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Mary Corbishley spoke to Hassan Ghazi, a member of the European Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI). 'Peshmergas' - the Kurdistan liberation fighters FURTHER developments in the strike wave in the French car industry have brought the Communist Party led CGT union federation into conflict with the CP/Socialist Party coalition government.

Last Wednesday, 2nd, a CGT protest at the Citroën Aulnay factory in pursuit of wage demands led to clashes with members of the fascist CSL, which acts as a 'company union' in Citroen. 17 workers were injured.

Despite the CSL's evil reputation, Labour Minister Jean Auroux promptly denounced the CGT as responsible. And now Citroën has sacked 15 workers, including the factory CGT leader Akka Ghazi and three other CGT representatives.

Strikes have continued in other factories. The paintshop at Renault Flins, where the movement began under the leadership of the CFDT union, voted on Friday January • 27 to go back un the basis of bonus payments ranging from 70 francs to 155 ($7 to 215). On the same day. the 1983 national pay agreement for Renault was signed: an 8% increase.

THE ISRAELI inquiry into last September's Beirut massacre has produced its findings, selected sections of which have been made public. They include the resignation or removal of Defence Minister Ariel Sharon, criticism of Prime Minister Begin and Army Chief of Staff Raphael Eitan, and the recommended dismissal of the Military Intelligence chief.

The report is unexpectedly tough in tone, though its proposals are restricted to a cosmetic clean-up of the bloody Zionist war machine without whose savage. invasion of Lebanon — leaving 17,000 dead and 30,000 wounded — the Phalangist murder squad would never have got into the Sabra and Chatila camps to massacre another 700 unarmed Palestinian men, women and children.

It poses a new crisis for the Begin government, which has so far weathered the storm of protest at home and abroad at the time of the massacre.

THE Australian Labour Party's new leader, Bob Hawke, has opened his campaign for the March 5 general election by dropping proposals for a capital gains tax. Hawke is also trying for an agreement with the trade unions for incomes policy.

So deep is the discredit of the Thatcherite LiberalNational coalition led by Malcolm Fraser, however, that Labour still looks likely to win. Latest opinion pulls give Labour 52% of the vote and Fraser 31%, with 17% "don't know"

PRESIDENT Reagan has indicated US approval of the Turkish dictatorship of General Kenan Evren by doubling US military aid and handing out a hefty sum in economic aid.

The US administration plans to give no less than $755 million to support the military junta that presides over one of the most repressive regimes in the world -and a further $175 million in economic aid. KURDISTAN has never existed as an independent state.

Originally, Kurdish areas were divided between the Persian and Ottoman Empires. During the First World War, as a result of the break-up of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of new nation states, Kurdistan was divided into four areas in Iraq, Turkey, Syria and During negotiations between the great powers of the time, including Britain, the Kurdish people were promised autonomy. That promise was never kept, and the Kurdish struggle in all areas has contir led.

The Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran was founded during the Second World War. It was at a time when Iranian society as a whole underwent a transformation as a result of the downfall of the monarchy of Reza Khan, the Shah's father. For the first time in the recent history of Iranian Kurds, the desires of different strata of the population were translated into the formation of a new party, the KDPI.

The creation of the Party has its roots also in the continuing struggle of the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey.

The KDP was formed at a mass demonstration in Mahabad, and the demand for autonomy was declared. at that meeting.

Months

In 1946 the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad was established, which lasted for 11 months.

If we go back and assess the history of the Party it is questionable whether the leadership in that era was in position to declare an autonomous Kurdish 1 state within the monarchical framework of the Shah. After the crushing of the Republic, the new generation continued the struggle under the new circumstances which necessitated clandestine activity.

At a KDP conference in 1948 the demand for autonomy was again raised, but this time the programme concentrated on LIC necessity for fighting the reactionary elements within Kurdistan who represented the higher classes in the society.

During the government of Mossadeq and the democratic struggle in the whole of Iran in the early 1950s, the KDPI played a very posi tive role in organising the peasantry in some areas of İranian Kurdistan and helped to raise the consciousness of the peasant population.

. In the late sixties an armed struggle developed. Kurdish militants who had fled from the Shah's persecution to Iraq clandestinely came back into Iran and organised an armed struggle amongst the peasantry and through KDP local committees. This continued for eighteen months until it was beutally crushed by the central government, helped by the armed gang of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, who was then the leader of the Kurdish struggle in Iraq and who had close links with the Shah, having become embroiled in US-Iranian plans for the area.

In spite of the different hardships torture and persecution the ideals of the • KDPI were present amongst the Kurdish population. The KDP since its inception has represented a wide range of Kurdish society.

We have four main demands: the establishment of a democratic system in .ran, opposition to imperialism in Iran, especially US imperialism; the achievement of the political, cultural and economic rights of the Kurdish people, and their aspirations for autonomy.

During the escalation of' mass protests against the Shah's regime in the late seventies, it became possible for different groups to organise and make direct links with the people. After the Shah's downfall in February 1919, the turst open meeting ın Mahabad was attended by 100,000 peasants and town dellers.

After 33 ycars of clandestine activity since the Mahabad republic, the KDPI could openly organise.

At the outset we made it clear that we would not necessarily seek confrontation methods in order to achieve our demands. At the Mahabad meeting we expressed our wish to negotiate with Ayatollah Khomeini's government on our legitimate demands which we saw as linked to a process of democratisation in Iran.

Prepared

Requesting negotiations didn't mean we had any illusions in the government. A delegation of the Bazargan government came to Kurdistan for discussions. They prolonged these discussions because behind it all they were attempting to provoke a controntation.

But we were prepared. The people in Kurdistan were in a good position to take over the army barracks after the Shah's downfall. Kurdistan was the most militarised area of Iran during the Shah's regime. Khomein In Ma governme against t by attack Sanandaj Parveh o the Kur secede.

Ayato declared against tl branding infidels a: ialism. systemati from Au 1979.

Then negotiatir the dem: were leg ruse. We eini was ate his cr facing int ti's firing squads have arch 1979 the new ent started a war he Kurdish people ing Sanandaj. After , the army entered in the pretext that ds were trying to illah Khomeini a Jihad (holy war) he Kurdish people, the leadership as nd agents of imperKurdistan was cally. bombarded gust to November Khomeini called for ons declaring that ands of the Kurds itimate. It was a knew that Khomtrying to consolidonstitution and was ernal problems.

Invasion

It was not long before the attacks were resumed. Since March 1980 they have continued uninterrupted.

With the invasion of Iran by Iraq we felt that the government's ability to attack Kurdistan would be weakened. Our position was that the government should withdraw the Pasdaran (revolutionary guards) from Kurdistan and leave the internal affairs of Kurdistan to its people - we would ПЛАНКИ & TCURAM 'AREAS MAJÖR OILFIELDŚI IRA TaBEFINERY AREAS, BAGHDAD • ESFAKAN ABADAN JASRAS • SHIRAZ * BUSHIRE KUWAIT Kharg -Island (Laristan) (OIlE • Terminal) -massacred hundreds Iraqis and to cut between the Kurdish ated areas - those controlled by the KDP.

They wanted to gain control of a strategicroad between Piranshar and Sardasht. Partial control by day has been gained and in their attempts they used the infamous 'human wave' tactic sending young school children in front to clear a path for the tanks.

But the Peshmergas still control the-road at night, the resistance has been led by the Peshmergas and local people's militias and casualties amongst government forces have been heavy.

The winter weather has aided our struggle and we hope that by next spring the Peshmergas will be able to regain total control. We also hope that the struggle will develop in other parts of Iran to extend the resistance taking place in Kurdistan. We see Kurdistan as : a barrack of freedom in Iran. What can the labour movement here do to support the fight for autonomy in Kurdistan?

In spite of the historical plight of the Kurdish people in spite of all their sacrifices • Aavernsement I liberareas BANDAR ABBAS TUNB - ABU AFGHANISTAN ISLANDS MUSA Gult of Oman and hardships over many years in different parts of Kurdistan their struggle has not gained the worldwide support that it needs.

I think that the labour movement everywhere, including Britain, can play a very big role by showing their solidarity with the struggle of the Kurdish people.

We believe that our struggle is a link in the chain of the struggle of oppressed people every where.

I understand that in the 1982 Labour Party conference there was mention of the Kurdish struggle in the international report. We see this as a very positive step and we hope that this moral support will develop into more concrete solidarity. An evening of Kurdish music and songs. Saturday February 19, 6pm, Camden Centre, Bidborough St, London NW1. Adm. £2.50, £1 unwaged.

New issue of 'Kurdistan News & Comment': 35p plus postage from Kurdistan Solidarity, PO Box 30, 29 Islington Park St, London N1.

KSC meeting: Sunday

February 13, 8pm, Prince Albert, Wharfedale Rd, N1.