The House of Lords, the upper wing of the UK parliament, hosted a one-day conference on the ideas of Öcalan.

The conference was held on the 20th anniversary of the international conspiracy which led to the abduction of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The campaign Freedom for Öcalan organised the conference titled “The solution to the Middle East crisis: Abdullah Öcalan's Thoughts” which was hosted by Lord Glassman.

Speakers from different countries including politicians, academicians, deputies and lawyers joined the conference.

Lord Maurice Glassman opened the conference by saying: “It is very honorable for me to host such an important conference in the House of Lords. It is the first time we organize an all day long activity about Abdullah Öcalan and hopefully this conference will lead to more.”

Lord Glassman added: “The idea of ​​Democratic Confederalism is very important in every respect. The perspective of local self-management is realistic and pioneering in terms of real feasibility. Today we will learn and discuss Öcalan's ideas and thoughts.”

Hişyar Ozsoy: Isolation symbolizes the policy against the Kurdish people

HDP deputy Hişyar Ozsoy, commended Leyla Güven, who is on hunger strike, and started her speech. Özsoy saluted Leyla Güven who has been on hunger strike for over 100 days.

“This isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan - said Ozsoy - symbolises the policy against Kurds. There are now a large number of politicians, journalists and political activists in prisons. We continue our resistance as HDP and Kurdish people. We learned very well how to resist and we are determined to do so.

In the Middle East, capitalist modernity collapsed. Because it was formulated wrong from the beginning. Mr. Öcalan offered an important solution for women, ecology and the entire administration of the region.”

Rebwar Rashid: Social problems can be solved through Öcalan's proposals

Academician Rebwar Rashid emphasized the Sykes-Picot agreement and the extent of destruction it caused to the Middle East. He said this should be understood in order to understand the background of Öcalan's thoughts.

Rashid showed Iraq as an example. He said Iraq was ruled by a Sunni minority in 2003 and that it was destroyed after that date. Kurdistan is divided into four parts, said Rashid adding that especially Iran and Turkey considered the achievements and existence of Kurds as a threat.

Mehri Rezai: Central governments is losing out

KNK member Mehri Rezai stated that the peoples in the Middle East could live together in an equal and free way within the Democratic Confederation system proposed by Öcalan.

Mehri Rezai recalled that in Eastern Kurdistan, there are 26 million mines laid by Iran. This is the result of Iran's ’security’ policies against the Kurds. At this point it is a matter of morality to defend Democratic Confederalism. Social problems in every aspect of life can be solved through Öcalan's project.

Ilham Ahmed: Öcalan's project is a solution dynamic

Syria Democratic Council (MSD) co-chair Ilham Ehmed said: “The Democratic Confederalism project is a solution dynamic. In the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Iraq the nation states were the problem.

For example, Syria was ruled by a party and a family for 60 years. Only the Arab nation was recognised while other sections of society have always been ignored. Kurds have always had an oppositional stance since the beginning of the uprising in 2011.

Kurds preferred a third way. The state and other groups had only embraced the gun and preferred the security policy. In northern Syria, there is an equality between the different segments of the society. 50 percent female quota is applied. Women are active participants in politics. The Kurds did not establish a state but became the leading force of a democratic life. They were declared heroes in the war against ISIS. The Kurds, together with other peoples, showed a good example of how to live in democracy and peace. However, there is a great deal of pressure on Mr. Öcalan, the architect of this idea. He cannot benefit from his fundamental rights and is in great isolation.”

Margaret Owen: Öcalan defends the rights of all women

Human rights activist Margaret Owen, speaking on the session on women, underlined the similarity between Öcalan and Mandela. Öcalan's democratic confederalism project can be adapted to all parts of the world, Owen said.

Dilar Dirik: Kurdish women move from Hebûn to Xwebûn

Kurdish academic Dilar Dirik talked about the history of the Kurdish women's struggle for freedom. The Kurdish women still live on their journey from Hebûn to Xwebûn.

Lave Hadji: Öcalan has insisted on one’s personal strength

Lave Hadji saluted Leyla Güven's resistance before she started her speech on jineology. “Öcalan has been a pioneer in recognizing me as a Kurdish woman. - she said - Öcalan model redefined and emphasised the role of women.”

Udo Steinbach: Turkey's crucial problem

Professor Steinbach recalled meeting Öcalan in Syria in August 1994. Talking about the Erdoğan regime Steinbach said: “After the June 2015 elections, the strategy changed. Erdoğan implemented a war-based policy. After that, Erdoğan clung to the reflex to develop a war against the Kurds every time he got stuck.”

David Greaber: The silence of Western States

Stating that Western states have remained silent on the Turkish state's human rights violations and attacks against the Kurds, Professor David Greaber said that Erdoğan used refugees as a blackmail card.

The revolution of the Kurdish Women's Movement in the Middle East, the first birthplace of the male-dominated system, has been remarkable. Western states are surprised by the fact that values ​​such as ecology, women's rights and democracy begin to come into being within a Middle Eastern structure and they are shocked by this.

Erdoğan declared his war against the Kurds in Syria and put it into practice, and the West remained silent.

Chris Hazzard: International public opinion continues to watch

Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard said that the international public opinion is watching while isolation is implemented.

The international community continues to watch the isolation of Imrali Prison, which has entered its twentieth year. The Rojava Revolution began to come to life in northern Syria since 2012. This revolution is a significant practice for individual and group rights. We must emphasize the similarity of the Spanish and Rojava revolutions.

Sinn Fein stands proudly behind and behind the Rojava Revolution and will continue to protect this position.

We invite the Turkish State to respond to the demands of Leyla Guven.

Ebrahim İsmail Ebrahim: The Turkish state did not approach peace talks seriously

South African politician Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim began his speech by saluting prisoners and the hunger strikers.

He recalled the international conspiracy which led to the abduction of Abdullah Öcalan and said that the Turkish state never seriously approached the peace talks.