The long march demonstration launched in Luxembourg with the slogan 'Freedom for Öcalan, Status for Kurdistan' has entered day 8 today, and it can be seen that the demonstration has garnered more interest than expected.

One of the organizers, Songül Karabulut commented on the long march, which is a first in that it’s attended by internationalist allies of Kurds as a majority, and pointed out the marchers’ resolve and the interest of the French people.

Karabulut said the long march activists reached their goal in numbers for the demonstration that started in Luxembourg on February 1 and will arrive in Strasbourg on February 10 and that over 70 internationalist Kurdish allies from 19 nations and 15 representatives from Kurdish institutions attend the march.

Karabulut said this was important in the level of representation and added: “There is a high level of representation, with individuals from diverse nations attending.”

THE MARCHERS HAVE QUITE THE RESOLVE

Preparation Committee member Songül Karabulut stressed the resolve of the marchers and continued: “On the other hand, all the marchers, especially the young allies, have quite the resolve, and they continue on knowing the hardships. The activists say they faced a much better organization than they were expecting before. In this sense, it is a group of great resolve. There are hardships in the individual phases, but they are not definitive. That resolve shows through here.”

INTEREST FROM THE FRENCH IS HIGHER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS

Karabulut stated that they passed through urban and rural roads, and underlined that they have seen a much greater interest when compared with previous years. Karabulut said: “For example, I have never witnessed anybody refuse a flyer in the places we pass through. The friends passing out the flyers have been received with great interest.”

Songül Karabulut said that the Kurds in the Lorraine region where the march passed through also supported the internationalist activists: “As for the Kurds in the region, the Kurdish people have supported the activists quite well, they received them in their homes as guests. They are also impressed. Maybe they are familiar with such demonstrations, but it is a change for them also to host this diverse group of individuals from different nationalities. The marchers are also very happy. Individuals of different cultures and languages coming together in such a march is really a different feeling. Although English is used as a common language generally, there are no problems in communications due to people who speak different languages.”

CALL FOR ATTENDANCE TO THE STRASBOURG MARCH AND RALLY ON FEBRUARY 11

Songül Karabulut said the approach to them in the towns and cities they passed through from Luxembourg to France has been positive and that they are happy with the level of interest.

Preparation Committee member Songül Karabulut called for attendance to the great march and rally to be held in Strasbourg on February 11 to condemn the February 15 Conspiracy against Öcalan. Karabulut stressed that the Kurdistan people in Europe will display a concrete stance against the conspiracy this year as in the years before and asked for all who call themselves democrats in all different nations to be in Strasbourg on February 11.

The marchers walked a total of 190 kilometers up to last night, and they will start to march again this morning from the town of Sarre-Union. The marchers are expected to walk 28 kilometers to arrive in Phalsbourg tonight.