Hundreds celebrated Öcalan’s birthday in front of CoE

As the sit-in action of Kurds against the isolation of Öcalan continues in front of Council of Europe, the birthday of Abdullah Öcalan has been celebrated at the scene of the demonstration today.

The indefinite nonalternating hunger strikes under Leyla Guven’s lead protesting the absolute isolation imposed upon Ocalan by AKP-MHP fascism since 2015 continue. While Leyla Güven has left her 148th day of fast behind, 14 Kurdish activists on an indefinite hunger strike in Strasbourg are on their 109th day. The hunger strike resistance is also joined by as many as 7 thousand prisoners in Turkish jails.

The hunger strike campaign that continues with great resolve despite the quickly deteriorating health of the activists for whom irreversible consequences are imminent. In line with the growing resistance, Kurds and their friends continue staging mass protests all around the world to remind the Council of Europe (CoE), the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and European countries, who remained silent in the face of the hunger strikes, of their duties.

SIT-IN IN STRASBOURG ALSO CONTINUES

In the meantime, the sit-in action launched by the Kurds in Europe in front of the Council of Europe and CPT in Strasbourg, continued on its 4th day.

The action started with the participation of 100 people on Monday and was joined by over 300 people today, including representatives of Kurdish institutions in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland.

“APRIL 4 IS THE DATE OF RESURRECTION”

Today, April 4, was marked by the celebration of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s birthday.

Speaking here, NAV-DEM (Democratic Kurdish Community Center in Germany) Co-chair Tahir Koçer who said; “April 4 also means recurrection of the Kurdish people as he revived the Kurdish people’s destroyed and forgotten history.”

Koçer pointed out that the international conspiracy against Öcalan attempted to impede the resistance of the Kurdish people. He said; “The isolation on the Kurdish People’s Leader is executed against the Kurdish people as a whole and the Kurdish people will be standing up until this isolation is broken. The Kurdish people will raise their voice everywhere and break this isolation.”

“ÖCALAN’S PHILOSOPHY BASES ON WOMEN’S FREEDOM”

A following speech at the Orangerie Park was made by Nupel Munzur from the Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe (TJK-E) who stressed that the philosophy manifested by Öcalan based on the freedom of Kurdish women. She said the Kurdish women should, for this very reason, lead the struggle, and will do so, until the isolation is broken.

CJA: RESISTANCE WILL CONTINUE EVERYWHERE

Speaking on behalf of Free Young Women (Jinên Ciwanên Azad), Ezda Alkış said the Kurdish youth were guardians of Öcalan and vowed that they will continue their resistance and struggle in all areas until the Kurdish leader is freed.

WOMEN PLANTED OLIVE TREE

As part of the event to mark Öcalan’s birthday, an olive tree sapling was planted in the Orangerie Park as a symbol of life and Öcalan’s perspective for an ecological world.

MARCH IN FRONT OF COE

As part of the protests in front of the Council of Europe, a march was staged on Avenue de l’Europe where the CoE building is located. Demonstrators covered one-kilometer distance as they expressed their demand for Öcalan’s freedom with slogans in French, English, Kurdish and Turkish.

A human chain was formed after the march under heavy rain as demonstrators called attention to the hunger strike resistance.

A short speech made here reiterated the call fort he CPT and EP to fulfil their duties.