On Freedom
He maintained that “nothing in the world is a greater blessing than freedom. Freedom gives dignity and personality to humans. It is freedom that prevents humans from becoming slaves. Humans must be free to become active individuals in society.”Ghader Wirya, قاسملوو لە رێبازیدا زیندووە [Ghassemlou’s Legacy Lives Through His Teachings], (Kurdistan, 2005), 152
On Democracy
Dr. Ghassemlou was recognized as a genuine democrat, as he asserted that “fighting for democracy should never come after national struggle or class struggle. Democracy is the first cause of our party’s foundation and is always our first objective.”Ghader Wirya, قاسملوو لە رێبازیدا زیندووە [Ghassemlou’s Legacy Lives Through His Teachings], (Kurdistan, 2005), 142
On Gender Equality
Dr. Ghassemlou championed equal rights for men and women. He viewed gender equality as a core principle that necessitates the active participation of women in organizational, social, and political life.He believed that:
We must pay special attention to the position of women within our organizational and political struggle. It is well known that our party has long upheld the principle of equal rights between men and women; however, upholding these rights is not the same as fully realizing and establishing them. It is our responsibility to bridge this gap.
We believe that the greater the participation of women in social and political life, the more advanced a society becomes; likewise, the more actively women engage in a nation’s political struggle, the more likely that struggle is to succeed.
Ghader Wirya, قاسملوو لە رێبازیدا زیندووە [Ghassemlou’s Legacy Lives Through His Teachings], (Kurdistan, 2005), 138-139.
On Terrorism
Dr. Ghassemlou flatly rejected all forms of terrorism, emphasizing a universal condemnation of terrorism devoid of double standards. He believed that:We are against all forms of terrorism, as it puts civilians in danger. We do not agree with Western countries regarding the definition of terrorism, as they usually confine it only to those groups that take hostages or plant bombs in major cities. We must condemn terrorism without discrimination. In spite of being at war with a regime that commits crimes against humanity on a daily basis, we have always tried to avoid putting the lives and freedom of civilians in danger. Never has it occurred to us to take a hostage or violate human rights. On the contrary, we have played a significant role in liberating several European citizens, including French nationals, who had been taken hostage by other groups.
We believe that although actions like taking hostages or planting bombs might help certain groups gain short-term publicity, they ultimately lead to widespread condemnation and weaken them from within.
However, the Iranian regime’s actions against humanity, its mass murder of Kurdish villagers, and the fact that its top officials formally and blatantly support terrorism must also receive unequivocal condemnation.
“An Interview with Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou,” فصلي ىر گلسرخ [A Season in Red Flower], no. 10 (Autumn 1986): 53
Note: All the remarks have been translated from Kurdish into English by Reza Fathollahnejad.
