"As Kurdish and internationalist youth, we will unite, resist and triumph over capitalism, fascism and colonialism. We will continue to struggle to realize our dream of freedom with Abdullah Öcalan," said activists as they started their march in Germany.
Kurdish and internationalist youth started a long march for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan for the "Journey of Freedom" from Dortmund to Cologne.
The action organized under the slogan "Journey of Freedom with the Apoist Spirit" demands freedom for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been held in isolation for 24 years and has not been heard from for 30 months.
The action, which will conclude in Cologne on 8 September, is attended by around 40 internationalists from Germany, Switzerland, France, England, Spain, Italy and Bolivia, and over 200 young people from Kurdistan. On the first day of the march, the activists will march from Dortmund to Bochum.
The activists gathered at the Democratic Kurdish Community Center (DTKM) in Dortmund and organized a conference on Sunday under the slogan "Towards the Freedom of the Leader with Organized Youth" where they discussed the ideas of the Kurdish leader.
The march kicked off following a press statement, which said the following:
“As Kurdish and internationalist youth, we will unite, resist and triumph over capitalism, fascism and colonialism. We will continue to struggle to realize our dream of freedom with Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan).
No news has been received from Leader Apo for 30 months now, causing concerns among us. We will do our utmost for the physical freedom of Leader Apo and fight in all areas on this basis.
Leader Apo has spent his life fighting for women’s freedom, grassroots democracy and ecology unconditionally. He has been resisting on the prison island of Imrali for a quarter century. He has been tortured and isolated, subjected to more and more disciplinary penalties in unprecedented solitary confinement for 24 years. He is denied the right to meet with his family and lawyers in violation of human rights. This unfairness and torture imposed on him should alert entire humanity, because when a fighter for women’s freedom, grassroots democracy and ecology is silenced, the rights of women, peoples and nature are also attacked. The total isolation on Imrali island seeks to break Leader Apo’s democratization influence on politics in Turkey and the entire region.
This state of affairs requires us to go into action. Can you imagine what it is like to be locked up in a 12 square meter room for 24 years? Can you imagine what it is like to continue writing the most influential work ever of the 21st century under the conditions of a high security prison and torture? It may be a mystery where a person takes this courage and strength from, but Leader Apo says this in his defence, ‘During my time on Imrali, I had the opportunity to rethink about all the questions at a certain distance. I hope to overcome dogmatism to a great extent, to use the definitions of state, government, war, nation and nation-state in a more realistic form, and thus to point out the way out for a democratic society.’ On this basis, we call for participation in the Journey to Freedom, to free Leader Apo and to shout out his will as one voice. For the achievement of Leader Apo’s freedom, we call on all our youth to stand with our march for women’s freedom, democracy and ecology. Come and be a part of our Journey to Freedom. Towards the Journey to Freedom with Apoist Spirit! Our march will begin in Dortmund and end in Cologne. We call on all our young people to embrace our action.”
The activists will march from Bochum to Essen on the 2nd day; from Oberhausen train station (Bahnhof) to Duisburg on the 3rd day; from Neuss train station (Bahnhof) to Dusseldorf on the 4th day; and from Cologne to Mülheim city center on the 5th day, on 8 September. The action will be concluded here in the evening.
