democracy is the single alternative to be realised for the benefit
of the region's peoples. In this respect, Kurdish people are the leading power
of global democracy against global capitalism. The revolution in Rojava Kurdistan
will set an example for the achievement of democratization in Syria and the
Middle East".
Referring to the developments that have taken place
since the historic call by Öcalan on 21 March, Kongra Gel remarked that the
first stage of the resolution process has been completed, and that it was time
for the Turkish state and government to take concrete steps and make the
required legal arrangements for the second stage of the process.
Kongra Gel criticized the AKP government for the ongoing
construction of new military posts and dams, the increase in the number of
village guards being employed, and failing to ensure a connection between
Öcalan and democratic circles. Remarking that all these points raised doubts
about the process and created the risk of a deadlock, Kongra Gel warned that
the responsibility will belong to the AKP government in the event of the
interruption of the ongoing process. Kongra Gel remarked that the Kurdish
movement and people have fulfilled their responsibilities for the accomplishment
of the democratic solution process, and added that they will continue to abide
by Öcalan's declaration. Kongra Gel added that they were also prepared to give
any struggle taking account of AKP government's war preparations and every
possibility. The congress also made a number of decisions for the development
of Kurdish language and culture against cultural assimilation.
Kongra Gel called attention to the recently increasing
attacks against Kurdish people in four parts of Kurdistan, mainly in Rojava,
and agreed on multiplying self defense powers in order to guarantee the Kurdish
national presence in all parts, and strengthening the educational and technical
capacity to a level strong enough to respond to all kinds of attacks. One of
the major decisions made at the congress has been to support the democratic
autonomy being built in Rojava. Kongra Gel underlined that the Rojava
revolution could become the leading power in Syria's and Middle East's
democratization by being proceeded to an upper stage.
Kongra Gel remarked that the struggle of the Kurdish
movement aimed to achieve freedom for not only Kurds but also all oppressed
peoples, different beliefs and ethnic groups. The congress described the Alewi
community as one of the basic democracy powers in Turkey, remarking that the
Kurdish movement has always supported and stood by the liberation of the Alewi
community and their being granted with their own belief and culture. Kongra Gel
called on the Alewi community to take part in the democracy powers within the
Kurdish liberation movement.
"Kurdistan is the common land of the democratic
nation of all communities including Kurds, Ezidis, Armenians, Assyrians, Arabs,
Greeks Turkmens and many other ethnic and religious groups", it said and
called on everyone to take part in the democracy struggle in order for the
achievement of a fraternal life, a solution to the Kurdish question and
Turkey's democratization.
Source: ANF - BEHDINAN 10-07-2013
