The isolation of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues. Abdullah Öcalan and İmralı prisoners Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş met with their families on 31 March on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. His nephew and Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Riha (Urfa) MP Ömer Öcalan, who took part in the meeting, evaluate the meeting to Mezopotamya Agency (MA). 

 

'WHEREVER I GO, I ORGANIZE'

 

Ömer Öcalan said that the visit aroused many emotions in him and that it was important for him to see Abdullah Öcalan both as his uncle and as the leader of a people. Ömer Öcalan stated that he went to İmralı together with Abdullah Öcalan's brother Mehmet Öcalan and emphasised that although talks were held, the isolation still continues. Ömer Öcalan stated that since Abdullah Öcalan is a leader, the meeting took place in this context, even though there were feelings, and that Abdullah Öcalan asked about many of his friends and important families who took part in the Kurdish People's struggle and conveyed his greetings. 

 

Ömer Öcalan stated that Abdullah Öcalan also talked about organization while talking about his childhood memories and said, "Abdullah Öcalan said, "Wherever I go, I organize. I have been organizing since I was a child. As a boy, I had a prayer group. When I went to school, I had a group of friends.' He had some criticisims about the party and politics. he said, 'What is socialism? It means society, communalism. It means working and walking with the people. You need to organise everywhere. You need to work everywhere, you need to take part in the people'."

 

EVALUATIONS ABOUT MIDDLE EAST

 

Ömer Öcalan stated that in the first 40 minutes of the meeting Abdullah Öcalan made intensive evaluations about Syria, Rojava, the Federated Kurdistan Region, Iran, Rojhilat, the DEM Party and Istanbul. Ömer Öcalan said that he conveyed to Abdullah Öcalan that the 27 February call was received with great interes and was embraced especially in Newroz. Ömer Öcalan sai, "He is familiar with Rojava. He said that he is very angry about the massacre of Alawites. 'We do not accept this, such a thing cannot happen, we do not find the massacre against Alawites right. How many people were massacred?' he asked. I said that more than 2 thousand people were massacred. 'Children, women... They massacre everyone. This is an ISIS-like method. We do not accept this. The rights and laws of Alawites must be protected. The rights and laws of Druze must be protected. They can create systems similar to the systems created by the Kurds. They can establish links with each other and they should not accept these ISIS-like methods' he said and I can also state that he criticised the central administration in Syria."

 

Ömer Öcalan said that the AKP has not taken any concrete steps yet and added: "We were able to see that some needs and demands were not met. Mr Öcalan stated that he is determined to manage this process, that he is hopeful and that he will do his best to bring it to a conclusion. Ömer Öcalan said, "I said to him, 'The people have full faith in you, they are behind your call, they believe in your thoughts, they believe in you. But at the end of the 2015 solution process, they have doubts and scepticism due to what happened in 2019 and 1993.' The President said, 'The people are right, they are at the right point. But I am determined to carry out this process and bring it to a conclusion. I have hope and I am working for it'."

 

 

MEMORY WITH CEMIL BAYIK

 

Ömer Öcalan shared a memory that was recalled during the last family visit with Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı. He said that Mehmet Öcalan recounted an experience from nearly 50 years ago, which Abdullah Öcalan also remembered and joined in recalling. He stated that sharing this memory on 4 April carried deep meaning and significance. According to the account, in the years 1976–1977, Mehmet Öcalan told Abdullah Öcalan: "You and Cemil Bayık once came to house. My mother cooked a meal for you. While you were eating, my father entered the room, leaned in through the door and said, ‘My son, you used to speak of the struggle for communism and socialism. Now you say you are following a path for Kurdishness and Kurdistan. The struggle for communism is lighter. The struggle for Kurdishness and Kurdistan is heavier. This path will wear you down.’" At that moment, Abdullah Öcalan confirmed the memory and added: "Father also told us, ‘You have entered the Kurdish cause. Şêx Seîd (Sheikh Said) also walked this path and paid a great price. He had a tribe, a family, a community. You have no one, not even a tribe. You will face many hardships.’" 

 

'DEMANDS OF KURDS SHOULD RECOGNIZE'

 

Ömer Öcalan said, "The meeting we had coincided with 4 April. A struggle that started with orphans has turned into a popular movement reaching millions. It came here with great sacrifices. The movement of orphans is now embraced by millions." Ömer Öcalan stated that Abdullah Öcalan had criticism and suggestions about DEM Party. He said that Abdullah Öcalan emphasised that importance should be given to the work. 

 

Ömer Öcalan emphasised that every segment have right to go to İmralı and thet should. Ömer Öcalan said that the process was embraced by everyone and that the process should proceed in stages. Ömer Öcalan said, "The peoples of Turkey should embrace this process. Denial and assimilation are not solutions. People have innate rights. Kurds are a people, they are not a threat to Turkey. Protecting their innate rights will benefit everyone."

 

Stating that there are social needs and demands regarding the process, Ömer Öcalan said, "This can be solved with a social contract. Some people should not be disturbed by some concepts. Kurds also have needs. These demands should be recognised. We keep our hope. We will do our best to make this process a success. We will continue to do our best together with our people to build a great and honourable peace. A great sacrifice, a great labour, a great struggle is being waged in İmralı Island. Our people support this process for an honourable peace. Our people need to support and embrace it more. By taking this ownership to the metropolises of Turkey, everyone should force the authorities to take steps."

 

MA / Emrullah Acar