International solidarity with hunger strikes for Ocalan

Women’s organizations in France are showing support for the hunger strike in Strasbourg.Meetings were held with women’s organizations and Senator Laurence Cohen has saluted the protest. MP Danielle Simonnet took the hunger strike to the Parliament agenda.

As DTK co-chair and HDP MP Leyla Guven’s hunger strike continues on day 58, the indefinite and non-alternate hunger strike in Strasbourg is on day 19.

Hazal Karakus from the International Kurdish Women’s Representation said Leyla Guven leading the hunger strike has made the hunger strikes more significant and important for women’s movements.

Karakus said they have taken initiative to make the hunger strikes in prisons and in Strasbourg more visible in public and spoke about the meetings they held with women’s movements and institutions in France as well as with women from various circles.

MEETINGS WITH WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS

Karakus said they held meetings with several women’s organizations about the hunger strikes and shared the following details: “We have held meetings with World Women’s March (Marche Mondiale des Femmes) that has feminist movements in it, France National Women’s Coordination (CNDF) from women’s movements, Women in Solidarity (Femmes Solidaires) that have been active for years, European Women’s Lobby (Lobi Femmes Europeen) and various feminist movements and NGOs like collectives defending international women’s rights. The goal was for these women’s organizations to embrace Leyla Guven’s protest, and take action. Following these meetings, the women’s organizations said they will issue statements on the hunger strikes and call on the CPT to take action. We are expecting these statements to come after the holidays.”

SENATOR SALUTES THE PROTEST

Senator for Val de Marne in the Northern France (Ile de France) region and Women’s Rights Commission Chairperson in the Senate Laurence Cohen saluted the protest. Cohen said they always stand with Kurdish women and that they consider issues of Kurdish women to be their own issues, adding that all who fight for women’s rights throughout the world are her sisters and issuing a call: “Let’s hold demonstrations and rise up everywhere.”

ON THE PARLIAMENTARY AGENDA

France Left Front MP Danielle Simonnet gave a speech in the National Parliament and Left Party Coordinator Corinne Morel Darleux gave a speech in the Regional Parliament. Simonnet gave her speech wearing the keffiyeh that is a symbol of Rojava and spoke about the war in Syria, as well as Leyla Guven’s hunger strike and the rest of the hunger strikes. Simonnet said Turkey’s threats against Rojava and the war in Syria is directly connected to the isolation imposed upon Ocalan and said the isolation is against Kurdistan.

SALUTE FROM LATIN AMERICA

Hazal Karakus said they will be holding conferences from January 9 onwards and they will be pointing to the hunger strikes and the invasion attempts against Rojava.

Karakus said several women’s movements from Latin America have sent them videos saluting the hunger strikes and stating that they embrace the protest. A solidarity event with Kurdish women was held in the Colombian Parliament where women chanted “Solidarity with Kurdish women’s hunger strike protests” and “Jin Jiyan Azadi”.

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS TO COME

Karakus mentioned the holidays and said the meetings will increase after the holidays are over. Karakus said: “Many women’s institutions have contacted us and said they will be visiting. The Doctors Without Borders Switzerland and women’s organizations will start their visits after the holidays.”

MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN THE EP AND COE

There will be a series of meetings in the European Parliament (EP) and the Council of Europe (CoE) as well as the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). Karakus said they will be attending the sessions between January 14 and 17 in the EP: “We will be holding diplomatic efforts on the hunger strikes, Rojava and the conditions of all political prisoners.”

Karakus said, “We will be aiming to get the MPs to visit the protesters and work against the isolation urgently through these diplomatic efforts. We will participate in the Council of Europe sessions starting on January 21 and carry out diplomatic efforts about the protests.”