Message from the Iranian Political Prisoners Association (in exile)
To Komala, the Kurdistan Organization of the Communist Party of Iran on the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of Komala
Comrades, please accept our friendly and sincere greetings on the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of Komala.
Komala was founded fifty-four years ago by a group of Kurdish communist fighters. The founders of Komala aimed to establish a socialist society in Iran. The fight for the right to self-determination for the people of Kurdistan is another goal that the founders set for Komala.
After the 1957 revolution, Komala became the most influential and popular leftist force in Iranian Kurdistan and played an important role in the struggles of the working and toiling masses of Kurdistan against the regime of the Islamic Republic and also against the capitalist system in Iran. Komala has faced many challenges in its decades-long struggle and has lost many of its leaders, members, and Peshmerga cadres.
This year, we celebrate the anniversary of Komaleh in a situation where, four months ago, the masses of the Iranian people rose up against the Islamic Republic and shook its foundations. The Islamic Republic, which finds itself in dire straits, as always, to protect itself, killed and suppressed people, arrested and tortured tens of thousands of people, and executed four young men to frighten the people and push back their revolutionary movement.
Iran is going through historical circumstances that will shape the Islamic Republic. This period will be a long one, and by its nature, the people’s uprising will become more radical day by day. The right and reactionary currents want to gain a foothold in the Iranian revolutionary movement, divert it from its progressive and modern path, which is defined by the slogan “Women Live for Freedom,” and empty it of meaning with the patriarchal and nationalist slogan “Man of Mahinabad.” They have taken steps in this direction that have been met with great public support. In continuing their efforts, they will certainly join the hands of the Western imperialists. The Western imperialists’ first option is to revive the JCPOA and preserve the Islamic Republic. If they conclude that the Islamic Republic is doomed, they will support this group without any hesitation to divert the revolution and secure their interests in Iran and the region, and they will use all their means to impose them on the people.
The situation in Iran will not only not return to what it was four months ago, before the death of Zina Amini, it will not return to the era of the monarchy either. The modern revolution of the “woman of freedom” leaves no room for turning back. The right-wing and reactionary monarchist currents are vainly thinking that they can ride the wave of this revolution and deceive the people into returning to the era of the reactionary monarchy and choosing between the two dictatorships of the Shah and the Sheikh, the government that committed fewer crimes, between bad and worse, bad.
The “Women of Freedom” revolution will not achieve victory except with the intervention of the working class and their entry into general strikes. The working class will undoubtedly put its stamp on this revolution, and in this case, there will be no place left in this revolution for the right and reaction. Neither the conditions nor the historical period in Iran are in favor of the right and reaction. But this does not mean that communists should wait for revolutionary conditions and leave the ground open for the right and reaction to lay a foundation. We must come together and unite the communist left from now on to support and strengthen the revolution and ensure the leadership of the working class, and present a common program for the revolution, and take the necessary measures and organization to help the revolution as the rearguard.
The task of communists and true defenders of the working class in these critical circumstances is to articulate a class-based policy and strategy to mentally and practically support the revolution and assist in the future struggle of the working class in the Iranian revolution. Without this strategy, the true forces defending the working class will not be able to influence and transfer their experiences to the working class and the revolution in Iran.
The Center for Political Prisoners of Iran (in exile) congratulates the Kurdistan Organization of the Communist Party of Iran on the anniversary of its establishment and wishes it success in its continued struggle against the Islamic Republic and the capitalist system ruling Iran.
Iranian Political Prisoners Association (in exile)
22 Bahman 1401 equals 11 February 2023