NÛPELDA DENÎZ

 Makhmour- The Turkish state, which has been following genocidal policies against the Kurdish people for years, has recently intensified its attacks on Iraqi territories, especially the Kurdistan Region, by cooperating with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). In an interview with NuJINHA, Filiz Budak, Co-chair of the People’s Assembly in the Makhmour Martyr Rustem Cudi Camp (Makhmour Refugee Camp) evaluated the cooperation between the KDP and the Turkish state and the occupation policies of the Turkish state.

‘About 4,500 villages were burned down’

The war policies carried out in Northern Kurdistan continue in the Kurdistan Region, Filiz Budak emphasized. “The war policies recently followed in the Kurdistan Region are the same policies that were followed in Northern Kurdistan in the 1990s. In the 90s, the Turkish state aimed to leave the freedom guerrillas alone in the mountains by depopulating villages. Due to these genocidal policies, 4,500 villages were burned down and people were forcibly displaced from their villages. The Turkish state wanted to depopulate Northern Kurdistan in order to change its demographic structure. We can define this as both physical genocide and demographic genocide. Due to the war policies of the Turkish state, thousands fled their villages and homes. The Makhmour refugee camp hosts the people forcibly displaced from Northern Kurdistan.”

‘The Turkish state aims to realize its Misak-ı Millî plan’

The Turkish state follows its oppressive policies in the Kurdistan Region today as it did against the people of Northern Kurdistan, Filiz Budak stressed, adding, “The Republic of Türkiye was founded by committing genocides. The Turkish state has been committing a genocide against the Kurdish people in four parts of Kurdistan for a long time. Although 30 years have passed since the genocidal policies carried out in Northern Kurdistan, the Turkish state has carried out the same policies in Southern Kurdistan by setting villages on fire and plundering its natural resources. It has launched airstrikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. It has been building outposts in Southern Kurdistan. Currently, there are many Turkish outposts across Southern Kurdistan. The purpose of these attacks is to kill the people and the guerrillas.”

Emphasizing that the Turkish state aims to realize its Misak-ı Millî plan, the set of six decisions made by the last term of the Ottoman Parliament, Filiz Budak said, “The Turkish state launched its operations to occupy Southern Kurdistan in order to revive the Ottoman Empire. It bombs villages in Southern Kurdistan. Its occupation attacks on Southern Kurdistan reveal its cooperation with the KDP. The KDP is now not only a traitor but also an enemy of the Kurdish people. The KDP always supports the Turkish state and does its best for the Turkish state to settle in Southern Kurdistan.”

‘It kills civilians by cooperating with the KDP’

“The Turkish state kills civilians by cooperating with the KDP,” Filiz Budak said. “Civilians are also killed by the KDP during the Turkish state's occupation of Southern Kurdistan. The KDP makes great efforts to support the Turkish state in order to maintain its sovereignty in the Kurdistan Region. If the KDP is defeated in Southern Kurdistan, the AKP government will not be able to occupy Southern Kurdistan. The aim of the KDP is not to allow unity in Kurdistan.”

Pointing out that the Iraqi government is also in cooperation with the Turkish state, Filiz Budak said, “The occupation of Kurdistan is also a violation of Iraqi territories. Actually, the Turkish state tries to end the Treaty of Lausanne and put the Treaty of Qaṣr-e Shīrīn into practice. The Iraqi government fails to fulfill its responsibilities towards the region and cooperates with the Turkish state to maintain its sovereignty. The presence of freedom fighters in Southern Kurdistan and Iraq does not pose any threat, only the Turkish state sees their presence as a threat. The presence of guerrillas in Southern Kurdistan and Iraq is a historical opportunity for the protection of the region."

‘Attacks can be prevented by revolutionary people’s struggle’

Filiz Budak called on the women and young people of the Kurdistan Region to “unite against the occupying forces. As the people of Makhmour, we were subjected to forced displacement after our villages were burned down in the 90s. We must unite to fight the occupying forces. The Kurdish people are attacked not only in Northern or Southern Kurdistan but also in four parts of Kurdistan. Attacks can be prevented by revolutionary people’s struggle.”