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Brief
Historical Background DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF IRANIAN KURDISTAN |
Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) was founded in Mahabad, Iran, on August 16, 1945. PDKI replaced the " Komalay Ziyanaway Kurd " (Council of Kurdish Resurrection) which had been formed three years earlier. Just 159 days after its foundation in January 22, 1946, the Party, availing itself of expedient circumstances in a section of Iranian Kurdistan, established the " Republic of Kurdistan ", usually referred to by historians as the " Republic of Mahabad ", the reason being its choice of Mahabad as the capital.
The " Republic of Mahabad " lasted not more than 11 months.
Following a pact signed
by the Iranian central government and the ex-Soviet Union, the Iranian
army launched a vast offensive into the region, destroying the "
Republic " December 17, 1946. The " Republic " having collapsed,
a great number of PDKI leaders were imprisoned, of whom 20 people including
Ghazi Mohammad, head of the Party and president of the Republic, M. Hossein
Seyfi-Ghazi, minister of Defence, and Abulghassem Sadri-Ghazi, a member
of the Iranian Parliament from Mahabad, were hanged in the capital of
the Republic, and the others in Saqez and Buckan.
In less than two years after the collapse of the Republic, PDKI started
its political and organizational activities anew, striking roots in most
parts of Iranian Kurdistan, which was due mainly to the Kurdish people's
desire to join the struggle aimed at fulfilling the Party's aspirations
and reviving the honour of the Republic of Kurdistan.
Following the collapse of Dr. Mossadegh's government in 1953, when democratic
rights and freedoms of the peoples throughout Iran were suppressed, PDKI's
activities came almost to a standstill. A great number of Party activists
were either imprisoned or went underground, though they resumed their
activities after a very short time.
Two widespread police raids against the Party in 1959 and 1964 dealt heavy
blows to its organization: some 300 Party activists were imprisoned, with
an even greater number hiding away or fleeing Iran. Nevertheless, not
having sunk into despair, the Party embarked on the task of reviving its
organization. Its activities picked up such a speed that in 1967-68, a
large number of its members and high-ranking cadres started an armed insurrection
- lasting 18 months - against the Shah's regime, a glorious deed, which
struck horror into the ruling circles. But as this armed movement lacked
a safe rear zone, the Shah's regime managed somehow to crush it.
The Kurdish people in Iranian Kurdistan and PDKI played an active part
in the Iranian people's uprising against the Shah's dictatorship. A group
of PDKI leaders, who were living in exile either in neighbouring countries
or in Europe, returned to Iran before the collapse of the monarchy, actively
participating in the uprising of the Kurdish people and assuming the status
of leadership in the movement.
The uprising of the Iranian peoples having succeeded, PDKI declared its
public activities in a meeting held in Mahabad, which was attended by
representatives from all parts of Iranian Kurdistan. Despite the Party's
sincere endeavours to settle its differences over the democratic rights
and freedoms of the Kurdish people peacefully
with the newly established regime in Tehran, the rulers in Tehran took
no account of the responsible efforts made by PDKI. Instead, following
the " fatwa " issued by ayatollah Khomeini against the
Kurdish people, the Iranian armed forces ruthlessly embarked on a widespread
offensive against the Kurdish population, shelling and bombing villages
and towns of Kurdistan. PDKI
had to resort to armed resistance, a valiant deed that, despite all ebbs
and flows, has been going on till today.
On 13 July 1989, Dr. Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou, Secretary-general of PDKI,
and two of his collaborators, were assassinated in Vienna (Austria) as
they were negotiating with envoys of the Iranian regime, at the latter's
invitation, for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue in Iran. Dr.
Ghassemlou's successor, Dr. Sadegh Sharafkandi met with the same fate
on 17 September 1992 in Berlin where he had attended the Congress of the
Socialist International. They all were victims of Iranian State terrorism.
PDKI has held thirteen congresses. The 1st congress was convened
in 1945, the 2nd in 1964, the 3rd in 1971, the 4th
in 1980, the 5th in 1982, the 6th in 1984, the 7th
in 1985, the 8th in 1988, the 9th in 1992, the 10th
in 1995, the 11th in 1997, and the 12th in 2000
and the last congress was held in July 2004.
During the 20th Congress of the Socialist International held in the UN
headquarters in New York (9-11 September 1996), PDKI was given the status
of observer member. In 2005, PDKI's membership was elevated
to consultive status.
The highest body of PDKI is its Central Committee, which is usually composed
of 21 permanent and 10 substitute members. The Central Committee also
elects about 7 of its members as the Political Bureau, which also includes
the Secretary-general.
Main principles:
-PDKI's main slogan -" The attainment of Kurdish national
rights within a democratic federal republic of Iran "- has won the support of all of the ten million Kurds
in Iran.
-PDKI rejects all acts of terrorism.
-PDKI's long-term objective is to establish a socialist democratic society.
-PDKI supports the fight of peoples of the world for their freedom and
against oppressive and reactionary regimes. It supports peace and friendship
between the peoples of all countries.
-PDKI support the national struggle of Kurds
in other part of Kurdistan
PDKI fights for:
-A democratic, independent and non-aligned Iran
-The right of the peoples of Iran to self-determination
-Realization of worker's social and economic demands
-Equality of men and women in society and within the family
-Separation of religion and State
