Kurdish communities across European cities are uniting to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the first armed confrontation of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) with Turkish forces. This event, regarded by Kurds as their “Day of Revival”, has brought Kurds together in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
The gatherings, in several cities, serve to highlight the persistent challenges confronting the Kurdish population, particularly within Turkey. Participants of these commemorative events remark that Kurds still continue to face numerous assaults by the government of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Despite these hardships, the commemorations underline the ongoing advancement and expansion of the Kurdish struggle for autonomy and rights.
The Kurdistan Communities of Women (KJK) have issued a written statement as the 40th year approaches since the first armed actions of the PKK on 15 August 1984. The KJK’s message urges both the youth and women to join in the Kurdish liberation struggle with energy and resolution. It encourages them to “propagate principles of democracy, protection of the environment and women’s liberation” and to culminate their “honourable fight” with a victorious outcome.
The KJK statement highlights to the escalating military operations executed by the Turkish armed forces against PKK fighters in Iraqi Kurdistan. Through this declaration, the unflinching commitment of the Kurdish populace to their quest for freedom and justice is reaffirmed.
The historic event of 15 August 1984 marked the commencement of PKK’s initial attacks on Turkish state targets in the Eruh (Dih) district of Siirt (Sêrt) and the Şemdinli (Şemzînan) district of Hakkari (Colemêrg). This armed initiative laid the foundation for a protracted struggle aimed at attaining Kurdish self-determination within Turkey and the wider region, a struggle that endures to this very day.