On the first day of the historic hunger strike by constituents of Kurdish politics in Turkey, KESK (Confederation of Public Workers), DİSK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions) and ABF (Alevi Bektashi Federation) called upon the AKP to end the isolation of Öcalan. KESK Co-President Lami Özgen, DİSK President Kani Beko and ABF President Baki Düzgün spoke to ANF on the hunger strike that began in Amed today against the isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

ÖZGEN: GOVERNMENT’S STANCE IS AN INDICATOR OF CIVIL WAR

KESK Co-President Lami Özgen emphasized that the isolation of Öcalan, the architect of the Kurdish issue’s negotiations and solution, must end during these days in which the demands for peace are expressed widely. Özgen recalled the clashes in İmralı Island on the night of the coup attempt, and described the stance of the government as arbitrary, dangerous, and indicative of civil war. Lami Özgen expressed concern over the persistence isolation of Öcalan; a leader followed by millions of people. Özgen stressed that the government must allow Öcalan to meet with his lawyers, family members, and HDP parliamentarians, and warned the AKP government to stop provocations aimed at the protests organized by the Kurdish political movement.

'COMMUNICATION WITH ÖCALAN MUST BEGIN’

KESK Co-President Lami Özgen recalled Öcalan’s key role in the peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue and called upon the government to stop its isolation policy. Özgen pointed out that communication with Öcalan must begin immediately in order to stop the clashes and ease the concerns of the society.

DÜZGÜN: THEY ARE INSULTING KURDISH PEOPLE THROUGH ÖCALAN

ABF President Baki Düzgün stated that recent AKP policies are worse than those of the September 12 coup administration, and criticized the isolation of Öcalan despite the news of clashes that took place on İmralı on July 15, night of the coup attempt. Düzgün emphasized that nobody knows anything about Öcalan’s health, and described the persistence isolation of Öcalan as an insult towards Kurdish people.

'ÖCALAN CAN STOP THE CLASHES'

Baki Düzgün recalled the Kobanê events of October 6-7 and said that Öcalan is the only person to stop the ongoing clashes. Düzgün also recalled KCK’s resolution declaration, and asked why the government still insists on war and oppression. Düzgün called for a return to normalization and the pre-June 7 period, and reiterated the Kurdish political movement’s demand for equality and human rights.

BEKO: RESOLUTION TABLE MUST BE ESTABLISHED

DİSK President Kani Beko stated that Anatolia and Mesopotamia no longer tolerate war and conflict, and described their demands for negotiations as attempts to end the war and achieve piece. Beko described the Kurdish issue as the most urgent problem of the region and called upon the 4 major political parties in Turkey to immediately come together in the Turkish parliament and produce solutions for peace, democracy, justice and freedom.

Kano recalled that deaths had stopped and Kurdish and Turkish people were living peacefully when the peace negotiations began 3 years ago, and called for the establishment of a table of resolution in order to stop the clashes and bring peace to the region. Lastly, Beko called upon political parties and the forces of labor and democracy to play a more effective in order to establish a lasting peace and solve the Kurdish issue.