Greeting of the Central Committee of AKEL to the event of PYD (Democratic Union Party) of Syria for the freedom and reconstruction of Kobane

Sunday, 1st November 2015, Limassol

 

Dear friends,

The Central Committee of AKEL salutes today’s mobilization which is part of the international mobilization for the freedom and reconstruction of Kobane. We salute the heroic resistance of the Kurds, both men and women, who did not yield and held on to the city of Kobane, repulsing the attack waged on it by the murderous hordes of the “Islamic State” organization.

The whole world celebrated the victory in Kobane. However we must now continue to actively support and express our solidarity with the struggling Kurds. AKEL joins its voice with the voice of the Kurds demanding from the international community that it supports effectively the reconstruction of the city of Kobane, 80% of which has been completely destroyed as a result of its siege by ISIS. Only then will there be again a viable city with its residents returning to their place in humane and safe conditions. This is something we wish for all the refugees who have been uprooted by the ferocity of the war and the imperialist interventions.

In addition, the UN and the international community must provide the necessary technical expertise and equipment for the removal of all the explosive remnants from the city. Finally, Turkey must be forced to accept the safe transfer to Kobane of supplies, medical aid and reconstruction materials. AKEL, led by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL Andros Kyprianou, the leadership of the People’s Organizations of the Cypriot Left and the former President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias have signed the Urgent Call to Action on Kobane, thus uniting our voice with that of the international solidarity movement.

At the same time, AKEL is following with great interest the socio-political processes underway in the Kurdish communities in Syria and the Democratic Autonomous Region of Rojava The democratic self-government, which is based on secularism and gender equality, represents a hopeful project that can inspire all those who are fighting for a united, sovereign and free Syria, for a Syria free from the terrorist fundamentalists who are armed and funded by the West.

On this occasion, AKEL wants to denounce from this podium too Turkey’s policy towards the Kurds, both inside and outside Turkey. Turkey’s stance during the siege of Kobane, but also subsequently, reveals that the Erdogan government bears enormous responsibilities for the strengthening of the Islamic State organization. The bombing of Kurdish positions in Syria and northern Iraq, the authoritarian measures taken by the Turkish state and the violent attacks by Turkish nationalists against the pro-Kurdish and progressive forces of Turkey, are part of a deeper reactionary strategy that is causing bloodshed and chaos inside and outside the country.

AKEL has condemned – also from the floor of the European Parliament – this policy of the Erdogan government, which of course it is pursuing undisturbed given that the US, NATO and the European Union – in order to serve their own geostrategic interests – are supporting and appeasing Turkey. It is also obvious that Ankara’s supposedly more active involvement in the global “anti-terrorist coalition” against ISIS is a cover for the waging of brutal attacks against the struggling Kurds and for the further undermining of the territorial integrity of Syria. The NATO plans for the complete rearrangement of the Middle East are being promoted and enforced with the shedding of the blood of the peoples.

AKEL supports a political solution to the Kurdish question, which will come through the waging of a peaceful dialogue, a development that will contribute decisively to peace and security throughout the whole region. To facilitate this dialogue, the European Union must remove the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the so-called list of “terrorist organizations”, a demand that AKEL and other forces in Cyprus too are also putting forth and support. It is worth repeating from this podium too that the ties and bonds of friendship between Cyprus and the Kurds are historic and deep, as is Cyprus’ solidarity continuous and broad with the struggle of the Kurds for prosperity and the restoration of their national rights.

Dear friends,

With these thoughts in mind, we demonstrate our solidarity with the struggling Kurds who are standing up to and fighting on behalf of all humanity the backward and obscurantist monster of ISIS. We support the resistance against ISIS.

We join our voice with yours.

For Kobane! For the friendship of the peoples and peace!