Vice-president of the Advisory Committee to the United Nations Human Rights Council and Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, sociologist and author, Jean Ziegler – who was a close comrade of Latin American revolutionary leader, Che Guevara – evaluated the hunger strike campaign launched by Leyla Guven along with other topics in an interview with the ANF.

‘Leyla Guven’s resistance is honorable’

Ziegler stated that he supported Leyla Guven and other hunger strikers, “The resistance shown by Leyla Guven and her comrades is meaningful and honorable. Guven and her comrades’ demands should be met immediately. Not only should the isolation be removed, but also Ocalan should be freed.”

Ziegler noted that Leyla Guven’s health state has passed the critical threshold, and said: “It is not acceptable that Europe and the West are silent about Guven’s demands.” Ziegler urged European states and organizations to act immediately, “It is crucial that the policies which support Erdogan’s fascism must be stopped immediately, [Europe] must stand with the Kurds,” he added.

‘The Turkish state has committed crimes against humanity’

Ziegler recalled the Turkish state as a fascist structure, and continued: “The Turkish state openly commits crimes against humanity. Their treatment of the Kurds amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The recent documented realities testify this matter. It is not right to be silent to these crimes.”

‘The UN must hold an urgent session on Turkey’

Ziegler criticized the United Nations’ position with regards to Turkey, and urged the UN Human Rights Council to immediately hold a special session on Turkey. “Violating the international law, Erdogan is committing crimes against the Kurds, opposition and humanity. Yet the United Nations is silent. In my opinion, there should be an urgent meeting on Turkey, there are enough reasons for this. For a long time, the Turkish state has carried out crimes against humanity, and is systematically torturing the opposition. The United Nations must act against Turkish fascism,” Ziegler added.

Why Ocalan should be freed?

“I believe that Ocalan must be freed, because he is the leader of one of the world’s ancient civilizations; he is the leader of the Kurds. Kurds are one of the most ancient peoples in history, yet their political, cultural rights and freedom are denied. This situation is a crime against humanity. What is being done to the Kurds, according to the international laws, is a clear crime. It is important that the Kurds have a state of their own, a free Kurdistan, and that should be recognized and supported by all international powers. Afrin, a Kurdish land, is occupied by the Turkish state. Why are the United Nations and international powers silent about that? Afrin should be liberated and returned to its own people, who are the Kurds” said Ziegler.

‘The PKK is a freedom movement’

“Many Western state consider the PKK as terrorists, this is an abortive approach – it must end. If ISIS is now defeated, it was possible thanks to the Kurds, particularly the Kurdish women. No one else has done as much as Kurds. It was the resistance, sacrifice for freedom and the confidence of the Kurds that defeated ISIS. Other than that, the PKK is a national freedom movement. The PKK struggles for the freedom a community with rich civilization who have faced denial. As I said before, the PKK is a legitimate movement. The leader of this legitimate movement is Mr. Ocalan. Therefore he must be freed and allowed to freely do politics. The Western states must leave their policies that support Erdogan’s fascism in Turkey – they must carry out their responsibilities in order to sponsor peace negotiations between the PKK and the Turkish state.

Jean Ziegler

Jean Ziegler was born on April 19, 1934 in the Swiss city of Bern. As a sociologist politician and author, Jean Ziegler has devoted his life to the struggle of communism and revolution. He was a close friend of Ernesto Che Guevara. He was always prosecuted by capitalist and colonial states. Ziegler has received PhD in law and sociology and is a former professor of sociology at the University of Geneva and the Sorbonne. He was a Member of Parliament for the Socialist party in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland from 1981 to 1999.