PKK held 11th congress

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) held its 11th congress in the guerrilla-controlled Media Defense Areas (MDA) on 5-13 September. The “victory and final congress” for the freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and the Kurdish people was attended by 125 delegates coming from abroad and four parts of Kurdistan. The Central Committee of the PKK has released a declaration on the outcomes of the eight-day congress which has taken place with one year delay due to the environment of fierce clashes in 2012.

The PKK Committee said that the congress handled the recent political, ideological and organizational situation in the world, Middle East, Turkey and Kurdistan, and witnessed detailed debates and significant decisions, as well as legislation and program changes. PKK said the dominant capitalist modernity has caused severe social problems worldwide in the first quarter of the 21st century because of its failure to offer solutions to these problems on the basis of democracy, freedom and equality.

PKK said the five thousand year old statist system is collapsing today in the body of capitalist modernity, adding that; "The replacement of old statist policies and practices with new ones will however offer no solution to any problem. Democratic confederalism which is predicated on democratic society will once again claim its place in history as the only alternative solution and also pave the way for democratic socialism against repression and exploitation".

Pointing out that it is capitalist modernist imperialist powers and status quoist centers of power that peoples of the Middle East are rising against today, PKK said these illegitimate powers offered no solution by supporting new statist governments made up of sectarianism and nationalism. PKK underlined that “The current political situation and state of affairs in the Middle East make the course of leader Apo (Öcalan) the only alternative for the formation of a democratic society on the basis of an anti-capitalist confederal structure that embraces all ethnic, religious and social circles. As has been seen in Syria and Rojava, this third course stands as the only alternative policy to lead up to a solution”.

PKK highlighted that it was the 40 year old struggle of the Kurdish liberation movement that has enabled Kurds to gain this much strength and to become determinant in the course of political developments in the Middle East, and brought them closer to the point of building a free and democratic life in all four parts of Kurdistan today.

PKK underlined that it was not external powers but the self strength of Kurdish and all other peoples in the Middle East that would lead them to a free and democratic life. PKK evaluated the Rojava revolution which began in July 2012 as the practice of leader Apo's alternative, remarking that the revolution in western Kurdistan would also pave the way for the democratization of Syria and the Middle East.

“The Kurdish movement has done what was necessary in line with the democratic resolution process led by Kurdish leader Öcalan and established an environment enabling the Turkish government to take steps for the achievement of democracy in Turkey and a solution to the Kurdish question”, PKK said and pointed out that the AKP government's irresponsible attitude towards the process, hostility against the Rojava Revolution and wasting the steps of the Kurdish side forced the Kurdish movement to halt the withdrawal of Kurdish guerrillas from Turkey to southern Kurdistan.

PKK said that the primary goal of the Kurdish liberation movement for the coming term would be to build a common struggle and organization among peoples in four parts of Kurdistan with an aim to enhance the fight for democracy and freedom. The PKK Committee also called attention to the importance of ensuring a unity among Kurds and the realisation of the Kurdish national conference as a concrete manifestation of this unity. The party underlined that women and youth, as well as the oppressed circles, would be the leading actors in the construction of democratic socialism on the basis of democratic confederalism.

PKK called on Kurdish people to unite under the leadership of the party and to enhance the struggle for victory in all areas of struggle. PKK also called for solidarity from all peoples in the Middle East in its fight for democracy, freedom and socialism against exploitative and capitalist modernist hegemonic powers.

Source: ANF - BEHDINAN 18.09.2013