The International Initiative Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, Peace in Kurdistan has launched a new campaign to mark Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan's birthday on 4 April. Speaking to ANF about the campaign, Initiative member Havin Güneşer said that  20 thousand postcards would be sent to the Kurdish leader on his birthday. Güneşer noted that the postcards would be chosen from the works collected in the Art for Öcalan campaign the Initiative launched in May 2012.

“We think Newroz 2013 marked a kind of new beginning and we therefore want to join the celebrations for the Newroz and 4 April”, said Güneşer and remarked that the Freedom for Öcalan campaign represents another way of explaining the Kurdish question to the public.

Güneşer noted that the Art for Öcalan campaign they launched aimed to break the prejudices often imposed on people and to tell the truth by means of creative media.

Pointing out that art and media played the greatest part in the formation of public perception, Güneşer noted that the mainstream media in Turkey strengthened not only the official ideology but also the prejudices against Kurds and their leader Abdullah Öcalan. Güneşer said the art by democrat and revolutionary circles aimed to reveal the injustice and brutality.

Güneşer said that they are running both campaigns on the basis of presenting the 40-year-old freedom struggle by Öcalan and this struggle's ties with the Kurdish people, women and the freedom struggle.

Güneşer stated that they have collected a large number of works by both professional and amateur artists in the scope of the Art for Öcalan campaign. She added that they were expecting further creative works in all branches of art which - she added - they are planning to exhibit at different central places in the coming period.  

Referring to the new campaign the Initiative has launched for 4 April, Güneşer noted that they are planning to send at least 20 thousand postcards to Öcalan. Güneşer said that people could find these postcards at Kurdish associations in Europe and send them to the Kurdish leader on his birthday to give the message that they standby him.

The Kurdish people and Mr. Öcalan have ensured a re-birth owing to the resistance they have given up to day, Güneşer underlined and called on the Kurdish people in Europe to ensure mass participation in the Newroz celebration to take place in the German city of Bonn on 23 March.

Güneşer noted that the Initiative would open a stand at the Newroz demonstration in Bonn tomorrow to provide the postcards to be sent to the address: Abdullah Öcalan, İmralı F Type High Securty Closed Prison, Mudanya-Bursa/Turkey

Details of the Art for Öcalan campaign can be reached at the website http://art-for-ocalan.org/ .