DEMOCRACY IS NEVER A GIFT

 

Sayin underlined that democracy has never been handed to the people as a gift: "Every step toward a democratic society will be validated through the relationship forged in the streets." He pointed to the Kurdish people’s organized resistance as evidence that the state is now forced to reconsider its foundational principles.

 

DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY SOCIALISM AND SOCIALIST TRANSFORMATION

 

Sayin welcomed the Congress’s emphasis on “democratic society socialism,” highlighting its commitment to collectivism and communal structures. "This mode of movement... represents a necessary and correct path toward uninterrupted progress toward socialism," he said.

 

However, he warned that the capitalist class is already organized to suppress such progress. Sayin clarified that negotiating with fascism does not mean maintaining good relations, but directly confronting it and stressed: “Negotiation with fascism means a full confrontation.” He underlined that the Kurdish people’s decades-long resistance made the current process possible.

 

THREE KEY DUTIES: FRONT, DIRECTION, AND PROGRAM

 

Emphasising that three important tasks fall to the social dynamics in the given situation, Sayin said: "Firstly, the formation of an anti-fascist, anti-imperialist and anti-internationalist democratic front. Secondly, a third pole, which will form the left wing of this front against the right and centre elements of this front and which is closed to uninterrupted progress towards socialism, should play a guiding role in this movement. The third is to ensure that socialists play a guiding role in this struggle with a new programme that overcomes the deformations of real socialism and establishes a democratic socialist relationship between the individual and society.” He emphasized that this could pave the way for a collective march toward socialism with the Kurds.

 

A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL UNITY

 

The 12th Congress, Sayin noted, creates a strong basis for the international unity of the oppressed: “A powerful groundwork is being laid for the international unity of the oppressed.” He saw this as a historic opportunity for regional and global democratic movements.

 

‘BASIC CONDITION: LIFTING OF THE ISOLATION ON MR OCALAN’

 

Pointing to Abdullah Öcalan's messages on the process, Sayin said, "Rêber (Leader) Apo has never taken a step that would mislead those who trusted him and has preserved the indestructible foundation of this trust. In this respect, it is imperative to open the way for him to meet both with his organisation and with every person and institution he wants. All those who wish to march towards democracy, i.e. the entire democratic opposition, should be in a solidarity movement with the awareness that one of the basic conditions of this march is the lifting of the isolation on Mr Öcalan. This will serve as a litmus paper on whether the process will move forward or not."

 

OVERCOMING THE LEGACY OF THE 1980 COUP

 

Sayin argued that the democratic society socialism model could also address the fragmentation caused by the 1980 military coup. “When combined with socialism, the Kurdish freedom movement’s democratic potential can form a crucial starting point,” he said and added that this could lead to a renewed socialist organization across society.

 

'THE STRUGGLE WILL DETERMINE THE TARGET'

 

Sayin listed the steps the state must take in order for the process to succeed as follows: “Mr Öcalan’s working conditions must be ensured, he must be placed in a position where he can act with free will, the attacks against the opposition must be stopped, the captured prisoners must be released immediately and free elections must be announced as soon as possible in order to establish a real democracy, not a restoration. The struggle will determine whether this goal will be achieved.”

 

WHO IS MAHIR SAYIN?

 

Mahir Sayin was born in Rize in 1948. After completing his university education in Ankara, he graduated from Middle East Technical University (METU), Department of Electrical Engineering. During his student years, Sayin took part in the activities of the Federation of Intellectual Clubs (FKF) and the Revolutionary Youth. In 1971, together with Ilhami Aras and Mustafa Kacaroglu, Sayin was imprisoned for 3.5 years on charges of terrorist organization membership, and continued his political activities in the following years. Sayin left Turkey after the military coup of 12 September when he was wanted for being a leader of the Kurtuluş movement.

 

MA / Ömer Güngör