Roni Baz, an Coordination Member of Komalen Ciwan (United Youth), talks about the importance of internationalism, the need for an common struggle against Turkish fascism and the building up of a global democratic confederalism. In the video he addresses internationalist comrades and the youth worldwide.
Roni Baz: When the big revolutionary leader Marx was bringing together internationalists in the 19th century, they came together with a huge determination and also with a big hope. This internationalist resistance has continued until today. Also while the conditions might have changed: the current world turned to a world of capitalism. In this world crisis the chaos is getting deeper.
And again…The socialist struggle, which was started by Marx and Engels, this societal struggle goes on with a far bigger power than in the first days. There is no doubt that capitalism, as the system of the Capitalist Modernity, became the main source of all societal problems. Perhaps it has always been the source of all problems since the first day, but at the present time, in the world in which we live, in the society, a great catastrophe is taking place.
When all societal and ecological problems are seen without solutions, is it of course a disadvantage, a disadvantage for our world. But at the same time it means for all forces, waging a socialist and revolutionary struggle a great chance. In history, the capitalist system was hit again and again by big blows. Socialist personalities, socialist movements, revolutionary movements have always with a self-understanding and with huge efforts continued the struggle until today. And again, the revolutionary leader Lenin and other socialist, anarchist, all resisting people and groups, organizations and movements have built a heritage through their great resistance.
Now they have given the task of the societal resistance to us, us as the current young generation. The flag of resistance, against all these games of capitalism and imperialism, we took this flag as a flag of honor. We as socialists, revolutionaries, democratic youth, we indeed have a great chance. For us carrying the flag is a great chance and honor.
Nevertheless, there are shortcomings with us. A huge opportunity opened itself for us… For us there is now the opportunity to bury capitalism and imperialism 7 storeys under the earth so that it can never come out again. But on the other hand, if we do not use this possibility, to free our people and societies, then we have the to be taken in account as the revolutionary, socialist youth and all young people, who are opposing the ruling system. Situations of chaos at the same time always mean many opportunities. Chaos actually means exactly that. There are forces who are lying inside the chaos. Whoever manages to organize well, to increase the resistance, has a great chance to win much.
All over the world you see: no human being, no society is happy in the capitalist system. Everywhere, in waves, there are uprisings and riots against capitalism.
We can see how the protests are increasing: In France the yellow vests, in England the socialist youth, in Germany the remaining heirs of the mentioned tradition of resistance. It is in Kurdistan, where the Apoçi-Youth was getting together as a socialist movement and is now influencing socialist movements and the resistance in the whole world. In the union of the whole internationalist youth, as a movement against fascism and all its forms and atrocities, lies probably the biggest chance to once and for all destroy the imperialist and capitalist forces.
As the struggling Kurdish Youth with the philosophy of our leader Reber Apo and the ideal of freedom as an aim, we always gave meaning to such a union. We have seen it always like that. Whatever ideological differences there might be, without an internationalist unity we will not be able, as Marx was already trying in the 19th century, to bring capitalism in a way under the earth so it cannot return. There is no alternative to that. And we always fought for that. For this we were resisting. We never accept ideological differences as reason for letting us getting separated. Actually in the opposite we saw ideological differences as diversity and force, which even makes us bigger.
The need of power is pain and division. This positivist approach is to always separate one from another, against this approach to think in separation, we have always been resisting. We showed an ideological stance and this is visible in Rojava, embodied in the Kurdish revolution, which means a great hope for the whole of humanity. The socialist system which is being built up in Rojava and Kurdistan, is not only for Kurds and Kurdistan, it is for the whole of humanity. We try to be a model for the whole of humanity. In the world, there are many organizations, individuals and groups that oppose imperialism and capitalism and stand up for equality, justice and against the misuse of power.
The capitalist powers come here and work together. Why do we not, as revolutionaries, as youth against power, why do we not get together? Why don’t we develop a common resistance in the whole world, which gives us strength?
Today all the conditions in the world are set, concrete places and the concrete time for the revolution have become more clear. Also the material and mental conditions are given. Really, by uniting we have the possibility to create a huge socialist heritage. At the same time it is also a necessary step in these times. A must for us….
We have to act according to our principles. In these times, anti-fascism, anti-imperialism and anti-capitalism should be our sole principles. We should not allow and actually, this times requires it from us, we should not allow any approaches, no ideology, which wants to separate the socialist left or it´s weakening of the societal front. The great heritage gives this responsibility to us. In this era, in the 21st century, we will throw capitalism onto the heap of rubbish of history and really spread the socialist resistance.
The possibility will be there to bring all socialist forces together and to build up an internationalist unity. To let the leftist front get more separated, history will not forget from us. It is our task to take the responsibility for historic questions and with socialist thought take the responsibility for the soil, the water, the nature, the society and the honor.
As Kurdish Youth, as we were struggling until, as we were resisting, to spread our position in the world, and despite ideological differences with the socialist youth who has been inspired by the heritage of Marx, Engels and other important comrades, we have to get together with revolutionary devotion and excitement.
Because of that… It is without doubt, that at the moment there is no one despite us. Because of that with even greater determination than ever before, with even greater enthusiasm, with even greater morale, we call to create a great revolutionary unity of the socialist, anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist youth movements. What is imposed on us as Kurdish youth in this regard, which is also given to us in this regard as a responsibility: we emphasize once again our historical responsibility
We will implement this. Nevertheless, it is important to know: If a socialist movement is at war in one place, a socialist movement in another can not live peacefully, and only the socialist movement that is at war sees itself responsible, is not the socialist attitude of others.
We as the youth carry the heritage of a movement, which participated in the Palestinian resistance in the 1980s and gave 12 Sehids (Martyrs) to the Palestinian cause. In this sense we carry on the struggle as militants.
In the same way, everywhere in the world, capitalism is spreading oppression. Imperialism became the biggest sickness, the biggest threat, became a big problem for humanity. Wherever there are by fascism, enslaved youth, societies, or people or soil, a piece of land or a human facing the threat of imperialism, we will stay with them. Until the end we resisted together and will do like this again in the future. Kurdistan is today facing Turkish colonialism and all it’s attacks.
Our most important representative Abdullah Öcalan is probably faced with, in the world and in the whole history probably not seen, isolation and torture. Abdullah Öcalan continues to struggle with huge determination without moving one step away from the socialist struggle. It is important not to forget and to remember all socialist, revolutionary comrades. And we are sure, that in a close connection to the comrades like Marx and Lenin, to Nietzsche, which started centuries ago, that we stay connected to their line.
And we believe, that without the liberation of Kurdistan, without the liberation of the soil in Kurdistan and without the up-building of the communal system of Democratic Confederalism at other places, the strong resistance of social movements are not possible.
The big resistance against the Islamic State showed again, that the Apoci-Youth-Movement, more determined than ever, took the responsibility for the socialist heritage. And we will continue to take the responsibility. With this wish, we call on all revolutionary forces as their historic responsibility to carry out a great resistance against the isolation of the leader Öcalan and with this contribute to the liberation of Kurdistan and build up a confederation for the Middle East. At the same time to build up free, socialist confederations in the whole world.
In conclusion: to unite with all in Europe and the Middle East living socialist youth, with all internationalists, with all the revolutionary, democratic, with the whole youth who are opposing fascism should be done with a bigger honor and pride than ever before. We call all comrades to do this with a big effort and a huge morale. From here we greet all our comrades resisting against capitalism and fascism with deepest respect.