March in Wales for solidarity with hunger strikers

A march was held in Welsh capital Cardiff to protest the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan and to show solidarity for the hunger strikers.

Hundreds attended the march in Cardiff, where representatives from various organizations gave speeches in the action attended by Kurds and leftists. The march took place on the 22nd day of Imam Sis’ unlimited nonalternating hunger strike that started on December 17.

Adam Johannes spoke in the name of Cardiff Stop the War Campaign and said: “The Kurdish people, striving for a democratic, ecological and pro-freedom system in the Middle East, have taken to the streets everywhere in the world today to fight.”

Johannes said as individuals and peoples who believe in socialism, another world can be made possible if all act together. Saluting the hunger strikes, Johannes said: “Ocalan’s freedom will bring peace to the Middle East.”

Bruce Talbot spoke in the name of Collective Cardiff and said, “The Kurdistan Freedom Movement is engaged in a great struggle in the name of all humanity.”

Talbot stressed that the Kurds living in Wales have had a successful movement for a long time and added that “all leftist and progressive circles should take this struggle on their agenda”.

Ann Marie Bateman spoke in the name of the Cardiff Social Forum and said: “Today we as not just Kurds in Wales but Kurdistanis from all around the UK and Welsh socialists who support the Kurdish people’s righteous struggle and right to self determination, shout out loud that the demands of all hunger strikers should be met and the isolation imposed upon Ocalan should be ended at once.”

Bateman added that she admires HDP’s Leyla Guven’s will and her life full of struggle, and said if Guven’s health and safety are ever at jeopardy, the Council of Europe, the CPT and the Theresa May government that supports the fascist Erdogan regime will be held responsible as well as the Turkish state.”