QENDIL, — Mohamaed Reza Eskenderi a journalist from Kurdane News Agency conducted an interview with Rewar Abdanan a member of General Assembly of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK). The interview is as follow:
Question: what part of Kurdistan are you from and what’s your responsibility in PJAK?
Answer: I am Rewar Abdanan from the city of Abdanan in Ilam province. I am a member of PJAK’s General Assembly.
Q: In the Kurdish classical political parties, the Kurds from southern provinces of East Kurdistan had not occupied senior positions. Within PJAK, the Kurds from Kirmashan, Lorestan and Ilam can occupy leading position?
A: within the classical politics, the southern Kurds had not such roles because the Kurdish issue was often seen from centralist and religious prospective. The southern parts of East Kurdistan were pushed to periphery, and some political parties didn’t even regard them as Kurds. Such a view, which was denoting a centralist mentality, could still be seen. But within PJAK’s ranks we have members from all parts of Kurdistan. Nonetheless the criterion for management is not geographical locations. From our perspective, management denotes further responsibilities. Hence, it is not about name and status. Currently there are members from Kirmashan, Ilam, Lorestan and even non-Kurdish people who work within our organisation. PJAK managed to dismantle the regionalism perspective. The paradigm of Democratic Con-federalism is about accommodating all the different national, linguistic and religious elements. Nobody is cast aside, nobody is superior; we have numbers of martyrs from Ilam and Kirmashan such as Hani Ilami and Shahin Dalaho.
Q: the leaders of the Kurdish classical parties believe that PJAK can’t be a party from East Kurdistan because the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) has established it and financially supporting it. How can you answer this?
A: our philosophy is the philosophy of Leader Apo (Abdullah Ocalan), this is our joint point with the PKK. We also have a good relationship with this party, because it has a right and national position in regard to the other parts of Kurdistan. Nevertheless PJAK has its own background and distinct contextual emergence. By the way, as a Kurd from south of East Kurdistan, I would be delighted if a party from different part of Kurdistan would have come to settle our fellow citizens within a Kurdish politics regardless of their dialectic and religious differences. Unfortunately only PJAK and the PKK hold this paradigm and treat the Kelhor, Lor, Lek, Shiite and Yarsan Kurds without any prejudice. In my opinion, only those partries who can accept the pluralist and multicultural Kurdistan, can lay claim to be a Kurdistani party.
In this regard PJAK has a deep and all-inclusive policy. The reason for propagation against our party is that we have questioned the classical approach and policies. We broke the taboos in this respect. Certain political parties want to hold the monopoly of politics in their own hands. But the Kurdish society would not accept that. The establishment of PJAK was in fact a rejecting response the Kurdish society gave to the classical approach. This is our society’s right to pursue democratic and modern politics. Hence the labels of “none-authentic”, or not belonging to East Kurdistan [assigned on PJAK] denote non-democratic mentalities of such individuals and groups. I think this is time that these groups should withdraw such approaches and locate themselves within the process of democratisation. But the first step is to change that mentality. Above all our relation with the PKK has not pacified us, but the relation that some parties have with the other parties and with the states has pacifies them. They should be asked as to whether our relations have served the Kurdish people or theirs?
Q: what kind of social bases PJAK has inside Iran?
A: PJAK see the organisation of the masses as its top priority. From our prospective, democracy is self-management, the only way for the realisation of democracy is the participation of the masses in the politics. Despite the regime’s oppressive policies, PJAK has managed to put roots among the Kurdish society. Organising of the youths and women is our first priority. We don’t think of the current level as enough though. Our effort is to build a democratic and open society. Free civil society is also a necessary step. Due to the fact that we are dealing with dictatorial regime, a segment of our policy is dedicated to self-defence. The embracement of the people is increasing successively and by adapting a critical stance we try to find answers. We try to find answers by via our dedicated cadres who have created democratic and free personality in themselves. We still have long way to ago, but we are determined.
Q: What lesson the preceding war had for your party?
(1). Our capability for legitimate self-defence which is democratic politics was proved. If you are incapable of safeguarding yourself against a despotic regime, you are doomed to die. This is what many groups had experienced in the past.
(2). Our persistence on a democratic and peaceful solution was exposed, because with the mediation of KCK and number of other circles in south Kurdistan, we declared a ceasefire and adapted a democratic way.
Q: Are Iranian and Turkish regime capable of conquering Qendil Mountains?
A: No, they have tried few times, but have not been able. Iranian regime equipped with the all-ranging weaponries attacked us but suffered a heavy blow. We are ready for any possible offensive.
Q: In relation to Casusan Hill in Serdesht, until the PKK didn’t declare that they have left this area, and handed over to the Iranian region with no fighting, PJAK rejected that Revolution Guards were in Casusan, why?
A: During the ceasefire, we declared that we had submitted Casusan Hill to the HPG forces. We followed suit in the second battle too. The leaving of the Hill was carried out by the KCK and then Revolution Guards replaced. During the battle the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps could not conquer a single inch of the Hill, and it also suffered heavy blow. We did not have any exchange with Iran.
Q: who from your party negotiated with the regime for the ceasefire?
A: we haven’t had any form of direct negotiation with the regime. The mediators spoke with both sides. They asked for ceasefire, and we evaluated it. Then we saw it in line with the interest of the Kurdish people, since it might open way for a peaceful solution.
Q: when the ceasefire would be violated from your side and what would you do if you break it?
A: Up till now, the ceasefire has not been violated and no attack aiming to breaking it has been launched. The legitimate self-defence advocated by us, is not a tactical policy; we see it as strategic. Had Iran persist on the policy of violence and hostility, with no doubt we pursue this policy [self-defence].
Q: Democrat and Komele supporters claim that the recent military success over the Iranian regime was not PJAK’s feat, but a PKK’s attainment, since PJAK is not a “thing”. What do you think of this?
A: as long as they admit that it was a victory for the Kurds over one of the occupying powers of Kurdistan, this would be positive issue. But some people, who were speaking only in the interest of the foes of the Kurds, were saying that the war was in the interest of the Islamic Revolution Guards, not of the Kurdish nation. It should be noted that this was the will-power of the Kurdish nation who defeated the Iranian militaries in Qendil, because the guerrillas of PJAK safeguarded Qendil Mountains in front of the world, hence they are the legitimate representative of the Kurdish people.
Q: In your opinion, would a Kurdish front without PJAK be successful?
A: PJAK has proved that it pioneers freedom and democracy in East Kurdistan and Iran. It has shown its capability for such a task. It has the power and adequate project for it. It has many times called for the creation of such a front. In our opinion; our approach, our capability in the areas of democratic politics, and our social network well indicate that PJAK has its own status among the Kurds, hence, in the creation of such a front and to promote the joint objectives of the institution working for democracy, PJAK can play a pioneering role.
The Persian version of the interview can be seen in this link: