On 10th and 11th of March 2020, PJAK held the sixth Congress of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) on mountains of Kurdistan with the slogan of “with establishing a democratic nation, toward democratic union of nations in Iran.” During these two days, the Congress discussed the PJAK’s struggle for the past three years. A constructive discussion within the framework and guidance of leader Apo was held to overcome the current challenges. While offering self-criticism to our nation for the weaknesses and faults that happened in the past three years, the Congress also formulated and offered the plan and projects of future struggle based on the paradigm of democratic modernity. Congress reviewed the institutions and committees and reorganized them based on the needs of the coming battles. Congress elected the members of the assembly of PJAK, which has 16 members, and with the majority of voters once again selected comrades Siyamand Moeini and Zilan Vejin for the second time as co-leaders of PJAK.
Holding the sixth Congress of PJAK, in such a historical period that we are witnessing fundamental and crucial changes in Kurdistan and the region, is an essential and valuable step. After 15 years from its establishment, PJAK held its sixth Congress utilizing the political and social experience gained in the period. We are determined to continue the struggle with the strength gained from thoughts of leader Apo, the resistance of martyrs, and guidance that came from analyzing our deeds in the past mixed with the prediction of events. This process has brought some significant results with itself, which adds to our struggle.
Congress evaluated the political situation of the world, the region, and the events that happened in the Middle East from different perspectives. Based on that, the flow of events in the 21st century until now indicates the current century has many opportunities for the Kurdish nation, paving the way for significant changes. Now the Kurdish nation is not only an actor but also a famous director in the world’s current change field and the region due to the long history of resistance and struggle for freedom and the correct understanding of the current atmosphere of the world. Provided a politicized platform for politics and steps towards liberty and never became the carrier of policies of any sides. Besides this, the Kurdish nation has become the pioneer and symbol of establishing an alternative system of inefficient and rusty regimes of the region by improving its management and problem-solving abilities.
The totalitarian, centralism, and apartheid mentality in the system of the nation-state as the main building blocks of the global system persists in its existence. This system systematically attacks the nations of the region to strengthen its position with the aim of assimilation and physical and cultural annihilation. The problematic situation of the area depicts this reality. In contrast with this situation in the region, with pioneering of Kurdish nations at the regional and global levels, the culture of organized and empowered resistance is spreading among nations. With the growth of this culture, the global system’s crack will be wider day-by-day. This change also creates the ground for the growth of diversity and coexistence atmosphere. The global powers are witnessing the pioneering of the Kurdish nation. Under their green light, the occupiers of Kurdistan more than any other time aiming to eliminate Kurdish society and try to stop our achievements with genocide and looting.
The world powers have built their politics and projects on the basis and philosophy of neo-liberalism and are continually struggling to gain more. That is why they do not accept the existence of any other forces. The colonial and colonialist method of Europe based on the nation-state has lost its efficiency and is on the verge of collapsing. Government forces have used every means and opportunity to maintain their existence. In other words, world powers brought the Middle East to the forefront to preserve their continuity and have turned the conflict into proxy and direct wars in the region.
Emphasizing that the systematic corruption in Iran caused by the corrupt government and inefficient leadership is another reason for the regime’s weakening and deepening crisis, the Congress made it clear that the system is trying to cover up its inefficiencies and also reversing the issues. In different parts of Iran, the military mechanism and militarisation of the country is in its program.
Among these, we can mention the provinces such as Kurdistan, Khuzestan, and Balochistan, which have continuously deprived the society of their power and strength through executions, assassinations, and mass arrests. Thus, questions and discredits the regime’s lost legitimacy. The widespread boycott of the candidates of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts by the Iranian people is a clear sign of protest against the inadequacy of the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Although the current situation has created a poisonous atmosphere of repression, opposition to the system has become a daily and common issue. Voices of protest from women, youth, teachers, students, workers, farmers, employees, etc. have risen. All of them have started a widespread resistance and are ready side-by-side and step-by-step the battlefield. The region, especially Iran, needs grave change, and without fundamental change, it is impossible to create an active and stable democracy.
At the same time, we can observe the crisis of the regime’s inefficiency during Corona Crisis. The inability and irresponsibility of the Islamic State to deal with natural and unpredictable disasters and emergencies such as the earthquake, floods, and the Coronavirus have revealed how unstable the regime is to maintain society and ensure its health. The weakness of the regime’s administrative and service organizations in health, treatment, and the economy has had dire consequences, leading to the destruction of many human resources. These conditions indicate that the regime is just as cancerous as global capitalism and its central pillar, the nation-state, which is continually destroying society’s achievements by emphasizing fascism and dictatorship. It has become clear to everyone that the world we live in now needs more than ever, cohabitation with the paradigm of a democratic, ecological society based on women’s freedom.
The current state of the world requires a self-governing system based on the vital force of society and far from the nation-state order. In this context, nations and communities should determine their way of life, progress and flourish, and re-establish the balance between nature and society. The struggle and civic activities carried out voluntarily by civil society organizations in the face of recent natural disasters such as the Kermanshah earthquake, the floods in Lorestan, and East Kurdistan, as well as the Corona crisis, are a report on the strength of nations and people of Iran. In terms of self-governing, these achievements can be considered as a symbol of abandonment of the state method. This fact proves our view of the project of self-management of nations. These activities of our people and other ethnic groups in Iran were our hope and inspiration during the Congress.
The Kurdish People’s Liberation Struggle with the PJAK Pioneer in East Kurdistan is carrying a remarkable and successful test to find a solution to the Kurdish question and the Iranian people’s questions for creating a democratic society
Many of our comrades sacrificed lives, and hundreds are still struggling in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. During 15 years of struggle, we stayed open-minded in finding a solution for the Kurdish question and looked at the issue from all dimensions. We proposed a practical and functional solutional project for the Eastern Kurdistan and Iran that is not constraint by time. It is an outcome of extensive researches and studies.
As a result of our struggle and resistance to this stage, a new form of resistance has shaped. It has contested the classic view of the nation-state and sovereignty. Struggle for achieving a systematic solution in which stabled by the intrinsic power is undeniable. The unity of our nation during the most adverse time and their struggle that we have been obvious, indicating that Kurdish people would support the PJAK projects and solutions. The people’s resistance becomes our support, courage, and our will power in the struggle. It also continuedly motivate us towards our activities in every place and position. It is necessary to mention that we talked about all the criticisms and suggestions that came from our nation in this Congress. They became our guide for a better future struggle. We believe that we can take a more powerful step in our struggle by criticizing our weakness and deficiency in the management of programs and organizations. For this reason, we reviewed the work of all committees and organizations in PJAK. The committees have been reorganized to increase effectiveness within the organization. In PJAK’s sixth conference, the struggle for the liberation of Rojhelat and the democratization of Iran underpinned again as the fundamental aims. To establish a Democratic Nation, PJAK has drawn its strategy based on three main pillars; developing a democratic politics, enhancing the national unity among the Kurds, and establishing a democratic union among all nations in Iran. Based on this principle, and according to analysis and debates that we have done, the conference announces the following points
1- To break the isolation imposed on the leader Apo in the Imrali prison, PJAK will strive vigorously in Kurdistan, the Middle East, and globally. To free the leader Apo, it will continue to its struggle with all its power. It perceives any sort of conduct toward leader Apo as an offense towards the will and the existence of the Kurdish nation. Therefore, it will respond appropriately. PJAK adopts the paradigm and project of Democratic Confederalism and Democratic Nation, which has been proposed by leader Apo. To accomplish them, it will deploy all its power and ability.
2- PJAK considers establishing a self-governing of Democratic Nations as an emancipation of the current crisis. On this bases, it is ready to coordinate with all other parties and powers based on mutual respect and interests in a third way. PJAK strives and struggles seriously to eliminate all difficulties and obstacles on the path to solve the Kurdish question, and to depart from the regional crisis. Without a doubt, PJAK fulfills a pioneering role in the domain of democratic politics both ideologically and politically.
3- For a democratic solution for Kurds in Rojhelat and for democratizing Iran, PJAK takes the national unity and the unity of the nation as a principle. For this reason, it prepared a precise and clear programs and project. It sees organizing society as its duty and responsibility. To strengthen cohesiveness, PJAK will cooperate comprehensively with all spectrums of society.
4- PJAK puts the national unity of our people at the center of its struggles and performs its duties in every field to create a united front against the occupiers’ attacks on Kurdish people and Kurdistan. In this regard, the organization considers itself responsible for carrying out the Kurdish People’s National Unity project.
5. To achieve national cohesion and unity in line with political parties and social spectrums. PJAK will collaborate with representatives of women, youth, workers, teachers, guilds, social trustees, religious leaders, artists, and intellectuals in East Kurdistan to create a powerful force.
6- To advance the democratic policy and establish a democratic front, PJAK is ready to unite and collaborate with all social and cultural variations of people in Iran.
7- PJAK considers the struggle for women’s freedom as the basis of its paradigm. Women’s will and equal participation will be the basis of its idealogy in all fields of social activism. There will be powerful countermeasures and struggles against social sexism to remove mental and structural barriers and enable women to participate in the realms of democratic politics.
8- To remove the mentality of old-fashioned centralism, youth must have the opportunity to take pioneer and scout roles in society. PJAK emphasizes participation, organization, and creation of a platform, enabling the young generations to express themselves in all social and political spheres, especially in the field of democratic politics.
9. In a situation where the Kurds and other people of Iran are facing various physical and cultural invasions, we insist on a legitimate defense approach in our fight against occupation, oppression, and discrimination by maintaining our previous positions, and we will be accountable within this framework.
10. A large part of the problems in East Kurdistan and Iran is the result of the authorities’ inadequacy and the lack of a clear policy regarding the environment. Understanding the current environmental disaster, PJAK is putting effort into educating and organizing society to counter the Islamic Republic’s destructive policies in the field of ecology.
In the end, we express that PJAK continues to fight persistently for finding a democratic solution to unite the Iranian people. It is necessary to present the revolutionary spirit with all its organizational strength and aim for achieving victory by addressing its shortcomings in the methods of struggle in East Kurdistan. PJAK congratulates the sixth Congress to leader Apo, the martyrs, Kurds, other peoples of Iran, women, youth, political prisoners, the families of the martyrs, and all freedom fighters and truth seekers. We also call on all sections of society and democratic forces to be on the democratic front to break any occupation, oppression, and fascism and to participate in the struggle under a self-organized and robust organization with a revolutionary spirit.
Long Live Leader Apo
Long Live Kurd and Kurdistan
Long Live Freedom and Democracy
Long Live Unity of Iranian People
Down with Dictatorship and Fascism
Down with Occupiers
With revolutionary regards,
02/06/2020