Gülçin Gever, a delegate at the 12th Congress of the PKK, stated that the initiative launched under the leadership of Abdullah Öcalan is a new hope, adding, “The principles and standards of the PKK will continue to guide our struggle.”
ANF
BEHDINAN
Friday, 23 May 2025
Gülçin Gever, a delegate at the PKK's 12th Extraordinary Congress, spoke about the decision to dissolve its armed structure and end its military struggle. Gülçin Gever stated that this decision was not the end, and that their goal was to lead the way for an equal and free society based on the paradigm of Abdullah Öcalan.
‘Every stage of the PKK has been filled with great excitement’
Emphasizing that the congress was held under extraordinary circumstances, Gever said the following: "Undoubtedly, just as the 1st Congress was of great importance in the history of the Kurdish people, the 12th Congress was held with the same excitement, the same hope, and the same feelings. The decision to dissolve the PKK was made at the congress. Undoubtedly, every process and every stage of the PKK has been filled with great excitement. When the PKK was founded in 1978, there was great excitement, enthusiasm, and morale, and at the same time, the Kurdish people's hopes for the future blossomed at that congress. At the congress where the PKK was dissolved, these hopes grew even more within the paradigm of Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan).
Leader Apo has been working hard for 52 years, as have thousands of our friends, for the freedom of the Kurdish people and the people of the Middle East. Today, with the dissolution of the PKK, these efforts and this paradigm are no longer limited to Kurdistan, but have become universal. This is undoubtedly a source of great excitement and hope for every member of the PKK.
‘Leader Öcalan’s ideas and paradigm have become universal’
The PKK started out for the identity and freedom of the Kurdish people and Kurdish women, but with each passing year, Leader Apo's ideas and paradigm have become more universal. With the dissolution of the PKK, actually a new era is beginning for the PKK. Under the leadership of women, a new era is beginning for Kurdish women, for women in the Middle East, and for women around the world. Actually, we should have reached this stage much earlier. This is a matter of self-criticism for us. However, the conditions we find ourselves in and the reality of the enemy prevented us from entering this stage of change and transformation earlier. This is a matter that requires self-criticism before the leader and those who have paid the price for 52 years. But now is the time for this change and transformation. Every comrade, especially those participating in this congress, has embraced this process with determination, confidence, and self-criticism.”
‘The principles and standards of the PKK will continue to guide our struggle’
Remarking that the Kurdish Freedom Movement made great sacrifices to reach this point, Gülçin Gever continued: "Our goal is to lead the way toward a democratic, equal, and free society in Kurdistan, Turkey, the entire Middle East, and the world, based on the paradigm of Leader Apo. The gains we have achieved so far must not be limited to Kurdistan but must spread throughout the world. We can say with confidence that the paradigm of Leader Öcalan, the initiative launched under his leadership, is a new hope and a bright future not only for us but for the whole world. This process is not an end; the PKK is being dissolved, but the principles and standards of the PKK will continue to guide our struggle. Leader Apo's ideas inspire and give hope to people. We aim to fulfill our duties and the role that falls upon us to ensure that our society leads a moral, political, equal, and democratic life in the coming period.
‘We paid a heavy price to reach this point’
Undoubtedly, this process did not come about easily. We paid a heavy price to reach this point, losing 45,000 martyrs. Our congress is also dedicated to the martyrs. Two of these martyrs are comrade Fuat, who participated in the PKK's 1st Congress and was one of its founders, and comrade Rıza Altun. On the occasion of the PKK's 12th Congress, I pay tribute to all the martyrs of the freedom struggle in the person of these comrades and bow before their sacrifices with respect.
Rêber Apo always says that the freedom of society lies in the freedom of women. For this reason, he created the women's freedom paradigm. In this sense, we women owe a debt to Leader Apo. The universalization of our revolution was also achieved thanks to his efforts. For this reason, we wholeheartedly congratulate the 12th Congress of the PKK, especially Leader Apo, and all our people, as well as our comrades who are still fighting on the front lines against the enemy under these difficult conditions. We wish everyone success.”
Tekoşin Cudi: The PKK is a spirit and will never end
Tekoşin Cudi, a delegate to the 12th Extraordinary Congress of the PKK, stated that the PKK is a spirit and will never end, saying, “As militants of Leader Öcalan, we will continue our struggle for a life where all peoples can live together.”
ANF
BEHDINAN
Friday, 23 May 2025, 14:18
Tekoşîn Cudi, one of the delegates at the PKK's 12th Extraordinary Congress, stated that the PKK, which has been fighting relentlessly for 52 years, has played an important role in the history of Kurdistan.
Remarking that the PKK has ended the denial of the Kurds and Kurdistan, Tekoşîn Cudi continued: "First of all, I send my greetings, love, and longing to Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), and I congratulate the 12th Congress of the PKK. I remember with gratitude Comrade Fuat, Comrade Rıza, and Comrade Sırrı Süreyya Önderi, the pioneer of the peace and democracy process who lost his life, and I bow with respect before the memory of all freedom martyrs in their persons. I greet all patriotic and freedom-loving people.
The PKK has been a light for everyone against darkness. For 52 years, it has waged a relentless struggle and fought a fierce war. Heavy sacrifices have been made, and martyrs have fallen. Leader Apo has pioneered the PKK’s reality and the struggle for freedom. For mental change and transformation, for the creation of a conscientious society, for the people to uphold their values, and for people to be freed from the clutches of fascism and a new life to be established, the Leader has fought relentlessly for 52 years. This struggle continues to this day, and Leader Apo is still at the forefront. As militants of Leader Apo, we will continue our struggle to achieve our goal and purpose, and to build a democratic, equal, and free life where all peoples can live together. The PKK has played a historic and significant role in this context for 52 years.
The PKK differs from all other movements in that it has established a women's army and a women's party. A society led by women is being built. Five thousand years ago, women's culture was destroyed by the patriarchal system and women were enslaved. Leader Apo found a way for women to fight and resist again. Thousands of women joined this revolution, thousands fought in the war, and thousands gave a part of their bodies, their children, their property, and their possessions for freedom. The PKK played a crucial role in the struggle led by women and in the awakening of women's consciousness. Therefore, I can say that the PKK is a spirit and will never end. The PKK is also culture and art.
The Kurdish people could not say they were Kurds, and the name Kurdistan could not be mentioned. The PKK put an end to this denial of the Kurds. Following the end of denial, women also broke the chains of slavery alongside the PKK. The mental revolution carried out by the leader created an awakening, conscience, and search for freedom among freedom-loving and democratic people. Today, as women are used as commodities in the capitalist system, all women must take ownership of their bodies, souls, and cultures. This is primarily the responsibility of women artists, because culture and art are created by women. The leader re-created women's culture with the establishment of the PKK.
That is why the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) actions in Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan, Iran) became known throughout the world, and all women embraced them. Just as Ayşe Şan and Meryem Xan confronted great difficulties and continued Kurdish traditions by speaking Kurdish, the leader embraced this. It started with Mizgîn, continued with Delîla and Berçem. These comrades reached the pinnacle within the PKK through their voices, their art, their colors, and their armed struggle. We will fulfill our duty with great responsibility to ensure that the light created by Leader Apo in everyone's hearts spreads throughout the world and never allows darkness and fascism to prevail.”
Çiğdem Doğu: We are not dissolving our values
Çiğdem Doğu said the PKK has created a moral and cultural legacy through its martyrs.
ANF
BEHDINAN
Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 07:50
Çiğdem Doğu, a member of the Executive Council of the Kurdistan Free Women’s Community (KJK), said that they will guarantee the continuation of the values created over 52 years in the strongest, truest, most beautiful, and most free form. She emphasized: "As militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and especially as comrades who took part in this congress, our responsibility is now even greater."
The 12th Congress of the PKK was held between 5 and 7 May in the Medya Defense Areas. The final declaration and decisions were shared with the public on 12 May. At the congress, Çiğdem Doğu began her remarks by saluting President Öcalan with respect, describing him as the one who wrote the PKK as an unending novel, both living and sustaining it, and by remembering the martyrs with gratitude.
Values form the foundation of the new era
Çiğdem Doğu said: "We are holding a congress to dissolve the PKK, but the PKK, along with its great martyrs, has created immense values. In fact, it has generated a profound sense of morality, a rich culture, and a philosophy of free life. Dissolving the PKK does not mean dissolving these values. These values are the foundation of the new phase we are entering, through renewal and restructuring. I want to clearly express that these great values and our heroic martyrs will always live on. The discussions we had during the congress and the determination that has emerged reflect this truth."
We have not been defeated
Çiğdem Doğu recalled that in his 27 February call, President Öcalan said: "Like every contemporary society that has not been forcibly destroyed or suppressed, you too must dissolve yourselves." She continued: "As we dissolve the PKK, we cannot adopt the narrative imposed by the enemy through special warfare tactics, such as ‘they were defeated,’ ‘they were eliminated,’ or ‘we will dissolve them.’ The Turkish state persistently frames this as a matter of defeat and victory. But we know very well that the dissolution of the PKK arises from a reality far beyond such a framework. We have not been defeated. The PKK is not dissolving itself after 52 years because it has been defeated."
A reality witnessed for the first time
Çiğdem Doğu said: "I want to emphasize this in particular. This congress is truly historic in every sense. As President Öcalan stated, this may be the only organization to have initiated a process of transformation and change by its own will, like every modern society. As far as I know, this is a reality being witnessed for the first time in the Middle East, perhaps in thousands of years. President Öcalan mentioned this in his recent perspectives, and it was also present in his earlier evaluations. The Middle East and Kurdistan have always lagged behind and lost because they failed to transform and restructure themselves in accordance with changing conditions. That is why it is so meaningful and valuable that we are holding this congress entirely of our own free will, not due to external pressure, coercion, or the enemy’s influence, but solely in line with President Öcalan’s instructions. I believe the outcomes will have regional implications. The PKK, by dissolving itself, is leading this process. And this must be regarded as one of President Öcalan’s greatest achievements."
The PKK has been like a mother to us all
Çiğdem Doğu said: "Undoubtedly, the reality of the PKK is like an unending novel. Within this novel are many elements that must be evaluated, examined, and understood. These will be analyzed more thoroughly by all of us in time. It is very important that we understand this moment correctly as we dissolve the organization. What exactly are we dissolving? And how will we continue from here? Speaking from my own path of development, I can say this: for years, we lived, worked, and grew with our comrades in the same organization. The PKK has been like a mother to all of us. Like a mother, it taught us how to speak, how to walk, how to relate to people, how to organize, how to defend ourselves, and how to fight. It taught us how to behave, how to love, how to respect, how to build friendships, how to be comrades. We learned and lived out moral values in the PKK that we never learned in our own families. The PKK taught us these things. And it wasn’t just the militants. These values were taught to people, to all peoples, but especially to women. It taught women how to live as themselves, how to recognize their inner strength, and how to express themselves. In the context of Kurdistan and the Middle East, these are truly miraculous developments. We may have become accustomed to them within the organization, and they may have become part of our culture and daily life. But in truth, they are miraculous."
It created the ethics of freedom
Çiğdem Doğu continued: "That is why we must deeply grasp this reality. The PKK created this morality. It created the ethics of freedom. It created the philosophy of freedom. It instilled in us the very essence of freedom. As far as I remember, President Öcalan’s first comprehensive critiques of socialism date back to 1987. His analyses on women and family also belong to that year. These correspond to the period of the Third Congress. In those evaluations, we see the emergence of something beyond traditional socialism. His approach to women, internationalism, his insistence that socialism must become universal rather than remain national, his approach to nature and to women, all of these were thoroughly addressed in 1987. It was in this spirit that our first women’s movement was founded after the Third Congress.
These were the early signs of going beyond real socialism, in both theory and practice. In the political report of the Fifth Congress, President Öcalan articulated this even more powerfully. That report is a document that should be revisited often to understand what it means to transcend real socialism. It contains the seeds of everything President Öcalan is evaluating today. Since then, he has consistently surpassed the boundaries of real socialism. Alongside this, the strengthening of the women’s movement, the formation of a women’s army, the self-organization of women, and the internal transformation processes required within the party were all addressed with great effort. When we say the PKK is our mother and nurtured us, we are referring to the PKK developed by President Öcalan."
Öcalan always laid out a perspective for us
Çiğdem Doğu said: "President Öcalan has always provided a profound perspective, aiming not only to go beyond real socialism but also to overcome capitalism, feudalism, familialism, tribalism, and all forms of backwardness in gender relations. He overcame these issues himself and worked for us to do the same. His analyses have all been part of this effort to transcend those systems."
We are driving the roots even deeper
Çiğdem Doğu added: "We are dissolving the PKK, but we are deepening the values it created. By restructuring ourselves and entering a new phase, we are taking a historic step to further root and strengthen the foundational values of the PKK, values built through the sacrifices and labor of our martyrs. In this sense, we are witnessing historic moments."
We are the guarantee of what comes next
Çiğdem Doğu said: "To ensure the next phase unfolds in a healthy way, we ourselves must guarantee that the values created over the past 52 years continue in the strongest, truest, most beautiful, and most free form. We, the ones who are alive, carry this responsibility. That is why, especially as PKK militants, and even more so as comrades who participated in this congress, our responsibility is greater. The path ahead is uncertain. We are standing at a historican threshold, and it is not yet clear how we will move forward. How will this process unfold? How will the enemy respond? What kind of special warfare will be used? What physical attacks may come? There are, of course, uncertainties, dangers, and risks. How our party structure understands and responds to this phase will be critical."
Öcalan will further elaborate on these
Çiğdem Doğu concluded her remarks: "It is of historic importance that we understand and carry out this process correctly, and that we participate in the next phase with the determination, consciousness, and spirit of the PKK shaped by President Öcalan’s line. Such participation would eliminate the risks and dangers of this process. What matters now is to focus on what brings success. President Öcalan has presented a seven-point perspective. He will undoubtedly elaborate on these further. This is not the first time he has addressed these topics, but the way he has now deepened and sharpened them is remarkable. His interpretation of history, his worldview, his focus on women, society, and democratic life represent something truly new."
Şiyar Amed: A new chapter is about to begin
Şiyar Amed said that President Öcalan is reshaping the fate of the story, marking the beginning of a transformative phase.
ANF
BEHDINAN
Friday, 23 May 2025, 10:34
Şiyar Amed, one of the delegates at the 12th Extraordinary Congress of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), stated that a greater and more significant phase is now beginning. He said, “A new phase of practical implementation is starting. A new door is opening. A new horizon is unfolding before us.”
The 12th Congress of the PKK was held between May 5 and 7 in the Medya Defense Zones. Its final declaration and the decisions taken were shared with the public on May 12. Şiyar Amed began his speech by honoring all the martyrs, particularly remembering Ali Haydar Kaytan, Rıza Altun, and Sakine Cansız with gratitude. He noted that he agreed with the concise and poignant speeches of the other delegates and pointed out that the decision to dissolve had already been explained by President Öcalan. He said, “I would just like to briefly share how I understand this process through the language of art and literature.”
He changed the fate of a people
Şiyar Amed stated that President Öcalan had changed the course of history and noted that, in literary terms, this could be described as “changing the story” or “changing the fate of the story.” He continued: “President Öcalan changed the fate of many stories, he changed the fate of a people, and he is changing the fate of humanity. During the Imralı process, he tried to explain this through mythology, literature, and art. At first, he referred to Hector and asked, ‘Why was I not Hector?’ Then he answered himself: ‘Hector fought heroically, and Anatolia fell. My not becoming Hector, my refusal to become a hero now, is the greatest heroism.’ He expressed that his goal was freedom and liberation together with the peoples of Anatolia. And today, here we are, on May 6. Together with the peoples of Turkey, with the peoples of Anatolia, and in memory of the honorable Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a monument is being created. Now, the fate of this story is changing. There are some stories whose fate is very difficult to change, but President Öcalan changed them. He never said, ‘‘This happened in the past, it has been told, and it cannot be changed. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the clearest example. In the past, we saw Enkidu as a heroic figure equal to Gilgamesh. But President Öcalan later interpreted it differently. That is, his interpretation of history was always unique. And now, through his latest interpretations, he is truly changing fate. He is completely transforming the fate of the story. We have entered such a phase.”
We will pass through new stages
Şiyar Amed added that President Öcalan always sought to reveal the essence of things. He said, “So, without taking up too much of your time, I would like to share a brief artistic story. They bring two stones and give them to two great artists, telling them, ‘Carve the stone and create a work of art.’ One of them sculpts a perfect replica. The other leaves it rough and uneven, but says, ‘Come closer.’ When they do, they see that the one who left it irregular has brought the stone to life, energy is radiating from it. President Öcalan always revealed the essence. That is true art. The greatest artist is President Öcalan. So, when he said ‘I am liberated,’ perhaps he meant that the formal structures that blocked the opening of new doors had been removed. Of course, President Öcalan has made evaluations related to the essence. None of us reject that. There are also philosophical reflections on it. Now, we have stepped through the gate of truth. Every gate leads through many stages. Our comrades also pointed this out. From now on, we will pass through many new stages.”
Time for a new beginning
Şiyar Amed concluded his remarks with another brief story reflecting the theme of transformation: “Old eagles, if they are not weary of life, break their beaks and wings against the rocks. They endure immense pain. But if they are willing to face that pain, new ones grow in their place. A new beak, new wings, and with magnificent majesty, they begin to fly again. I believe we are entering such a period, a time when we will be reborn with majesty. I feel this excitement among my comrades as well. President Öcalan has always approached everything with the concept of meaning. In this new phase we are entering, we are truly opening up new horizons in which to embody our love, our commitment, and our understanding in practice. Among Native American peoples, rather than saying ‘I love you,’ they say ‘I understand you.’ And that means ‘I love you.’ President Öcalan said that understanding is practicing. Now we are entering a period where we can practice more, and on a larger scale. As our comrades have also said, this is undoubtedly a new phase of self-criticism and a new period of practical action. A new door is opening. A new horizon is unfolding before us. I came here to share this excitement with all my comrades. With respect to all of you.”
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