Below we document the cease-fire declaration published by Kongra Gel

Decision for a Ceasefire by Kongra Gel

2nd Interim Session Assembly Meeting

As a national democratic movement, after realizing the first stage of the Kurdish struggle, our Leadership has been in search of and has developed dialogue and ceasefires many times in order to establish a democratic peaceful process for the Kurdish question and on this basis to develop a solution to the issue. Our movement finally in 1999 withdrew its armed forces beyond the borders of Turkey by changing its strategy for armed struggle. Our armed forces maintained the position of unilateral ceasefire from 1999 to 2004 and have shown great responsibility and sacrifice in order to find a democratic-peaceful solution for the Kurdish issue. However, our efforts were judged to be a weakness, even a defeat by the Turkish regime in its pursuit of psychological war; for this reason rather than developing efforts for the solution of the Kurdish question the regime opted to crush and extinguish the freedom aspirations of our people. Despite all the positive steps and the responsible approach of our Leadership the Turkish state responded with denial and annihilation policies and put into effect operational attacks on our movement. Against this our movement was forced to enter an active self-defense process from 1 June 2004.

The 1 June 2004 decision was one of the most important decisions that our movement has taken and with this the Kurdish Freedom Movement entered a new period. The fact that our peoples' defense force, the HPG, has shown that it can escalate self-defense in an organized, planned and controlled fashion and extend this throughout Turkey, has focused the Kurdish question once more at the centre of the political agenda of Turkey. The strategy of Turkey was to ignore, eradicate and progressively exterminate the question. The guerrilla nullified this policy by developing tactical moves and following a defensive war. Through this success, our movement has entered a new period.

With our 1 June 2004 move the participation of the people into the movement has increased and resulted in unprecedented mass demonstrations. Our people have shown their democratic political will repeatedly through the Gemlik Demonstration (people came to Gemlik to go to Imrali), the Semdinli-Gever Serhildan (uprising), 2005-2006 Newroz Festivities and 27 March Diyarbakir Serhildan (when thousands demonstrated against the use of chemical weapons on guerrillas, 13 people died, among them three children) throughout Turkey and subsequently the taking part in guerrilla funerals by the people and the Political Will Referendum (3.5 million petitioned stating that “Abdullah Ocalan is my political will”). This stance of the people of Kurdistan has shown firstly how the permanent solution to the Kurdish question will develop and has left no room for doubts as to who will be their interlocutor for all to see.

The 1 June action has created important developments in the political and organizational lives of our people. According to these developments our Leadership announced the Koma Komalen Kurdistan (Confederalism of Kurdistan) system in Newroz of 2005, the new PKK was establishment and KJB (Confederal System of Women) was founded, which is the new organizational system of the Women Movement. In this manner the organizing of the confederal system process, the most developed democratic system was initiated, which attempts to reconstruct the society of Kurdistan.

Our movement, which maintains the unity of the people, guerrilla, Leadership, with the developments that it has lived and the performance that it has shown has inevitably put the solution of the Kurdish question on the agenda of all forces involved. The international conspiracy, which aimed to liquidate our movement by incarcerating our Leadership, has been nullified.

Various international and regional forces and various circles, individuals and institutions in Turkey have called for the cessation of the war and to lay the groundwork for peace and democracy, they called for a ceasefire and these developments unfolded as our movement was strongly on the increase and the emergence of the solution to the Kurdish question on both the regional and world political stage. Some of these relations were open and in public while others were through diplomatic channels.

Our movement found these efforts meaningful and on the basis of the perspectives of our Leadership with the objective of initiating a new process, we published the "Democratic Solution Declaration on the Kurdish Question" to end the conflict and to open the path to a democratic solution. Public opinion internationally and in Turkey showed considerable interest in this and in general approached the declaration positively. Following changes in international and national conditions and with the contacts and the calls of various institutions, our Leadership has decided to further enhance the step that we took with the declaration and has called for a ceasefire to give peace a chance on …… 2006. He has stated the following, which has not yet been announced to the press:

"One more chance must be given for peace. Now an immediate peace is necessary. For sometime now reasonable forces, groups and those on the side of democracy have voiced the need for an immediate peace. In a period like this it is of the utmost importance to develop a democratic unity and alliance among Turks and Kurds. There is a very intense conflict in the Middle East and great dangers await the people. This situation can only be overcome through the establishment of a democratic culture. This democratic move will be taken in Turkey and the development of a democratic solution will be an example for other states that face a Kurdish question. In this manner Turkey can become a democratic model for the entire Middle East. This process will pave the way to a democratic dialogue. Come let us altogether end for once and forever the days where weapons are seen as a means to success. Let us bury the weapons. For all this to happen, for a free and democratic unity and peace, to establish a democratic culture, to end the sufferings of our peoples, I am doing my part and I am calling for a ceasefire."

As a result of all these developments we held an interim assembly session between the Executive Council Presidency and the present Executive Council members to assess the call of our Leadership. On this basis the related institutions were informed. Also we obtained the written views of the Executive Council members, Presidential Board, Peoples Defense Committee and HPG Command Council and on this basis of establishing a general consensus we realized the Kongra Gel Interim Session Assembly meeting.

As a result we have reached the following conclusions within the framework of the views and proposals of the Executive Council during the "Kongra Gel Interim Session Assembly Meeting":

The call of our Leader is on solid political, organizational and action basis, for this reason it is an appropriate, timely and correct call. Our struggle at this level sees that a ceasefire is an important political undertaking for the success of a democratic solution.

War is a phenomenon that is caused by more than one party. Therefore, the effort to unilaterally stop the war is not possible. However, in some cases one party can show more responsibility and sacrifice, in this case a peace process can develop with the other side giving a positive response. For a democratic solution, social peace and free unity, which this ceasefire aims, for the continuity of this process and laying the groundwork for a permanent peace the other side should also approach the situation positively. Especially the military attacks, which create a tense atmosphere, must be ceased and the isolation policies must end. This will relax the atmosphere and will enhance the conditions for the success of the process.

With this announcement, we await the positive approach of the Turkish state authorities and Turkish military. The democratic solution process is an unavoidable condition in order for the Turkish and Kurdish people to live together. However, if the Turkish state does not respond positively and in the case that it is adamant in its policy of denial and annihilation, this will ultimately damage the interests of Turkey and a golden opportunity for the path to a modern Turkey will be lost.

It also should be understood from this moment onward that all institutions and forces within the state system will not approach this period in the same manner. Some may approach positively whereas some will try to create provocations. It is definite that the bomb blast in Diyarbakir, which killed 10 people, seven of them children; during a process where a ceasefire was in discussion, was a provocation. Similar provocations could develop now; therefore precautionary measures are an important issue and must be developed against such cases.

All our forces must put forward all there possibilities, they should show the necessary effort to develop a democratic peaceful solution for the success of the decision we have taken, however, in cases of negative developments and provocations they should be aware and take precautions. Their defensive system must hold strong, and take position in periods where defense is necessary. While making every effort to develop this new process; at the same time in the case that it becomes unsuccessful and some games are played against our movement in order to weaken it, all necessary precautions and preparations must be made.

The Kongra Gel 2nd Interim Session Assembly meeting, according to the Koma Komalen Kurdistan agreement, which gives the right to legally decide for peace and war while amongst two general assembly meetings, accepts the call of our Leadership for a ceasefire and states that this decision is binding to all our national-democratic forces. The decisions are as follows:

1. The decision has been given to announce a cease-fire from 01.10.2006. The ceasefire will continue binding on the steps that will be taken and according to developments.

2. Weapons will definitely not be utilized as long as attacks do not come with the aim of annihilation. However, in conditions where annihilation is aimed against our forces they may defend themselves by all means.

3. During this period there will be no military manoeuvre by the HPG, excluding logistical and movements of a precautionary nature.

4. According to this decision the HPG Command Council will re-organize all its forces according to the ceasefire conditions in terms of current action position, manoeuvre and plans.

5. The aims of all cadres, organizations and institutions executing duties in terms of ideology, political, organizational and social areas in the Kurdistan Democracy and Freedom Movement must be to re-organize and plan their duties all along the lines of political, organizational and activities for the success of the ceasefire.

6. This decision is binding on all forces part of the Koma Komalen Kurdistan system. No one should take a coercive stance; every force must make efforts for the success of the process.

The decision that our movement undertook on this platform is the joint decision of all democratic national institutions. The objective of the ceasefire decision is to achieve through dialogue and democratic means the aims thus stated, which we published on the 23 August 2006 declaration. From this perspective, it is binding on all democratic forces. Therefore, those who are outside our system, and argue that they act on behalf of the Kurdish people must also adopt an appropriate position and stance. Especially, those who state they are loyal to our Leadership, but are not in our system must also adhere to the call of our Leadership. Our movement will show a national stance against those who are in a contrary position to this decision.

All our people who are the greatest supporters of this decision must themselves speak up stronger than ever, while realizing their democratic-political demonstrations; they must express their democratic solution demands more effectively and vocally. For this step to result in a democratic-peaceful solution everyone must see it as fundamental patriotic duty to work for its success.

All Kurdish forces and organizations should be more than ever in a responsible position during this period for the democratic-peaceful solution of the Kurdish question, they should refrain from taking a position and stance that may give the denial and annihilation forces encouragement. They should under the umbrella of national unity develop the process by accomplishing the necessary tasks. In such a historical phase the resolution of the Kurdish question in Turkey will not only establish the gains in South Kurdistan permanently but also express strongly the national interests of the Kurds entirely. From this position, firstly being the KDP and PUK all forces in Kurdistan should support the process that our movement has initiated and see it as a fundamental patriotic duty.

In a period where the call and voice for peace was never as concrete and urgent a very high responsibility rests on the shoulders of democratic institutions, associations and individuals, intellectuals and artists. We should not give an opportunity to war profiteers who seek to close all paths to a solution and hold the people of Turkey captive by putting forward a position of "submission or annihilation" against the freedom movement. We can certainly overcome together this handful of profiteering gangs inside the system who have buried their heads in the sand and refuse to open the path for the voluntary free unity amongst our people. In a contrary situation after a ceasefire failure, the war conditions will be much bloodier; this will together bring animosity amongst peoples and pave the way for division. This threat should be seen from now. As the Kurdish side, we declare that we will do all what is necessary for the development of free unity and a democratic life; however, we also state that no one should doubt that we would never accept the policy of submission and denial. For this reason our decision for a ceasefire is of historical importance and all intellectuals, artists and all aware democratic circles must support this process. On the contrary we will not be able to calculate what a conflict will bring, how it will conclude, the destruction and suffering that it will bring and once started it may not be as easy to stop.

For this reason the seriousness and responsibility that will be shown to our move by the military and government in the name of the Republic of Turkey is of utmost importance for our peoples future, free unity and fraternity, and also for the future of the Republic of Turkey.

In the past all the ceasefires that we developed were judged as weakness and were left without a response. However, today the search for a democratic peaceful solution cannot be judged as a weakness and an act of desperation as in the past. The active self defense period that we have developed from 1 June 2004 and the point that we have reached in terms of politics, organization, militarily and diplomatically, expresses that the Kurdistan Freedom Movement is on the upsurge and in a strong period.

During this period those who evaluate it wrongly and try to destroy this process will be judged guilty by history and by our people. If those who are the interlocutors in the question show a will to a solution there will be no serious obstacle in finding a solution and it will become obvious how easily the Kurdish question can be solved. The Kurdish side has the will, commitment and experience to develop a democratic peaceful solution.

In this phase of history those dominant states that do not approach the Kurdish question on the basis of a democratic solution will never establish internal peace and develop in terms of their economy and society. The regional states Iran and Syria can only overcome their current situation and enter a democratic period by establishing peace with the Kurdish people. The success of this ceasefire that we desire to develop will first of all have a positive effect on these countries and then on the entire region.

All similar problems in the world have been resolved through the means of discussion and dialogue. For this reason the efforts of international forces and institutions who have encouraged in the past the denial and annihilation policies of dominant states, and now who have decided to change their stance is an important development for our region and for humanity. It is obvious that this approach needs to be deepened in terms of developing more concrete and productive solutions.

Today our people have shown repeatedly that the PKK and our Leader Abdullah Ocalan are the fundamental reality of the freedom and democracy movement in Kurdistan. For this reason the search for solutions excluding the PKK and the Leadership must cease, the support of the cease-fire process that we have developed will benefit the development of democracy and stability in our region.

29.09.2006

KKK

Kongra Gel Interim Session Assembly Meeting