Leyla Şaylemez’s family joins the Vigil for Öcalan in Strasbourg

Family members of Leyla Şaylemez, the young revolutionary who was killed by the Turkish state in Paris, have taken over the vigil demonstration held for the freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Family members of Leyla Şaylemez, one of the three revolutionary women murdered in Paris on January 9, 2013, have taken over the Freedom for Öcalan Vigil held in front of the Council of Europe (CoE) in Strasbourg, France. Father Cumali Şaylemez, uncle Ahmet Şaylemez and cousins Esra and Abdullah Şaylemez have been on vigil in Strasbourg since Sunday.

“THE KURDISH PEOPLE ARE MASSACRED AS THEY DEMAND PEACE”

Cumali Şaylemez said they as the Kurdish people are dreaming of a world with diversity: “The more flowers a garden has, the more beautiful it is,” said Father Şaylemez and stressed that the enemies of Kurds want a world without Kurds or their leader Öcalan. Cumali Şaylemez said the Turkish state has imprisoned and murdered many Kurdish leaders throughout its history to suppress resistances and referred to Seyid Riza’s words. Şaylemez stressed that “I couldn’t defeat your lies and fraud, that gives me grief. But I didn’t bow down before you either, that will give you grief,” is relevant still.

“IF YOU SUPPRESS WITH MASSACRES TODAY, WE WILL DEMAND FREEDOM AGAIN TOMORROW”

Şaylemez stated that even if the PKK and all Kurds are massacred today, 20 years later there will be another insurgency. He added that if Turkish and Arab people accept the Kurds as their brothers and sisters and equals, there will be no deaths or massacres. He said: “Whoever still desires to spill blood, curses on them. Whoever wants to spill blood, we will condemn. But today, Kurds want peace and fraternity, and they are presented with the insistence to spill blood.”

“THE BEST FOR ALL PEOPLES IS NEGOTIATIONS WITH ÖCALAN AND PEACE”

Cumali Şaylemez stressed that the Kurdish people cannot be ended with massacres and said: “The smartest thing that needs to be done is to sit down with the Kurdish People’s Leader and negotiate a peace. Let there be no more blood spilled between the Turkish and Kurdish peoples, let the mothers weep no more. That is the best for all peoples. Whoever calls for peace, we stand with them.”

Cumali Şaylemez pointed out the importance of Öcalan’s freedom and called on the Kurdish people to continue to campaign for that.

REMINDING THE COE AND CPT OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY

Uncle Ahmet Şaylemez also gave a message in the name of the Şaylemez family and said everybody should take action for the freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader. Ahmet Şaylemez called on the CoE and Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and demanded they uphold the values that constitute their raison d’etre.

Şaylemez also called for an immediate end to the isolation imposed upon Öcalan and the Kurdish people be given healthy information.

Komalên Ciwan member Leyla Şaylemez was killed in Paris on January 9, 2013 along with leading PKK cadre Sakine Cansız and prominent name in Kurdish diplomacy in Europe Fidan Doğan.