The long march of the Kurdish internationalist youth movement for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question was concluded on Friday in Duisburg. The participants walked through North Rhine-Westphalia since Monday to draw attention to the isolation of Öcalan in Turkish custody and his importance for a democratic solution. The march started in Bielefeld and continued through Hamm, Dortmund and Essen. The participants attended a cultural programme in the evening and traveled to Frankfurt today to take part in the 32nd Kurdish International Culture Festival.

The activists took the stage and greeted the masses. A statement on behalf of the Long March activists said: “Thousands of times, millions of times, greetings to Rêber Apo from here. For 42 months there has been no news from Rêber Apo. As a result of an international conspiracy, Reber Apo was captured and handed over to the Turkish state. The Turkish state has a fascist character. They massacre Kurdish children with panzers. They pursuea policy of genocide against the Kurdish people. European institutions and international organisations are complicit in this crime by remaining silent and acting hypocritically to the crime against humanity and isolation practices against Rêber Apo.”

The statement emphasised that genocidal attacks will be thwarted through the resistance of the youth and said, “The Kurdish people will frustrate all attacks with their understanding of revolutionary war. This genocide and occupation will be stopped through the resistance of Kurdish youth. Those martyred in this struggle will not be forgotten. The barbarity and brutality of the Turkish state has been exposed by their treatment of guerrilla bodies. Our bodies are given to our families in bags. The guerrilla will ask for an account of this barbarism and take revenge. Our people will also take account of this.”

The festival continues with performances by govend and rhythm groups.