5th Congress Of The PKK Is A Guarantee Of Success And Victory!

     After a long period of preparation, the 5th Congress of the
PKK was held in the free lands of Kurdistan from January 8-27,
1995. A total of 317 delegates participated, 231 of them having the
right to speak and vote and 86 of them having only the right to
speak. All the provinces of the Kurdish region were represented, as
were all the work regions abroad. A lot of valuable information was
brought forward during the 20 days of intense work. It updated all
the basic existing problems pertaining to the world and to
Kurdistan. It has been the biggest and most extensive peak in the
20-year history of our Party to discuss and create clear solutions
to our problems.
     In the four years from the last congress to today, our 5th
Congress has come to value the great military and political
developments which have emerged for the first time in the history
of Kurdistan and the deep-rooted changes which have taken place in
the world. It determined the truth, contrary to the demagogic
assertions of imperialist and reactionary forces which have
artificially decided the direction of developments in the world.
The struggle of humanity for equality and freedom will advance in
the future and will continue to mature, and once revitalized will
bring into action its great potential. The reality of the 5th
Congress of our party is proof of this. On this basis, the congress
stressed the deep international content and impact of Kurdistan's
revolution on mankind.
     The 5th Congress of the PKK called attention to the importance
of ideology in the life of people and society. It determined that
imperialist efforts to rid humanity of structured ideology and the
Soviet socialists' depoliticized and dogmatic ruling tactics in
turn have added to the downfall of humanity in mainstream society.
On this basis, it emphasized that Soviet socialism was a kind of
deviation, describing it as a "rough and wild phase of socialism".
It determined that the PKK's approach to socialism is scientific
and creative, despite the contrary actions of the world, and that
the creation of a great revolutionary rebellion in a backwards
Kurdish society is the result of this approach.
     The 5th Congress of our party has been a process of reform and
modernization for our party. The party program was reviewed and
various outstanding sections were renewed on the basis of the great
ideological, political, and organizational developments gained by
the 20-year struggle while taking into consideration changes in the
world. Former party regulations, which were accepted during the
party's founding congress, which was initiated by a small group of
people with limited and general judgements, were updated. A new
regulation which defines the conditions for membership in the
party, as well as the structure and operation of the organization,
was prepared and approved. The party program and regulations
created by our 5th Congress systematized the scientific and
creative comprehension of our party. It evaluated the situation in
the world and in Kurdistan, as well as the fate of humanity. The
conclusion led to a written document outlining that which goes
beyond the practices of other socialist organizations in the world
and the abstract ideas of the petty bourgeoisie.
     The 5th Congress of our party gathered after the extensive and
brutal attacks of Turkish special warfare with its plan "We will
definitely finish them off!" in 1994. In spite of its savage
persistence, the total war of the Turkish Republic failed and
instead lead to an escalation of the war, which caused severe
conditions of economic and political bankruptcy. It determined this
truth and evaluated the practices of the last 4 years of war. It
determined that the Turkish Republic will use any means in order to
survive, and this continuation is an attempt at the total
domination of Kurdistan. Our national liberation struggle has
entered into the period of victory and for the first time in the
history of Kurdistan the Kurdish struggle is prevailing. Our 5th
Congress came to the conclusion that our national liberation
struggle in North-West Kurdistan has affected the whole of
Kurdistan and all Kurdish people while becoming the leading force
in the liberation of Kurdistan. It emphasized that the existing
struggle in South Kurdistan has emerged from the direct impact of
the struggle in North-West Kurdistan and will need the development
of definitive special methods in order to combat imperialist,
colonialist, and reactionary forces.
     Our party's 5th Congress scrutinized the great struggle of the
past 4 years and revolutionary practices in their respective areas.
It distinguished between what is revolutionary and progressive and
what is faulty and impeding. It evaluated the report of every work
region one by one with the report of the General Secretary as
submitted extensively to the Congress. Our 5th Congress hailed the
political, organizational, and military developments of the past 4
years as unique developments in the history of Kurdistan. On this
basis, it underlined the guerrilla warfare having been dispersed
everywhere in Kurdistan and has reached its climax in the strength
of a guerrilla army. Peoples uprisings throughout Kurdistan have
spread fear throughout the colonialist enemy. The struggle has
eliminated in the minds of Kurdish people the physical and
emotional boundaries which divide Kurdistan. The unprecedented
leadership of our party in the Kurdistan national liberation
struggle, which has created and directed this struggle, has become
certain, and on this basis a magnificent development has achieved
a revolutionary nation from a historically backwards society.
     A main goal stressed was to follow straight in the line of
leadership which is leading to such successes and revolutionary
gains, otherwise deviation of attitudes to the right and left will
cause heavy casualties, this being the reason for a lack of success
in the past. The notion of coming to power quickly by means of
individuals spread throughout the party's organs like an illness.
This understanding caused opportunistic individuals from the
middle-class to dominate the party's organs. When these people were
not permitted to do so, however, it gravely led to either
committing suicide or collaborating with the enemy. However, it was
determined on the basis of examining concrete practices that all
sorts of fanatical, hypocritical, and aghaish approaches were
widespread in the past and that these attitudes had eroded the
vanguard of the party and prevented the growth of the party. Again,
these were the main reasons for not previously establishing an
adequate army and the lack of evaluation of popular uprisings. The
5th Congress of our party condemned all of these overwhelmingly and
brought to light the most prominent inadequacies in personality and
in thought from the most grave examples by examining the party's
practice in every area. It has decided to commence with a main
project of obtaining membership in the party in the upcoming year.
     On the basis of such evaluation, the 5th Congress of the PKK
has been a great judgement and justice congress. It brought to
light mistaken and faulty attitudes and items which are considered
to be criminal within the extensive discussion period and tried to
determine those who are responsible with great patience and care.
It condemned most of them on the basis of extensive criticism and
self-criticism. As a result it also determined some mistaken
punishments in the past struggle and gave the victims their
prestige back. It also brought to light and condemned conduct which
is deemed detrimental to the people. It decided that those who are
responsible must account for that.
     On the basis of this analysis, the 5th Congress of our party
was a congress of justice. The congress, which gathered and worked
under the motto of "Creating People's Power", examined and judged
the past in detail. It drew the future of the Kurdistan revolution
and people with extensive decisions. It cautiously planned and
decided various works in order to carry out the duty of the
leadership of our party perfectly, to improve internal education
and life in the party, to develop the leadership of our party which
has a great impact on our people and our revolution. It called
attention to the immediate future, which will be the greatest
warring period, focusing on the expansion of the army's methods. It
determined to establish a national army which is comprised of
organized units aside from the already-established guerrilla units.
Insistence on discipline and respect for regulations was
emphasized, which in turn ensures the establishment of strength in
the fighting units.
     The 5th Congress of our party plainly expressed the truth that
the mere existence and means of life of our people depends on a
revolutionary war. It determined the war tactics appropriate to the
revolutionary war policy of our party on the basis of the prepared
war plan. Our congress emphasized once again that the Turkish
colonialists are the ones insisting on the war and there are no
limits to their barbarity. It decided to continue the war of
liberation against the Turkish Special War Department as long as
Turkey insists on the war, but to emphasize and be open to
dialogue. It authorized the General Presidency of the party and the
Central Committee to carry out such a political solution. Our 5th
Congress came to the decision to create centralization in the party
and the army and to establish preparatory committees with the aim
of forming people's institutions. This includes assemblies and
administrations of the people at the local, regional, and
provincial level and to carry out the national struggle on this
basis. Other important tasks are to promptly organize the Kurdistan
National Assembly and to proclaim a revolutionary government, to
centralize all works carried out in the areas of the life of the
people and the national struggle, to reach a democratic popular
rule and present it to the party as a duty. It decided to carry out
extensive works in every area and to form relations between the
ERNK and other Kurdish forces with the aim of coming to power.
     The 5th Congress of our party was a clear expression of the
mature level of our party and it had a great revolutionary
perspective. It has been the first congress in which women have
made such a great contribution and the representation of 63 women
delegates presented a detailed report to the congress concerning
the women's issue. It discussed the women's issue on the basis of
a revolutionary socialist point of view. It expressed clearly the
importance of the free women's movement in the popular revolution,
the victory of our revolution, and the role of the participation of
women and it reached detailed decisions including a plan to convene
a Women's Congress.
     The congress also focused on the position of the Kurdistan
national liberation struggle on the international political agenda
and the international impact of the Kurdistan revolution. It
discussed extensively and came to decisions on foreign affairs and
the importance of alliances. It concluded with remorse the
situation of Turkish people, who are poor and under disorganized
leadership, and it made them the closet and most strategic ally of
the Kurdish people. It decided to make efforts as much as possible
to develop the democratic and revolutionary movement of Turkey with
a variety of approaches and to support the democratic and
revolutionary popular forces of Turkey more than before. It valued
the relations with the democratic and progressive forces in the
environmentalist, liberal, and social justice organizations and the
participation in international institutions and pledged to work to
develop a revolutionary socialist international alliance.
     The 5th Congress of our party hailed the prison resistance
movement and evaluated the current situation in the jails,
reconfirming the leaders of heroic martyrdom in our struggle who
number in the thousands. It convened with the elections of the
Central Committee and the Central Discipline Committee and the oath
of success and victory.
     The 5th Congress of our party brought to light and
overwhelmingly condemned every fault and insufficiency in attitude
and conduct committed in the past. It commenced with the new
improved movement in the party and new regulations for becoming a
member of the party. The congress calls on all militants and
members to renew themselves in the reality of the 5th Congress and
to make progress in the line of the leadership in the revolutionary
practice.
     The 5th Congress of the party condemned and corrected all the
contradictory attitudes of the past in a just judicial forum. The
coming days will focus on the accomplishment of a people's
government. This call to our people who live in Kurdistan and
elsewhere in the world is a call to defeat the enemy through
democratic advocacy. To our people around the world, stress the
education, enlightenment, and truth of our 5th Congress, organize
and unite en masse, and join our national revolutionary struggle
with its final force to overthrow the domination of the colonialist
enemy and formally establish the people's government. Furthermore,
we call on the Turkish people, who suffer the most harm, to see the
reality and not to support the genocidal war, not to be deceived by
the propaganda and lies of the fascist, colonialist, dominating
class, to comprehend and accept the national liberation struggle
that is being carried out by our party, and to struggle and fight
alongside the Kurdish people in solidarity against the fascist
regime.
     The 5th Congress of the PKK disclosed and clarified the guilt
of the imperialist supporting forces behind Turkish colonialism.
This congress is a warning for the imperialist forces and a call
for a firm stand from democratic people. We call on all governments
not to support the genocidal tactics of Turkish colonialism.
Everybody who is a democrat must recognize the reality and power of
the Kurdish nation!
     Based on the leadership and conduct of the unyielding PKK,
conduct yourselves as militants of the new conquest march of
Mesopotamia, which was initiated by our 5th Congress in the name of
humanity!

Victory will come to our people who adhere to the reality of the
5th Congress of the PKK!
Down with Turkish fascism, colonialism, imperialism, and all
reactionary forces!
Long live the 5th Victory Congress of our party!

Central Committee of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
February 1995

(Translated by Arm The Spirit)