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 People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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 PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN. 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.
Murat Karayılan, the former leader of the KCK Executive Council Presidency, has been appointed as the new leader of People’s Defense Forces (HPG).
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, People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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 and 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, People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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.
People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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, People’s Congress of Kurdistan warned that the responsibility will belong to the AKP government in the event of the interruption of the ongoing process.
People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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.
People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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.
People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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. People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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.
People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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. People’s Congress of Kurdistan 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.
Firat News Agency