A press conference was held in Krefeld, Germany for Ugur Sakar who self-immolated to protest the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Ugur Sakar set himself on fire in front of the courthouse in Krefeld on Wednesday. Sakar was taken to a hospital in Duisburg with a helicopter and is reportedly in a critical condition, with 67% of his body covered in burns.

Thousands gathered in front of the Duisburg hospital after Sakar set his body on fire, calling on people to break the silence. NAV-DEM, AGIF and ATIK members and administrators attended the protest.

The first statement was made in the name of the Wuppertal Democratic Kurdish Society Center. Administrator Harun Demirel said Sakar is in a critical condition and pointed to the letter he left behind. In his letter, Sakar protested the disinterest of European institutions and the CPT in the face of the isolation and called on the Kurdish people to take action. Demirel said: “So, all must be aware and take action.”

GERMAN GOVERNMENT ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SELF-IMMOLATION PROTEST

Former HDP Siirt MP Besime Konca stated that the party doesn't approve of self-immolation protests and added that Sakar’s demand is the same as the demands presented by the hunger strikers. Konca said Sakar’s letter stressed the silence of European institutions and the violence by German police against the Kurdish people. Konca said: “This is the way he presented his protest in the face of such a strict approach.”

Konca pointed to the importance of a mass protest by the youth and women and all of the Kurdish people to support the hunger strikers. Konca wished Sakar a swift recovery and said: “We all should put forth our protest against the silence of Europe, and Germany in particular. This friend of ours has shown that the German government has some responsibility in the self-immolation protest.

“TIME TO SAY ENOUGH”

NAV-DEM Co-chair Ayten Kaplan said Sakar’s protest was against the European governments who refuse to see or hear the people putting their bodies on the line, and added: “There is an attack against our efforts, actions, colors and almost all Kurdish publications (in Germany).” Kaplan said the people should respond to both the German and the Turkish States, and continued: “We say ‘Edi bes e’, enough. We say it is now time to come together and form a wall of people to resist against them.”

WE HOPE TO SEE HIM AMONG US IN PROTESTS

ATIK Co-chair Suleman Gurcan offered his condolences to the family and comrades of Sakar and said: “We hope to see friend Ugur healthy and among us in protests. Gurcan added that they don't approve of this type of protests and that everybody has many things to contribute to the struggle when they are healthy.