Lawyers of the Asrın Law Office went to İmralı Island for the third time on 12 June after hunger strikes and the death fast are called off and met with their clients, PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Öcalan stated that actions such as hunger strikes may be in practiced is necessary, but should not be adopted as a basic method of struggle. He stressed that the main thing is the policy of life ”.

 

Attorneys Newroz Uysal and Rezan Sarıca answered the questions of Mesopotamian Agency regarding this last meeting with their clients Öcalan.

 

What kind of content does 'The Policy of Life' which Öcalan defines as his own position in his last message?

 

In this meeting, Mr. Öcalan shared his satisfaction with the activists' conclusion of the action. He had already written a letter addressed to them. While commemorating those who lost their lives due to hunger strikes and the death fasts; he asked the health status of those who ended the hunger strike. He reiterated the expectation that they would accompany him physically, spiritually and mentally. He expressed his respect for the will and sacrifice of hunger strikers and death fast activists in all three of our meetings. But he criticized the action in a way and said:  “They can lay their bodies to death, but they don't know how to live and let live. We defend life against death. Ours is the policy of living, which they cannot carry out ”.

 

In your last meeting, what were Öcalan's agenda on political and social issues?

 

In this meeting, Mr. Öcalan shared his observations and determinations on many social, political and cultural problems. Which are; democratic politics and deficiencies in local government, femicide and marriage at a young age, Kurdish societal status, assessment related to Kurdish culture and history, the historical and current issues in Turkish-Kurdish relations, Syria, the relationships and conflicts between northern Syria and Turkey. In addition, he made some evaluations on some other issues.

 

Öcalan's statement that Kurds can't be without Turks and Turks can't be without Kurds was included in the shared statement regarding the meeting. This determination is also included in the Newroz declaration in 2013. Is there a change in Öcalan's İmralı stance since then?

 

It is possible to see this approach not only in 2013 Newroz, but also in all his book-based presentations. In this interview,he said: "When the Kurds are finished in Mesopotamia, there is nothing left in the name of Turks in Anatolia. The existence and development of the Kurds means the development of the Turks. This is an indication of history; is not our invention. Everyone should understand that. Otherwise we  will lose big time. I keep telling you that Turks and Kurds exist together. I trust my knowledge of history and history is evident in all its reality ”.

 

Öcalan also emphasizes that it is not possible to produce the right politics with the style of familyism and tribalism and that democratic politics is the main and analytic one there is. Can you expand his criticism about the politics in Turkey in this sense? 

 

Mr. Öcalan shares his observations and determinations about the many problems we have just mentioned and points to democratic politics as a solution. However, he also shared his criticism about the failure of democratic politics to produce solutions to these problems stemming from many deficiencies. One of these criticisms is the destruction and dangers of the family and tribal styles that have developed at the region today.

 

 

Mr Öcalan observes that a significant portion of family tribalism has been consciously developed by the system in Kurdistan, Şırnak and other cities. He even thinks that some of these have been unearthed as a project in the face of unstructured Kurdish culture and history. He believes that a number of families and tribes, together with regional powers, have been brought up against Kurdish society in a coalition with many economic and political dimensions. He says that politics does not even consider criticizing this situation and that it makes the Kurdish people lose.

 

While he states that the politics on kinship is not a correct way to produce politics, he also stated that even though he respected his family a lot, he estranged himself away from them at a young age to live his own self. He also said 'Those who wants parents in their lives can consider all mothers and fathers their own and all the children are our own. They should produce politics in this context."

 

What exactly does Öcalan mean when drawing attention to the need for negotiation politics for democratic solution, and the development of the methods of civil struggle with reason, politic and cultural power?

 

We have just shared the part of Mr. Öcalan's understanding of life and the politics of life related to the dimension of prisons. Mr. Öcalan attaches great importance to the politics of self-organization, development and construction rather than expecting a democratic solution from other parties. He stated that civil solutions should be developed especially in the civil field. He reiterated the example of Gandhi and stated that similar civilian activities would be possible. He sees creative solutions in civil society organizations, initiatives, associations, people, HDP is seen in the civil field. He stated that it was important for the civil area to engage in democratic negotiation politics, that is, with reason and soft power, in the scope and adequacy that could be the basis for a democratic solution.

 

Mr. Öcalan expressed his gratitude to the international public opinion, including the 50 Nobel Prize-winning figures for their  anti-isolation actions, as well as to other friendly institutions and individuals.

 

He mentioned that he might write a book adressed to those who have articles in those books about socialism and said that he could subject real socialism to a different assessment.