CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS-
At the call and invitation of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), we, as representatives of tens of Kurdistan’s political parties, movements, and organisations of all types and hundreds of independent participants (including writers, artists, intellectuals, academics, journalists, observers, politicians, and religious figures) from Kurdistan, acting as a voice of national conscience, convened a unity conference online to take a stand against the attacks and occupation strategy of the Turkish state and support the resistance of the defence forces of Kurdistan’s people, and now issue the following call to public opinion.
On 24 April 2021, the Turkish state initiated a new, wide-ranging military campaign in South Kurdistan in the regions of Matina, Zap and Avashin. Heavy battles continue in these regions, with the Kurdish guerrilla forces fiercely resisting the invasion. These large-scale attacks target not only the HPG (People’s Defence Forces) guerrilla forces, but also the achievements of the Kurdish people, with the aim of occupying South Kurdistan. It is no coincidence that this most recent invasion began on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, 24 April – this ongoing assault was clearly intended to be an open threat of genocide.
The Turkish state’s objective is clear – they do not want the Kurds or of the other peoples in Kurdistan (including the Assyrians, Syriacs, Chaldeans, and other religious and ethnic groups) to be free in their homeland. The Turkish state seeks to occupy their land and subjugate them and sees itself as building a nation by eliminating other peoples.
The Turkish state is opposed to the existence of the Kurds and Kurdistan, and does not hide its intentions, which are demonstrated through its cultural, political, and military policies, which systematically target the Kurdistan’s demographics aims to destroy its environment.
In 2017, the Turkish state supported the Baghdad government in its attacks on Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu, Khanaqin, Sinjar (Shengal), and other disputed regions.
The Turkish state played a key role in facilitating the attacks of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization on Kurdistan and, especially, against Kobanê in Syria.
The Turkish state, to this day, has consistently taken an aggressive stance against the autonomous authorities in Rojava and North and East Syria, and, in South Kurdistan, has established tens of military and intelligence bases and outposts to be used against the interests of our people.
Now the Turkish state has launched wide-ranging military campaign against the regions of Matina, Zap, and Avashin in South Kurdistan. To date, the response to these attacks on the national and international levels has been muted. This silence must be broken, and there must be a strong and determined response to this invasion.
We must act with unity and support the resistance forces in South Kurdistan. With strong unity across all parts of Kurdistan and throughout the diaspora and the support of our friends worldwide we can defeat this aggression. As the victory in Garê showed us, the Turkish state is not so strong, and with national resistance we can prevail.
First and foremost, a national and patriotic response must emerge, which requires that all of Kurdistan’s forces take a strong stand against occupation and, at the highest level, establish a position of national unity in protection of the forces of resistance. A united stance can shatter the silence of international political actors.
The Conference on a National Stance Against the Turkish State’s Attacks and Occupation Strategy urgently draws the attention of the peoples of Kurdistan and international democratic and humanitarian groups and activists to the following resolutions:
1.The attack on South Kurdistan on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is a message of intent to perpetrate another genocide, this time against the Kurds. We, the participants of this conference, oppose the violent approach of the Turkish state with all of our might and stand with the forces protecting our people.
2.Disagreements and internal conflicts within Kurdistan weaken the ability to protect Kurdistan’s achievements and grant an opportunity to enemies, as most recently seen in the occupation of Kirkuk, Khanaqin, and Sinjar (Shengal). On the other hand, internal unity defeated the attacks of the enemy and paved the way to victory in the defence of Kobanê. We see internal unity as a foremost concern and reiterate the call for national unity.
3.In Kurdistan and the diaspora, we must strongly support the forces defending our people against the Turkish state’s occupation strategy in South Kurdistan with the same passion that we supported the heroic resistance in Kobanê. To achieve our goals, it is necessary that we engage in concerted and unified diplomatic efforts, coordinated inside and outside of Kurdistan.
4.We call for national mobilization against the attacks and occupation strategy of the Turkish state and call on all Kurdistanis to work tirelessly in every way possible to stand by the forces of resistance in Kurdistan.
5.We call on the leadership of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and the parliament and government of the KRI to stand against the Turkish military invasion and Turkish military occupation, and expel the Turkish forces currently based in South Kurdistan.
6.We call upon the federal government of Iraq to reject the agreement signed between the fallen Ba’athist regime of Saddam Hussein with Turkey which allowed the Turkish military to cross the Iraqi border, and to oppose the Turkish state’s occupation of south Kurdistan, ban Turkish military aircraft from Iraqi airspace, and take practical measures to expel the forces of the Turkish state from Iraq.
7.We call upon the member states of the Arab League to stand against Turkey’s attacks and occupation strategy in South Kurdistan and voice their opposition and condemn this aggression.
8.We call upon the United Nations, European Union, and all related institutions to end their silence concerning Turkish state aggression against the Kurdish people and express their opposition to these criminal acts.
9.We call upon the friends of the Kurdish people and all people of conscience who support democracy, saying, “You took an admirable stand during the resistance of Kobanê, Afrin, Tel Abyad (Girê Spî), and Serêkaniye, and we hope that you will do the same during this struggle. The Kurdish people need your support.”
10.We urge all Kurdistanis and friends of Kurdistan to boycott products from Turkey and tourism in Turkey, which fund the Turkish state’s invasions and occupation of our land and ongoing crimes against humanity.
11.A Crisis Response Team will be established at a high level to coordinate and carry out joint efforts against the Turkish state’s invasion and occupation strategy and to implement the resolutions of the conference, with groups and committees in various countries and regions to be established under the umbrella of this Crisis Response Team.
12.We, the participants of this conference, take a stand against the Turkish state’s invasion and occupation strategy and stand by the forces defending our people against this military aggression, declaring once again, “The defence of the regions of Matina, Zap, and Avashin is the defence of all of Kurdistan, and we will support this resistance with all our might. We ask for the support from all parties, organizations, and institutions in Kurdistan and from all of the people of Kurdistan for this vital effort.”
Conference on a National Stance Against the Turkish State’s Attacks and Occupation Strategy
15 May 2021