Over a hundred people including intellectuals, artists, politicians and representatives of institutions from four parts of Kurdistan started a long march from Geneva, Switzerland to Strasbourg, France on Monday under the motto “Freedom for Öcalan, status for Kurdistan”.

“Let’s build national unity and free our Leader” and “Let’s build national unity against the international conspiracy” are the main slogans of the march which kicked off with a press statement at the Place de Neuve Square in Geneva yesterday.

The first stage of the march was concluded with a rally in front of the United Nations (UN) headquarters Monday evening.

The second stage of the march has kicked off from the Parking de Bellerive area in Lausanne at 12:00 Tuesday noon. The activists then started to march towards the Riponne area behind a banner that read “Freedom for Öcalan, status for Kurdistan”.

Participants of the march gathered in front of the building in Ouchie where the Treaty of Lausanne that divided Kurdistan into four parts was signed. During a demonstration here, the activists chanted slogans, read statements and handed out leaflets denouncing the isolation of Öcalan and the genocidal occupation attacks against Kurdistan.
The demonstration here was followed by a massive rally at Place de Riponne Square.

Today’s stage of the march will be concluded in Lausanne where a panel discussion will take place in the evening at the Democratic Kurdish Community Centre. The activists will resume their march through capital Bern tomorrow.

Activists who have joined the long marches staged since 2012 to demand freedom for Öcalan spoke to ANF and said; “The Treaty of Lausanne has no validity anymore. Our actions will continue until the freedom of Öcalan and status of Kurdistan is achieved.”