On February 29 Turkish government declared the end of the land operation in Southern Kurdistan and withdrawal of Turkish troops. The incursion was planned well in advance and aimed at disabling and destruction of militant units of the defenders of their nation’s dignity, the PKK . Villages, schools and hospitals were destroyed and civilians were killed in this frenzied attack by the government on its own people. The government concurrently stirred chauvinistic sentiments and craze throughout Turkey adding fuel to the fire of the ambers of ethnic strife and civil war. In the course of the operation the Turkish military punished and dishonoured its own soldiers for being captured by the guerrillas.
The operation was abruptly ended not because “the mission has been accomplished” as the government claims, but due to the Turkish government submissively obeying the external orders communicated to them by the senior officials from the USA.
The International Council condemns the land operation by the Turkish government and Turkish Armed Forces in Southern Kurdistan as a brutal attack on the people who reject life under oppression, denial and humiliation, and against those who refuse to accept bullets, imprisonments and lynchings as everyday phenomena. We congratulate Kurdish and Turkish resisters, both militants in the mountains and civilians in the cities and villages, with the enemy’s retreat and we honour their exemplary courage. We salute all those who helped the fighters by educating citizens of Turkey about the true meaning of this attack and by propagating the spirit of brotherhood amidst population. We also send comradely greetings to students who withstood abuse and fought back attacks from narrow minded nationalist bullies. We believe in Kurdish and Turkish people’s unity in conquering the common enemy, capitalism and imperialism, and in their future victories!

International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People

Toronto, Canada

March 3, 2008