Arab youths in the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq expressed their support for the international campaign launched on 10 October demanding “Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question.” The campaign, which was launched simultaneously in over a hundred places all around the world on 10 October, unites social movements, political parties, municipalities, trade unions, activists, intellectuals and millions of Kurds and people in solidarity with the Kurdish liberation struggle worldwide around a common goal: the participation of Abdullah Öcalan in a dialogue for a just and democratic political solution to the Kurdistan question in Turkey, which has remained unresolved for more than a century.

The Initiative of Arab Youths in Shengal made a statement on Tuesday and pointed out that: “Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) is the leader of peoples. Leader Apo taught the peoples that the path to peace and freedom passes through the will for a free life.”

The statement read by Emîra Hemed said: “Leader Apo revealed the will for the co-existence of peoples and faiths against ethnic and religious conflicts. He made a great effort for the protection of ancient peoples and faiths in the Middle East. He taught them how to govern and defend themselves.”

The Initiative of Arab Youths called on the federal government of Iraq to recognize the will of the Autonomous Administration of Shengal, vowing to do their best to this end.

The statement continued: “The isolation executed on Leader Apo is imposed on all peoples in the Middle East. Hegemonic powers are deepening the ethnic and religious conflicts among peoples for their own interests. This means exposing all the peoples in the region to a genocide. It is only Leader Apo who can prevent this genocidal policy. His freedom will start a new era in the Middle East. Hegemonic powers are subjecting him to isolation to prevent his voice from reaching the peoples. This is why the freedom of Leader Apo is the freedom of peoples.”