Protests for Öcalan
Protests for Öcalan
Protest demonstrations were staged yesterday in the provinces of Van, Istanbul, Antalya and Manisa to protest the capture of PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) leader Abdullah Öcalan as a result of an international conspiracy on 15 February 1999.
Protestors in four cities demanded an end to all military and political operations, release of Kurdish political prisoners and beginning of negotiations with Öcalan.
In a statement about the demonstration, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Antalya Co-Chair Ýhsan Nergiz said that;“Mr. Öcalan’s health, security and freedom problems should be solved immediately. The AKP [Justice and Development Party] government should end the annihilation policies and accept the peace offer. Otherwise it might be too late”. Nergiz pointed out that not any result could be obtained by arresting Öcalan’s lawyers, preventing his visits, massacring innocent people in Roboski and carrying out operations under the name of KCK [Union of Kurdistan Communities].”
Öcalan’s capture was also condemned yesterday at the BDP congresses in Istanbul. BDP Istanbul Co-Chair Asiye Kolçak stated that, “The peace that Turks and the Kurds have longed for will never come without the freedom of Mr. Öcalan.”
On the other hand, today’s protests in the main Kurdish city Diyarbakýr have witnessed demonstrators’ attacks which targeted Baðlar Police Directorate and a private supermarket with blast bombs and molotov cocktails. Attacks caused great material damage in the police station and the market.
Protestors in four cities demanded an end to all military and political operations, release of Kurdish political prisoners and beginning of negotiations with Öcalan.
In a statement about the demonstration, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Antalya Co-Chair Ýhsan Nergiz said that;“Mr. Öcalan’s health, security and freedom problems should be solved immediately. The AKP [Justice and Development Party] government should end the annihilation policies and accept the peace offer. Otherwise it might be too late”. Nergiz pointed out that not any result could be obtained by arresting Öcalan’s lawyers, preventing his visits, massacring innocent people in Roboski and carrying out operations under the name of KCK [Union of Kurdistan Communities].”
Öcalan’s capture was also condemned yesterday at the BDP congresses in Istanbul. BDP Istanbul Co-Chair Asiye Kolçak stated that, “The peace that Turks and the Kurds have longed for will never come without the freedom of Mr. Öcalan.”
On the other hand, today’s protests in the main Kurdish city Diyarbakýr have witnessed demonstrators’ attacks which targeted Baðlar Police Directorate and a private supermarket with blast bombs and molotov cocktails. Attacks caused great material damage in the police station and the market.
