Kızıldere – is it a defeat or a victory?

The answer to this question was a frequent topic of discussions in the leftist movement in Turkey, in the immediate aftermath of the events in the village of Kızıldere, on 30 March 1972. But the correct answer to this question would, in fact, be given by the history. The answer to this question would be given by the masses who, after 1974, took in their hearts the slogan “War until Liberation” and were a potential for the revival of the THKP-C (People’s Liberation Party – Front of Turkey).

Yes, THKP-C’s leading cadres were physically and organizationally liquidated. THKP-C’s leaders martyred, writing an epic, fighting with weapons in their hands against imperialism and oligarchy. But that did not mean that ideological and political views and ideas of these leaders were defeated. Both defeat and victory are initially formed on an ideological and political basis. Capitulation is defeat. While struggle and resistance are victories. In this sense, Kızıldere it is not defeat, but the name of the victory. Precisely because this is the case, after the martyrdom of Mahir Çayan(the founder and leader of THKP-C) and his comrades, a great potential emerges for the revival of THKP-C.

Kızıldere is the manifesto of the revolutionary struggle in Turkey. Kızıldere is the proof of THKP-C’s ability to predict the course of historical events and the stability of its ideological-political line. Kızıldere is the name of the epic describing how the revolution in Turkey will be carried out.

In the aftermath of the fascist military junta of March 12, 1971, when mass protest movements began to revive, contrary to the expectations of the oligarchy and right opportunist and revisionist deviations, THKP-C continued to live in the minds of the masses. THKP-C’s ideas and practices had once already been shown to the masses where the true path leading to liberation goes! The existence of masses appearing as potential for the revival of THKP-C was evidence of this.

Victory and defeat will be discussed long after Kızıldere, based on the practice of other movements and organizations. Whereas those who view defeat as physical liquidation, in each historical period, raising the banner of capitulation, have progressed towards degeneration and their actual disappearance; those who see defeat as a renunciation of the pursuit of revolution, belief in socialism, of struggle and resistance, though physically eliminated, have always managed to stand on their feet, stronger than before and continue their march on the rod to the revolution.

Source: Kısa Tarihimiz(Our Short History), issued by Halk Cephesi(People’s Front), 2018