Guillaume Balas from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the second largest group in the European Parliament (EP), visited the indefinite nonalternating hunger strike in Strasbourg, France today. Balas was accompanied by lawyer Zerrin Bataray, candidate from the Generations Movement Party (Générations) founded by Benoit Hamon, who ran in the 2017 elections from the French Socialist Party (PS).

KOC: WESTERN SOCIETY SHOULD UNDERSTAND OCALAN BETTER

Guillauma Balas and Lawyer Zerrin Bataray visited the hunger strikers in their beds as they are now mostly bedridden, and met with KCDK-E Co-chair Yuksel Koc.

KCDK-E Co-chair Yuksel Koc spoke about their demands and the effects of the isolation in the name of the hunger strikers, and stated that the isolation is not imposed upon just the Kurdish People’s Leader. Koc stressed that the isolation is against all who stand for democracy and freedom and added that European societies should get to know Ocalan, the architect of the Rojava project, better. Koc also pointed out that the victory against ISIS which allowed a sigh of relief for the whole world has been the product of the joint strength of the peoples, who came together around Ocalan’s ideology.

Yuksel Koc said the Turkish state’s war and massacres against the Kurdish people flared up with the isolation imposed upon Ocalan and added that the end of the isolation would also signal the end of this concept of war. Koc said everybody should work to pressure European institutions to break the isolation.

BALAS: THE EU HAS PUT ITSELF IN A VULNERABLE POSITION AGAINST TURKEY

MEP Guillaume Balas spoke during the visit and said they wanted to show solidarity with both Kurds and democratic circles in Turkey with their visit.

Balas stressed the importance of the resistance against Erdogan and pointed to Erdogan’s blackmail of Europe through the refugee deal, which Balas said is the “number one weapon” Erdogan has against Europe and added that they have objected to the deal from the beginning.

MEP Guillaume Balas said the Kurds have been the worst affected by the outcome of Europe’s refugee deal with Erdogan and stated that the EU has put itself in a vulnerable position against Erdogan. Balas added that all these have led to Europe ignoring what has been happening in Syria as well as in Turkey.

LAWYER BATARAY: THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THE CONSIDERATION OF PKK AS TERRORIST

EP candidate Lawyer Zerrin Bataray also spoke during the visit and said the resistance against the isolation is about all political prisoners and all the opposition, and that the situation should be understood correctly. Bataray pointed out that the Turkish state is not upset about the deaths and stressed that they stand by the actions for freedom, albeit with a heavy heart.

Bataray also stated that the PKK is considered to be a “terrorist organization” by the EU but the issue should be regarded as armed struggle for rights. Bataray stressed that one of the most important issues regarding Kurds is the elimination of the accusation of “terrorist”, which is one of the biggest arguments used by the Turkish state.