Latin American revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s close friend, United Nations (UN) Advisory Committee to the Human Rights Council Vice-president and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food sociologist and writer Jean Ziegler spoke to the ANF.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING IN NORTHERN KURDISTAN IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY”

Ziegler spoke about the report issued by the UN in March on Northern Kurdistan provinces and said: “The Turkish state has committed horrific crimes against humanity in Northern Kurdistan provinces. This crime against humanity is at the level to have Turkey tried on the International Criminal Court (ICC).”

“UN SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD ACTIVATE THE ICC”

“The UN Security Council should handle the casefile of the Northern Kurdistan provinces and then approve to send it over to the ICC,” said Jean Ziegler and continued: “There hasn’t been an action taken to date, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be. What is important in this process is to create public pressure. Europe kept silent at the time and has become complicit in this crime. Cities being destroyed, hundreds of civilians including women and children being killed are openly crimes against humanity. There can be no rightful justification for what happened.”

Ziegler said the UN can play an important role in Erdoğan and the authorities in Turkey being put on trial in the ICC and continued: “First, the UN Security Council should send the casefile over to the ICC for crimes against humanity. And the UN Human Rights Council should appoint a special rapporteur for Turkey to investigate what happened. This must be said, it is entirely possible for Erdoğan to be put on trial in the ICC.”

“ÖCALAN SHOULD BE FREE”

Jean Ziegler also spoke about the practices the Turkish state implements regarding Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and stressed that the practices against Öcalan are clear violations of human rights. Jean Ziegler said Öcalan must be free and continued: “Öcalan being in prison and the practices implemented against him can not be justified. These are entriely arbitrary practices.”

“UN SHOULD PLAY A ROLE IN ÖCALAN’S FREEDOM”

Jean Ziegler said the UN could also act on Öcalan’s situation and summarized what needs to be done at this point: “The UN Human Rights Working Group on Arbitrary Detention should demand an investigation on Öcalan’s situation and play a role in ensuring Öcalan’s freedom as a result of their efforts.”

“THE ERDOĞAN REGIME IS A FASCIST REGIME”

Ziegler called the Erdoğan regime a fascist and totalitarian regime and listed what the Turkish government should prioritize as: “The identity and right to autonomy of the Kurds should be recognized, negotiations with the PKK should start urgently, Öcalan should be freed and those responsible for the crimes against humanity in Kurdistan should be exposed and put on trial.”

“THE PKK BAN IS DENIAL OF A PEOPLE”

Jean Ziegler harshly criticized PKK being on the terror list in Europe and stated that it is unacceptable that the most important organization fighting ISIS being considered “terrorist”. Ziegler called Germany’s approach to PKK is nonsensical and continued: “Banning PKK, the flags or posters is denial of a people. Turkey should be the one isolated. I believe Europe should enact both a diplomatic and economic embargo against Turkey. This embargo should continue until they accept peace with Kurds.”

“PKK IS A LEGITIMATE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT”

Ziegler stated that the PKK is a freedom and emancipation movement like Nelson Mandela’s party African National Congress (ANC) and added: “PKK is a national emancipation and freedom movement. PKK is a legitimate resistance movement against fascism and tyranny, just like the French resistance against Nazis. I say clearly that the PKK is a commendable freedom and emancipation movement and deserves to be supported by all.”

“IF CHE WAS ALIVE HE WOULD FIGHT FASCIST REGIMES ALONG WITH THE PKK”

Latin American revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s close friend in struggle Jean Ziegler said, “If Che was alive today, he would fight for the PKK with the PKK. Surely, Che is the most beautiful example in national emancipation and freedom movements. I say this again, if Che was alive today he would fight alongside the PKK against fascist, autocratic and terrorist without a thought.”

JEAN ZIEGLER: A LIFE DEDICATED TO COMMUNISM AND PEOPLES

Jean Ziegler was born on April 19, 1934 in Bern, Switzerland and is currently the United Nations (UN) Advisory Committee to the Human Rights Council Vice-president and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. The world famous sociologist, politician and writer Jean Ziegler is a man who has dedicated his life to the revolutionary struggle and communism.

Ziegler is also a close friend to the Latin American revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara, and is a man constantly targeted by capitalist and colonialist regimes.

Jean Ziegler has PhD’s in law and sociology and worked as a professor in the University of Genova and the Sorbonne for a long time. Ziegler was a MP in the Switzerland Federal Parliament from the Socialist Party and has faced many hardships in life in his struggle saying “Another world is possible”.

Ziegler calls himself a “faithful communist”. He cites an important influence in his life as the effects of poverty and colonialism he witnessed in his time with the UN in Africa.

Ziegler wanted to leave Europe and join Che in Cuba after what he saw, but was convinced by Che to stay in Switzerland and continued to fight capitalism there.

With the numerous books he wrote and his identity as a politician, he was almost declared a traitor to the country and put on trial many times for criticizing Switzerland’s stance in WWII, the banking and money laundering system and their relationship with the Nazis. Ziegler has also criticized the antidemocratic practices by colonialists and capitalist companies in many of his books, and is targeted not just by Switzerland but many forces.

Ziegler faced reaction by the US and various other states when he was elected to the Human UN Rights Council. During his time in the UN, he pursued the wrongdoings within the organization and didn’t refrain from insisting that the UN should restructure itself. With his stance within the UN and the speeches he gave there, he has earned the nickname “the guerrilla in the UN” for saying, “I never lost faith that another world is possible.”

Jean Ziegler’s life and his struggle has been the subject of various documentaries. One of his famous quotes is, “I will never stand with executioners, even by coincidence.”