Sit-in in Geneva: UN should talk with the peoples, not mercenaries

Sit-in launched in front of the UN office in Geneva in solidarity with political prisoners in Turkish jails who are on indefinite and non-alternating hunger strike for two months, and in protest at the United Nations talks on Syria that exclude the Kurds.

Kurdish activists have launched a sit-in protest in front of the United Nations office in Geneva on Monday. The action, which is organized in the scope of the “End Isolation, Occupation, Fascism; Time for Freedom”, coincides with the fifth round of the so-called constitutional talks for Syria in Geneva. The activists stated that all the peoples in Syria must be addressed for the Constitution.

The action began already in the morning hours as activists started to gather in the area and erected a tent where they launched the sit-in.

The tent was covered with images of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, flags of PKK, YPG, YPJ, TJK-E and banners that read “Stop Turkish fascism, time for freedom now”, “Political prisoners in Turkish jails on hunger strike to achieve Öcalan’s freedom against fascism”.

The first speech that followed a minute of silence in memory of the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle’s martyrs, was made by CDK – Geneva branch co-president Salih Sağlam who said the following:

“We have launched this action as part of the “Time to achieve freedom now” campaign. We want to be the voice of the political prisoners in Turkish jails who are on indefinite and non-alternating hunger strike for two months. We also protest the United Nations talks on Syria that exclude the Kurds. We, the people of Kurdistan, will continue to be on the streets. We call for solidarity from all democratic circles.”

“UN SHOULD TALK WITH THE SYRIAN PEOPLES, NOT THE MERCENARIES”

Speaking after, representative of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, Hikmet Ibrahim recalled that the UN talks on Syria ignored the Kurds and other peoples living in the region, who have resisted persecution.

Ibrahim said, “These talks do not include any representative of the Syrian peoples and seek to hand over the region to mercenaries backed by Russia and Turkey. We are determined to continue our resistance against these dirty policies. The United Nations should essentially talk with the very self of those peoples who have resisted persecution, paid a price and demand their own status.”

“15 FEBRUARY PLOT CONTINUES”

CDK – Switzerland branch co-president Ali Şimşek also spoke and said the following: “The occupation and annihilation attacks carried out in Kurdistan by means of gangs have been put into operation as a continuation of the 15 February International Conspiracy. This is the basis of the attacks on the Rojava revolution which was achieved thanks to Öcalan’s paradigm. This is the reason that lies behind the isolation torture imposed on our leader and the attacks on the resistance in prisons.”

Şimşek continued: “Political prisoners continue their hunger strike action in Turkey’s jails for over two months. We, the people of Kurdistan, will be on the streets and continue our struggle against tyranny until the demands of prisoners are met and our leader and Kurdistan gain their freedom.”

The sit-in continued after the speeches. The action in front of the UN Geneva headquarters will continue three days every week.