ANKARA - TJA activist Zelal Bilgin, who went on a hunger strike for the freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, said: "What kind of solution can we talk about when the will of millions is captive?" asked.

 

The hunger strike action launched by thousands of political prisoners in many prisons in Kurdistan and Turkey on November 27, 2023, to ensure the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and to solve the Kurdish issue through democratic means and methods, continues on its 58th day. In addition, thousands of Mothers for Peace and citizens continue their Justice Watch action in Amed, Adana, Mersin, Istanbul and Izmir with the same demand.

 

Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) activist Zelal Bilgin, who was among the political prisoners who participated in the strike on November 27 with these demands and is in Sincan Women's Closed Prison, answered the questions we sent by letter regarding the strike and their demands.

  

'ENTHUSIASM AGAINST INCREASING VIOLENCE HAS ALSO INCREASED

 

Bilgin pointed out that there is absolute isolation in the prison where she is held and in Type Y and S prisons. Stating that psychological, social, physical and cultural torture is also involved, Bilgin pointed out that prisons were turned into "prison camps". Bilgin stated that these situations, which she defined as politics, became even more severe after they started hunger strikes. Stating that despite this, their morale and motivation increased even more and the strikes passed with enthusiasm, Bilgin said: “We all meet in the truth of the purpose. We feed our souls with the passion for freedom. We are fighting against a fascist mentality that wants to destroy this passion and turns every situation into an opportunity for attack." 

 

'WHEN THEY COULDN'T SABOTAGE IT, THEY LOCKED THE DOORS AND LEFT'

 

Bilgin stated that after they started the strike, the prison director, guards and psychologists, regularly came to the wards where the prisoners were staying every day. Bilgin stated that this situation was a “special” practice. These people who came to the ward said to the prisoners who went on strike: “You have become too weak", "If it were me, I would eat", "Would I lose weight if I went in too?", "Never mind, what will happen?" and "Do you have any requests from us?" Stating that they tried to sabotage and frustrate the strike with discourses and said: "They aim to make the action meaningless and break the will through psychological warfare. When we are explained to them the purpose and demands of the hunger strikes, they say, 'These are situations that are beyond our control' and lock the three-locked doors on us and leave."

 

ANSWER: FOUR SEASONS RESISTANCE

 

Stating that the demands concern everyone and do not exceed anyone, Bilgin said: “Actually, it is something that everyone can do something about. They could start by not being the executive elements of this system, but instead they choose to swear allegiance as slaves of the system. We know that there are prisons where vitamins and daily salt-sugar needs are not met to make this process the unhealthiest. The aim is to aggravate the process, both to punish and to organize such a lack of will that the hunger strikes are ended. Even though they know they won't succeed, they don't give up trying. All nations, peoples and prisons witnessed the resistance for 4 seasons. This is the clearest answer."

 

'THE SPIRIT OF THE RESISTANCE THAT LIVED IN THE AMED DUNGEON'

 

Stating that they resist the injustices against them with all kinds of ways and methods, Bilgin said: “Hunger strikes are one of them. It carries the spirit of the great resistance that came to life in the Amed dungeon after the 80's coup, when policies of destruction and denial were intensely in effect. It carries the hope and faith of the sacrificed souls who left their yellow for autumn, their white cover for winter, their seeds for spring, and their warmth for summer during the hunger strikes in 2018. This is not a state of hunger. It is the desire for satisfaction in the absence of truth." 

 

'THE CLEAREST, REALISTIC SOLUTION IS IN THE PKK LEADER'

 

Underlining that the policies of denial, destruction and assimilation have been in effect for a century, but the clearest and most realistic solution to this was put forward by the PKK Leader, Bilgin said: "With the perspective of Democratic Modernity, not only the Kurds, but all the oppressed and ignored peoples can live together in peace around common values. The people of Turkey have witnessed their determination and contribution to finding a solution and establishing peace, even in the small steps taken during the negotiation process that started in 2013, showed the way it could be built."

 

'HOW CAN THE SOLUTION BE WHEN THE WILL OF MILLIONS IS CAPTIVE?'

 

Stating that the Kurds see the PKK Leader as their will and that he is a leader accepted by the people of the world, Bilgin said: "Millions of people have declared with their signatures that, Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is their will. What kind of solution can we talk about when the will of millions is captive? It is not just about the captivity of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. Its language, culture, geography and the Kurds. They were held captive together. For this reason, while hunger strikes continue in hundreds of prisons demanding freedom for Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, the hope for freedom of all peoples is growing with the campaign that has been continuing since October 10 with the same slogan in 74 countries."

 

CALLED: LET'S GROW THE RESISTANCE

 

Calling for the hunger strikes to be embraced, Bilgin said: “The ancient Kurds and our peoples, who rebel against destruction and denial and have a history full of resistance, will give the clearest answer to this process. There are increasing attacks against the Kurds and women in particular, and against oppositionists, left-socialists, intellectuals, writers and journalists in general. They are trying to make the whole society mute and inactive by threatening them with detentions and arrests. A religious and spiteful system is being built with a monist, nationalist and fascist approach. It is impossible for differences to breathe in such a system. Against this, a voice is rising from the prisons, ‘Freedom for Mr. Abdullah Öcalan.’ With our belief that this oppression will be broken with a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, I invite all our people and opposition groups to meet with the voice of the prisons, to strengthen the revolutionary front against fascism and to expand the resistance. Remember, if we do not meet outside, if we cannot unite, we will meet the inside."