[Editor's note: KADEK  --  Kongreya Azad u Demokrasiya Kurdistan 
(Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress)]
 
PKK   17 April 2002  

A new era of historical development has been started for our people and movement with the 8th congress of the PKK 

The 8th Congress of the PKK has been successfully completed after a long and extensive process of preparations. Two hundred and eighty five delegates who arrived from various areas took part in the Congress which took place between 4 and 10 April 2002. The Congress witnessed in depth and important discussions within an extensive agenda and with the participation of people`s representatives from various parts of Kurdistan. The decisions of the Congress were taken at a time where the struggles have intensified and the changes are taking place both internationally and locally in the area. These historical decisions also established the future line of development that the Kurdish and the other peoples in the area will be experiencing. 

The Congress first of all considered the thesis presented by comrade General President Abdullah Ocalan, which are about the directions to be taken by humanity in the new century. Our Congress has defined the thesis as the most in depth, detailed and systematic level of thinking reached by the humanity and called it The Manifesto of Democratic Civilization. The thesis itself was in fact the submissions that he made to the European Court of Human Rights. Our General President described it as the President`s Report to our Congress. The Congress has resumed the most important duty of teaching to our movement and people as well as informing of the same to the socialist and democratic opinion on the content of this manifesto which consist of the philosophy of life, the ideological and political line, wisdom and moral values. 

Our Congress, which deeply considered the dense political developments that are taking place in the line of democratic civilization as well as well as the struggle in the Middle East. It has analyzed the historical process of changes and transformations that started with the collapse of the Soviet system and the international level it reached with the attacks of 11 September. Our Congress pointed out to the fact that the process which started with the 11 September proves that the changes in the Western System is incapable of solving today¼s problems and the new line is the line of democratic civilization. The Congress also established that regardless of the time, methods that process may take the result will be in favor of the creation of an international system based on peace, civilized democracy at the end of the struggle. The Congress therefore saw it necessary to establish the fact that the peoples and democratic forces and especially women and youth should get organized and be part of the struggle in order to avoid the maximum bloodshed. 

Our Congress, which analyzed the extensive struggle in the Middle East and use of violence at the senseless level seen in the Palestine-Israel conflict, also questioned the historical and current reasons behind such situation and established the ways necessary to solve the problem. Our Congress established that the era of nationalism and religious dogmatism is over. It has also established that the dogmatic and utopian approaches are incapable of solving the issues and in fact only create more violence and contradiction and that the only way to solve the problems is the line of democratic transformation and unity will be based on revolution of thinking and enlightenment that needs to take place in the area as part of the democratic civilization era. Our Congress also invited all international, and local forces to act more responsibly, creative and in line with the era. 

Our Congress mainly considered the practical works as well as the level of transformation reached since the 7th Congress and based on restructuring. It has extensively considered the report of the Party Assembly and mainly discussed the practical works, transformation, changes and restructuring process. It has done so by way of making considerations of the process which in fact started in 1993. It has further pointed out that this was carried out in a planned way since the 1 September 1998 Ceasefire and following the event of 7th Congress. It has also deeply considered the difficulties and shortcomings experienced in this process. It has also established that the process of ideological and organizational transformation and changes has created the result of a deep and multi directional renewal and that the new strategy has been established and the membership and the organization are ready for restructuring. 

Our Congress, which reiterated the historical importance of these developments, discussed the changes, and restructuring process, which PKK is currently going through. This consideration was done within the principles of the Declaration on the Transformation of the Apoist Movement and a resolution was drawn on this. The congress, described the PKK as the symbolic name of the Apoist movement in the period of national awareness and resistance. It has also pointed out that the PKK symbolized the Kurdish national spirit, conscience and identity. It has also pointed out to the major permanent national gains achieved through out the heroic twenty-four years long struggle which is identified with folk heroism. It has also considered the mistakes and the shortcomings and condemned once more the banditry within the party as the main reason for these. It has decided to investigate the results of these banditry activities in order to expose them further. It has thus decided that with all its gains and mistakes the PKK has accomplished its mission and that it has created the Kurdish National Resistance and has entered the pages of history in a permanent way. It was further decided that within the light of all the developments in the Apoist movement as well as the major transformations achieved the PKK style struggle is now out of date and that is why all the activities under the name of PKK were ceased as of 4 April 2002. Our Congress which was attended with four living founder members of the PKK as well as many other members who participated at the founding process of the same decided that all activities under the name of PKK is now ceased in all areas and that any activities which may take place under the name of the PKK are illegitimate. 

The preparation of the Programme and Articles of Organizational Constitution and creation of a new organization system commenced by the Congress after the above decision about the PKK, which was taken after extensive and intense discussions. Our Congress which adopted a wider and more inclusive Organizational Constitution which is created in line with the process of Peace and Democratic Solution and the prepared within the line of Democratic Civilization. The constitution was adopted after heavy discussions and changes and therefore turned itself to be the founding Congress of the new way of organizing and established the new structural basis for the new strategy of the Apoist Movement. Our Congress according to its ideological line and the Programme that offers a political solution to Kurdish question has adopted a new constitution which could create an organisation of coordination. It was decided that this would accommodate the various different organizations to be created within parts of the Kurdistan and the related countries with the due attention being given to the new line as well as the objective conditions of the area in question. It has thus decided to found the Kongreya Azad? ? Demokrasiya Kurdistan (Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress - KADEK ) in order to create a new body in line with its line and the organisational structure. 

Our Congress which aims to develop the works in the ideological, political and practical areas has taken extensive decisions ans has elected its new Management Committee. The Congress also with applause elected Abdullah Ocalan comrade as the President of the Congress. 

PKK`s only legitimate legatee and representative KADEK believes that the new era is the era of democratic civilization and that the humanity should go through the democratic transformation on the basis of scientific technological revolution ideologically, culturally and socially. It therefore aims to carry the Kurdish people to the democratic civilization era within the framework of unity with the neighbouring people of the area. It aims to create with the people of the Middle East a new United Democratic Middle East and the creation of a new international system based on peace, democracy, freedom and justice. 

KADEK`s policy on Kurdish Question which is one of the most important and tragic problems of the Middle East and the world based on solving it with peace and democratic transformation. It establishes that the system of the 20th Century which is based on nationalism, division, denial and destruction is not the right solution but in fact the reason behind the problem as asource. It pointed out that the peoples are no longer accepts this and that struggle of the Kurdish People primarily and the other peoples of the area have now demonstrated that this system is now fragmented and that it is not possible to continue with it at the new century and therefore it should be set aside and a new system of solution need to be developed. It therefore invites the USA, Europe and Russia who are responsible for creating the old system to adopt a new Kurdish and Middle East policy. 

KADEK believes that Arab-Israel conflict as well as the Kurdish Question and other problems of the Middle East can only be solved on the basis of democratic transformation and unity. These problems, which interact, need the local solution of Democratic United Middle East strategy. It therefore needs the revolution of thinking, democratic enlightment and renaissance which eliminates all kinds of dogmatism and utopias without the foundation. It is necessary to eliminate all kinds of reactionary practices and carry out re-structuring as well as the deep rooted transformation in the Middle East. KADEK bases its activities to be in common working practice with all democratic and progressive forces of the Middle East in order to fight all kinds of reactionary activities and create a new Middle East. 

The Kurdish Question is the source of the slow development for Turkey and all other relevant countries and communities. It will continue to be so as long as this problem stays unsolved. The solution of Kurdish Question must be achieved in order for these states to solve their existing problems and to achieve a democratic and libertarian character. KADEK`s solution to the Kurdish Question based on transforming the states existing within the present borders and without aiming to overthrow them. It thus calls Republic of Turkey and other relevant countries to abandon their uncivilized policies of denial and destruction and to accept the rights of Kurdish people Which recognised by international norms. The abolition of the death penalty, right to education and broadcasting in Kurdish as well as the right to participate in politics and the government therefore will be vital in paving the way to the democratic solution. 

KADEK aims to help the parties and organizations to get to the position of government rather then aiming to get to the government itself in all areas directly. It thus supports all party and non-governmental organisations which don`t contradict with the line of democratic civilization. It Believes that this is the right way for the democratic solution to the Kurdish Question and the libertarian and democratic development of the peoples that Kurds are living together with. It aims that the Kurdish people which live in different parts of the Kurdistan to exist with their own identity and to form alliance with the peoples, democratic and progressive forces of the country in question. It calls foremost to the all democratic, socialist, social democrat forces and the non-governmental organisations of Turkey as well as all other democratic forces in all countries to form the widest unity possible within themselves in order to improve the democracy and freedom for the people and make the democratic solution to the Kurdish Question possible. It thus calls them to be in unity and work with the Kurdish people and the National Freedom Movement. 

KADEK sees that it is the duty of people of each piece of Kurdistan to solve the Kurdish Question in that area as well as democratic and libertarian development of the Kurdish people. It foresees the democratic solidarity and cooperation amongst the parts of Kurdistan. It bases its work in such that highest level of national unity is in the KNK (Kurdistan National Congress). It therefore accept to take active part in the KNK as well as supporting it at an increased level. It is thus prepared to forgive all the negative activities and crimes committed against the national unity during the struggle as long as they are remedied and calls to all Kurdish national forces, intellectuals and artists to renew themselves in this way and improve the Kurdish national unity and solidarity. 

KADEK adopts the widest level of inclusiveness and democratic practice as the organizational structure. It aims that all sections of the society get the right to express and improve themselves as part of the democratic civilization line. It finds the accession of the individuals and organizations in line with the democratic civilization line to itself to be positive. It calls all the individuals who separated from our movement for various reasons in the past to renew and reorganise themselves and to join this new beginning of our movement. It requests that the village guards and similar forces which took part in the opposite side during the past struggle period to consider the amnesty of our congress and abandon their position of opposition and if possible to join the national democratic side. 

KADEK condemns the persecution and violence on our people, which extends to the level of banning the mother tongue. It sees this as real terrorism. It also condemns all kinds of terrorism which creates chaos and deformation harms the development of the individuals and peoples libertarian democratic development and finds them to be methods which don`t serve the idea of solution. It points out that all the clashes should be ceased on the basis of the democratic solution to the Kurdish Question and for the establishment of the peace and brotherhood it? aims to reorganise the guerrillas to serve the idea of this solution. It sees the protection and development of the self-defence position of the Kurdish people as the key for the success of this plan. 

KADEK sees the method of peaceful political serhildan (uprising) as solution to the problems that masses should go through. It sees this to be the only effective method in creating the democratic transformation in the state and the society at large. It also sees it to be the most effective method for free development of individuals and the peoples. It believes that the all kinds of struggle for the civil rights organised by the workers, civil servants and all working peoples and people at large under the leadership of women and youth would lead to the creation of the democratic civilization.It thus call foremost to women and youth as well to other sections of the society to get organised as widely as possible and develop the idea of political serhildan in all areas for the achievement of the democratic society. 

The democratic civilization will be an era of freedom for women. It is obvious that the democratic transformation, which will free the society as a whole, will be a revolution of women¼s liberation. The struggle of the women have been developing with the beginning of the appearance of the peoples on the stage of history in the new century. This in turn allows the women to come on the stage of the history. The struggle and freedom line of women has been the real force behind the appearance of the peoples on the stage of the history as the subject. It has also been the one that improved the peace, democracy and freedom. KADEK thus sees the freedom line of women as the actual line of democratic civilization it sees that this line is developed with the organisation of the PJA (Partiya Jina Azadi- Party of Free Women). KADEK aims to improve the equalitarian and participative method it developed for the women within itself. This is currently at a level of 40 % for the party structure and the management . It aims to spread this way of representation to the society at large. It thus call the Kurdish women to educate and improve their level of consciousness and joining the ranks of the PJA. It asks them to join the serhildan at all areas actively as it our democracy and freedom struggle. It calls them to lead the struggle and to unite with all the democratic Arab, Turkish and Persian women movements in order to bring about the solution of the Kurdish Question by democratic means as well as establishing the peace, democracy and to improve the freedom of society in the world. 

The other leading and basic force in our serhildan for the democracy and freedom together with the women is the youth. The youth due to its nature is the basic force for the renewal, justice and freedom. The Kurdish youth have managed to create the Kurdish rebirth at the most negative conditions . 
It also successfully managed to improve the Kurdish National Struggle against the attacks of all kinds of reactionary forces that stems from the international system by way of showing great bravery and sacrifice. Today it is also at a strength of creating the rebirth of the organisation and the struggle of democracy. KADEK believes in the strength of the youth in general and the real strength of the Kurdish youth in particular is such that it itself is a youth movement. KADEK recalls the fact that this was so at the beginning of the movements original birth. It thus call on the youth to own up to the new line of the Leadership and to lead the people in the political serhildan which will apply this in life by way of improving our struggle whilst organizing themselves and the public at large. 

There is no doubt that the peace and democracy solution process is also era of democratic enlightenment, renaissance and reforms. The Kurdish enlightenment and renaissance on the other hand means a kind of Middle Eastern Renaissance and enlightenment. KADEK thus call to all Kurdish intellectuals, writers and artists to create the Kurdish enlightenment and renaissance on the basis of rich gains of our thirty years long heroic struggle. KADEK calls them to improve the Kurdish language and culture at all fronts and lead the way for a real Middle Eastern Renaissance by joining forces with the intellectuals and artists of the peoples of the Middle East. 

PKK made it a real date for the birth for KADEK by way of founding it on the first day of its 8th Congress. KADEK draws its strength from our Leadership, martyrs and our people as well as the accumulation of the gains it achieved from the thirty years long heroic struggle and it is at a strength which is capable of carrying out its`duty. The target is now established and route is planned and the start of the Newroz 2002 Serhildan as well as the founding of the KADEK has taken place as the first step. The rest will be decided on by the creativity, bravery and sacrifices of our comrades as well as the unique strength and participation of our people. Our movement and people thus will successfully achieve the solution to the Kurdish Question as it will practise the line of our Le adership on the basis of democratic unity and transformation of all of the Middle East. 

Forward for a Democratic Middle East and a Free Kurdistan! 
Down with all kinds of internal and external reaction! 
Long live our Freedom and democracy Struggle that is improving! 
under the clearsighted guidance of President APO! 
Long Live the vanguard of our People KADEK! 
Biji Serok Apo (Long Live our President APO)! 

15 April 2002
Management Committee of KADEK
Kongreya Azad” u Demokrasiya Kurdistan