The Congress of Kurdish Democratic Societies in Europe (KCDK-E) has postponed Saturday's demonstration in Strasbourg. The reason is the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria with over 16,000 dead so far. The demonstration takes place every year in protest against the international conspiracy that led to the abduction of Abdullah Öcalan to Turkey on 15 February 1999 and still aims to crush the Kurdish liberation movement. The new date for the demonstration in Strasbourg is 8 April.

Remarking that the earthquake had led to a great catastrophe, the KCDK-E said: "We are overwhelmed with pain and our anger is very great. Although scientists have always said that this catastrophe will come, the plundering and profit-oriented AKP/MHP government has not taken any measures and has interfered with the natural structure with the permanent bombardment of Kurdistan. In this respect, it is a massacre policy of the government rather than a natural disaster."

The KCDK-E statement on Thursday said: “In this situation, the state has the task of helping people regardless of their political views, identity and faith. Instead, it is trying to prevent help by declaring a state of emergency and limiting it to the obviously overstretched disaster management authority AFAD. This government, which is so immoral, unscrupulous and devoid of human values that it applies hostile law even in the face of a natural disaster, is letting our people die. As KCDK-E and TJK-E (Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe), we will not hand over the people of Kurdistan to this fascist mob that is hostile to Kurds and Alevis. With all our organisations, we will work day and night to ensure that people in Europe, Canada and Australia join the solidarity campaign."

The statement concluded: “Therefore, the demonstration in Strasbourg planned for 11 February will be postponed to 8 April. It should be known that all the problems and pains in Kurdistan are not independent. This catastrophe has clearly shown that the colonialist Turkish state applies enemy law to everything. Therefore, now more than ever, it is necessary that we organise, become aware and take responsibility together. For this, all our member institutions will carry out a mobilisation to share the pain of the earthquake victims and heal their wounds."