ISTANBUL - Representatives of non-governmental organizations in Europe, taking part in the 25-day 'Long March' on the 25th anniversary of the international conspiracy, said: "Freedom is in Abdullah Öcalan's philosophy" and called for participation in the march to be held on February 17.

 

The campaign launched to demand the freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in absolute isolation conditions in Turkey for 25 years, where he was brought to Turkey on February 15, 1999, with an international conspiracy, continues with mass marches from Kurdistan to Europe. The "Long March", which started in Paris on January 22 as part of the global campaign on October 10, 2023 with the motto "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue", reached the city of Cohuny on the 20th day. The march, which will continue for 25 days with the participation of 25 people on the 25th anniversary of the international conspiracy, will end with a rally to be held in Cologne, Germany, on February 17.

 

French Democratic Kurdish Council (CDK-F) Co-chair Şahin Polat, European Kurdistan Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) Council Co-Spokesperson Murat Ceylan and Reims Kurdish Women's Commune Education Spokesperson Gözde Çakır, attended the march demanding the freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. They made evaluations about the walk.

 

Stating that the main purpose of the march was to break the isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and demand freedom, Şahin Polat noted that they held public meetings, conferences, panels, public meetings and cultural events in every city they visited. Stating that they presented the file they prepared regarding the Imralı isolation system to many non-governmental organizations and held some meetings, Polat said that they were welcomed with enthusiasm in many cities with posters of Abdullah Öcalan.

 

Stating that the march, which started with 25 people, turned into a mass march with the participation of different people along the route, Polat said: “There was excitement among the people. An inner inability to accept the isolation is revealed. This expectation of everyone who said 'Mr. Öcalan is our political will' in the public meetings we held in the areas has been revealed."

 

'IMRALI ISOLATION IS A WAR CONCEPT'

 

Stating that the Kurds have been tried to be left without an identity throughout history, Polat said: “The centenary of Lausanne has passed. As Kurds, we do not accept living without an identity and deprived of our rights for another hundred years. In this sense, the isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan, whom the Kurds say is 'my political will', is a concept of war imposed on the entire society. Continuing the isolation means continuing massacres and brutality in the Middle East, which has become the focus of the Third World War. At this point, the solution is to break the absolute isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan. The democratic, ecological, women's liberationist paradigm put forward by Mr. Öcalan must be implemented. On the occasion of this march, we say once again that Mr. Öcalan is the key to peace."

 

Polat called on the Kurds and their friends to join the march to be launched on February 17 in Cologne, Germany, demanding "freedom for Abdullah Öcalan".

 

'PEOPLE ARE WELCOME WITH INTEREST'

 

Emphasizing that the international conspiracy, now in its 26th year, was frustrated by the resistance of Abdullah Öcalan and the Kurds, KCDK-E Council Co-Spokesperson Murat Ceylan underlined that global powers are insistent on continuing the conspiracy. Stating that Abdullah Öcalan's ideas were met with interest by all people in the meetings held during the march, Ceylan said: "Everywhere we went, we saw their desire to share Abdullah Öcalan's ideas and implement them in their own regions within this paradigm."

 

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan's ideas and thoughts are known by the people of the world, Ceylan invited the Kurds and their supporters to the big march to be held on February 17.

 

'2024 WILL BE THE YEAR OF VICTORY'

 

Reims Kurdish Women's Commune Education Spokesperson Gözde Çakır stated that they have been fighting against the conspiracy for 25 years and that 2024 will be the year when this struggle will be crowned with victory. Çakır said: “Although the isolation seems to be imposed to Abdullah Öcalan, it is basically imposed to the Kurds and women. Thanks to the paradigm put forward by Abdullah Öcalan, women are organizing themselves and their surroundings. We are aware that this is thanks to Abdullah Öcalan's women's liberationist paradigm. For this reason, it is important and a great pride to participate in this march, especially as a woman."

 

'FREEDOM IN ÖCALAN'S PHILOSOPHY'

 

Emphasizing that women's freedom is in Abdullah Öcalan's philosophy, Çakır said that for this reason, women embrace Abdullah Öcalan much more strongly. Çakır continued as follows: “This struggle started under the leadership of the Kurds and today we see that it is embraced by different peoples, numbering more than millions. Women became the subjects of this struggle. We, Kurd women, owe it to Abdullah Öcalan. That's why I expect all women to strongly participate in the rally we will hold in Cologne on February 17."

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal