May 18: "Day of Resistance", revolutionary struggle for Kurdish- Turkish People

The month of May holds special significance in the history of the Kurdistan Liberation Movement, but it takes on a deeper dimension on May 18th. Turkish revolutionary leader Ibrahim Kaybak Kaya was martyred, along with prominent leaders of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), including Hakki Karar, Khalil Cavgun, Ferhat Kurtay, Nejmi Oner, Mahmud Zengin, and Ashraf Anyak, during a resistance that has defined the revolutionary struggle for half a century.

Ibrahim Kaybak Kaya: A Symbol of Revolution and Sacrifice

Ibrahim Kaybak Kaya was born on April 24, 1949, in the Sungurlu district of the Turkish city of Çorum. He founded the Turkish Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army (TÎKKO), launching his revolutionary march in the Dersim Mountains. On January 24, 1973, he was wounded in a clash with the Turkish army and was arrested and tortured to death in Amed Prison on May 18, 1973.

In his book "Manifesto of Democratic Civilization," Leader Abdullah Ocalan points to the profound impact of the martyrdom of Kaybak Kaya and other revolutionary leaders, explaining how these events prompted him to engage in political struggle and take his first steps toward establishing the apocalyptic movement.

Hakki Karar: The Beginning of the Kurdish Struggle

On March 30, 1972, Leader Mahir Çayan and nine of his comrades were martyred in the village of Kızıldırı in the city of Niksar, Tokat Province, Turkey, sparking a wave of anger among revolutionary circles. The next day, student activists in Ankara participated in distributing leaflets condemning the massacre. Among them was Leader Abdullah Ocalan, who was arrested at the time and later witnessed the execution of Deniz Kezmiş and his two comrades in prison.

After his release, Leader Abdullah Ocalan met Hakkı Karar and Kemal Pir, a meeting that marked a turning point that led to the launch of the revolutionary struggle in Kurdistan.

Hakkı Karar was born in 1950 in the Ulubey district of Ordu, Turkey, where he received his primary and middle school education. He completed his secondary education in the same city, later transferring to Ankara University and earning a degree in physics. However, his academic career did not prevent him from engaging in revolutionary activity. He was influenced by the resistance led by Deniz Kezmiş, Mahir Cayan, and Ibrahim Kaybak Kaya, which marked the beginning of his struggle.

In the fall of 1972, Hakkı Karar became acquainted with Leader Abdullah Ocalan, becoming one of his closest companions and most influenced by his ideology. He participated in the historic meeting held by the Leader in 1973 in Dikmen, Ankara, during the Newroz celebrations, and in the founding of the APO group. The Leader also actively participated in organizing the revolutionary youth within the Ankara Democratic Association for Higher Education (ADYÖD). This enabled them to reunite the revolutionary youth following the March 12 coup. He later moved to Kurdistan to lead the national struggle in İle, Akırı, Adana, and Dilok.

In 1973, Hakkı Karar became Leader Abdullah Ocalan's closest friend. He also attended the meeting held by the Leader in the Dikmen district of Ankara on Newroz in 1973. In 1974, he joined the APO group. The Leader also actively participated in organizing the revolutionary youth within the Ankara Democratic Association for Higher Education (ADYÖD). In this way, they were able to reunite the revolutionary youth after the March 12 coup.

The Martyrdom of Hakki Karar and the Declaration of May 18 as a Day of Struggle

On May 18, 1977, Hakki Karar was ambushed in Dilok and assassinated in cold blood. The news of his martyrdom was met with overwhelming revolutionary anger, and his comrades vowed that his blood would not be shed in vain. This ushered in a new phase of revolutionary escalation in Kurdistan. At the first PKK congress, held on November 26 and 27, 1978, in the village of Fis in the Liçi district of Amed Province (Diyarbakır), May 18 was declared "Martyrs' Day," marking May as a month to honor those who sacrificed their lives for freedom.

Hakki Karar's Status with Leader Abdullah Ocalan

For Leader Abdullah Icalan, Hakki Karar was his "hidden soul." He wrote an article in his memory titled "In Commemoration of the Proletarian and Internationalist Revolutionary, Hakki Karar." It later became part of the PKK platform and was distributed as a booklet called "Revolutionaries of Kurdistan," making it the first written document of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement.

Leader Abdullah Ocalan describes Hakki Karar: "From the moment he understood the Kurdistan Revolution, he left his university studies without hesitation, as if carrying his bed on his back, and headed for a homeland he had never known before. At a time when he did not even have five piasters, he sometimes worked as a simple laborer during the days of the revolution. His clothes were always torn, and he ate only one meal: breakfast." But he was an inspiration to those around him, overcoming all difficulties, and those who were with him did not realize how the days passed by beside him.

The Fourth Self-Defense Operation: Sacrifice in the Face of Oppression

After the military coup on September 12, 1980, the revolutionaries faced a brutal crackdown, including the systematic arrests and torture of PKK leaders, including Mehmet Hayri Durmuş, Mazlum Doğan, Kemal Pir, Ferhat Kurtay, Necmi Öner, Mahmut Zengin, and Ashraf Aniak.

On May 18, 1982, in one of the greatest epics of resistance, Ferhat Kurtay, Necmi Öner, Mahmut Zengin, and Ashraf Aniak set themselves on fire inside Amed Prison, protesting against tyranny and betrayal, leaving a clear message: "We are the ones following the path of the oppressed, and we reject surrender and oppression in all its forms."

May 18 has remained etched in the hearts of generations. Revolutionary, a day to honor the martyrs and raise the banner of resistance. The sacrifices made throughout history have established this day as a symbol of steadfastness and sacrifice in the face of tyranny, and a constant message of resistance will not stop.

T/S

ANHA