From: "Magnus Bernhardsen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> R http://www.kurdishobserver.com/2001/08/18/hab01.html Splendid celebration by the guerrillas HPG forces celebrated August 15 with great enthusiasm in the mountains of South [Iraqi] Kurdistan. Following celebrations in which prominence was given to culture and art, the guerrillas all went together to visit the cemetery of martyrs. Guerrillas belonging the HPG forces repeated their vows of loyalty to PKK President Abdullah Ocalan. MURAT SARAC / S.KURDISTAN The 17th anniversary of the August 15 initiative, which is celebrated as a holiday of revival by Kurdish people across the world, was celebrated by the People's Defense Forces (HPG) with great enthusiasm in South Kurdistan. Following the celebrations, the guerrillas visited the graves of those who had lost their lives in the struggle. Guerrillas continued preparations the entire morning for the celebrations to be held in the afternoon. Celebrations began with a military ceremony at 1:00 in the afternoon at which 300 guerrillas belonging to the HPG were present. The ceremony started with two minutes of silence in honor of the Kurdistan Revolutionary Martyrs. This was followed by a culture program prepared by the Guerrilla Culture Center. Many musicians and artists took part in the program, including Hozan Semdin, Hekim Sefkan, Hozan Kawa, and Rojbin from the Kurdish Culture and Arts Academy. The audience also greatly enjoyed a skit performed by the guerrillas, while the music of the Sehit Siphan music group added even more excitement to the celebrations. Success belongs to the leadership Slogans expressing loyalty to PKK President Abdullah Ocalan were shouted frequently during the celebrations. Meanwhile, PKK Council of Leaders member Osman Ocalan addressed the guerrillas with a speech which he started off by sending greetings to Imrali. Ocalan said that their success was due to the Kurdish national leadership and the intensive efforts of their party's leader Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan noted that many both within and without had opposed the August 15 Initiative at the beginning, but that the initiative had been successful because of the foresight of the PKK President. Ocalan said that the August 15 realities had brought out many values and that success had continued on this basis. A message from the Free Women's Party (PJA) entitled, "To President Apo, the Creator of Reality and Justice," was also read during the celebrations. The message said that August 15 was a gift from the Kurdish National Leadership and stressed determination in the struggle. Visit to the martyrs Following these celebrations, the guerrillas went together to the cemetery were guerrillas who had lost their lives in the struggle have been laid to rest. The ceremony which began at 6:00 in the evening started with a moment of silence and continued with a speech from PKK Council of Leaders member Osman Ocalan. Osman Ocalan recalled that Kurdish National Leadership Abdullah Ocalan had said that "Martyrs are our past, our present, and our future," and noted that the struggle of the martyrs was continuing through the PKK President. The guerrillas then strolled through the cemetery to the chanting of "Martyr Namirin." Dochkas do not fall silent the entire night Meanwhile, the HPG forces also celebrated August 15 by firing off Dochka anti-aircraft defensive weapons. Celebrations that lasted all day continued after the sun set with the firing of Dochkas from the hills. "A revolution is not a bed of roses. A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past." Fidel Castro "The Marxist-Leninist doctrine on class struggle and the dictatorship of the proletariat affirms the role of violence in revolution, makes a distinction between unjust, counter-revolutionary violence and just, revolutionary violence, between the violence of the exploiting classes, and that of the masses." General Vo Nguyen Giap "Without a Peoples Army the people have nothing" Mao Tse-Tung _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
