Kurds in Tambov city and the Autonomous Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation protested the handing over of the Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan to the Turkish state in an international conspiracy on February 15, 1999.

ADYGEA

The march organized by Adygea Kurdish Cultural Autonomy-Agiri and Krasnadar Kurdish Women’s Organization-Beritan had many Kurds and allies attending. The crowd gathered in front of the Bolo Culture Club, carrying banners that read “No to political genocide”, “February is a dark month in Kurdistan history”, “Hands off our leader”, poster of Öcalan and KCK, PKK and PAJK flags. The march continued up to the Kurdish Cultural Autonomy.

There, Fatma Arin read the statement in the name of the Adygea Kurdish Cultural Autonomy Administration. The group chanted “Bijî Serok Apo”, “Bê Serok Jiyan Nabe” and “Down with the International Conspiracy”, then later dispersed.

TAMBOV

Kurds in Tambov city’s Pervomaysk district also came together against the February 15 Conspiracy. Demonstrators gathered in front of the Kurdish Cultural Center, where Tambov People’s Assembly Administration member Medya Botan gave a speech.

Botan said: “The Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan taught the Kurds how to fight and that the Kurds won’t bow down in the face of injustice any more. Before the PKK movement, no other peoples knew of the Kurds, knew their history, culture and language. But thanks to our Leader, the struggle waged by the PKK movement and the resistance displayed by the Kurdish people have become a hope for all the oppressed peoples. For this, to stop this success by the Kurds and to disband the PKK movement, our Leader was taken prisoner in 1999 in an international conspiracy and he was given to the Turkish state. February 15 went down in Kurdish history as a dark day. The Kurds will never forget this day, and they will never forgive the forces that had a part in this conspiracy.”