Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" proposed a peaceful and democratic social model based on the unity of differences against the antagonistic, confrontational and violence-based structure of the nation state. In line with Abdullah Öcalan's proposal, the PKK decided to dissolve itself and disarm. 

 

The call was supported by religious and ethnic identities facing political, military, religious and cultural oppression by the nation states in their regions. Among those supporting this call are the Yazidis, who have recently faced genocide at the hands of ISIS and are now under pressure from the Iraqi government and the Federated Kurdistan Government.

 

Cihan Celo, Co-Chair of the Shengal Autonomous Administration representing the Yazidis, reminded that the Yazidi people have been subjected to massacres and genocides throughout history, and noted that the Yazidi community was wanted to be destroyed by ISIS attacks, which he called the 73rd edict, and that they fought against this with Abdullah Öcalan's philosophy. Evaluating the call to Mezopotamya Agency (MA), he said: "Especially Yazidi women were targeted. However, women responded to these edicts with the ideas and philosophy of Leader Apo. Today, a Yazidi renaissance is taking place under the leadership of women."

 

Stating that Öcalan's ideas have reorganised the Yazidi society, Cihan Celo said: "This idea depends on nature, peace and democracy. Even though the society has been removed from its essence from time to time due to the influence of the nation-state system, Leader Apo's philosophy has brought the Yazidi people back to its essence. We, too, will unite around this call and establish a democratic nation system and a system of self-government through peace and the construction of a democratic society. The ideas of the Leader Apo and the Yazidi community are intertwined. We cannot consider the two separately. This idea depends on nature, peace and democracy. However, the attacks and influence of the nation-state system have caused this society to move away from its essence and substance, albeit partially. Leader Apo's philosophy has organised the Yazidi intellectuality. A process was developed that led the Yazidis from slavery to freedom, from oppression to independence, from genocide to resistance. With this call, we will increase our struggle and realise the unity and solidarity of Yazidis under the leadership of women. In his message, Leader Apo said that he would be with the Yazidi community under all circumstances and conditions and that he would stand by them. Leader Apo's labour for us will not be in vain."

 

DEMOCRATIC NATION BUILDING WITH COMMUNES AND AUTONOMOUS STRUCTURE

 

 

Stating that the Shengal Autonomous Administration was built with the Abdullah Öcalan’s democratic confederalism model, she said: “The missing pillar of the assemblies established after the edict was the communes. This deficiency was completed with this conference. The communes consist not only of Yazidis but also of Arab people. At the same time, the Arab people are also targeted by special war policies because they have adopted the democratic nation system militarily and politically.”

 

Stating that the responsibility of understanding and explaining the call falls on Yazidi intellectuals, Cihan Celo said that the Yazidi community must take the lead in order for the call to reach its goal. Stating that the letter sent by Abdullah Öcalan was read in public and his views and evaluations were interpreted together, Cihan Celo said: “Yazidis attached great meaning to this letter. Within the framework of this historical call and the letter sent by the Leader Apo for Yazidis, we will have meetings, workshops and public gatherings here. We will start our work for the renaissance of Yazidis. The first step was the reading of the message of the Leader Apo. In the message, it was stated that society should bebuilt and organised with a democratic nation mentality and that talks should be held with different segments in the region. Since the day that Leader Apo’s ideas spread in this society, especially after the last call, there has been a unity among the Yazidis, Shiites, Sunnis and Arabs. These beliefs were enemies of Yazidis before However, they are now defending these lands together by organising themselves on the same line of struggle.”

 

Cihan Celo stated that they will organise workshops and conferences in line with the call and said, "We will work on how the Yazidi society can transform and how Yazidis should dialogue and negotiate with different segments. The responsibility of explaining this call falls mostly on the intellectuals of this society."

 

Cihan Celo said that a new process of solidarity and unity between peoples and beliefs started in Shengal after the call: "Shiites, Sunnis, Arabs and Yazidis are coming together and defending this land together. This is the spirit of the democratic nation system. This system should be recognised not only in Shengal but also throughout Iraq."

 

'NO PEACE WITHOUT PHYSICAL FREEDOM'

 

Pointing to Abdullah Öcalan's condition for the realisation of the call, Cihan Celo said: "This process cannot move forward until Leader Apo regains his physical freedom. Neither the Kurdish people nor the Yazidi community can be truly liberated. Freedom is knotted in the freedom of Leader Apo".

 

'BUILDING A NEW LIFE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF WOMEN'

 

Stating that women are leading the fulfilment of the call, Cihan Celo concluded: "Women are leading history, truth and society in this process. Without this, there can be no real transformation. That is why the reconstruction of the natural society under the leadership of women in Shengal continues rapidly. Yazidis cannot build a democratic nation system if they are one. Peoples of all faiths and races must take part in this system. For this reason, Iraq must also accept this system and not obstruct the democratic nation system to be established. Only in this way can it overcome the crisis situation it is in. Our struggle is to realise the Yazidi renaissance. In this way, we can have status and build a democratic nation."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut