Labour Party conference ends with call for Öcalan’s freedom

Calls for Kurdish People’s Leader Öcalan’s freedom marked the third day of the Labour Party conference held in Liverpool, UK.

The Labour Party conference held by Unite the Union, one of the leaders of the Freedom for Öcalan campaign held by British trade unions for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, hosted a panel discussion titled “Fighting fascism in the Middle East: Öcalan, Kurds and defending the women’s revolution” today.

Unite the Union international affairs officer and Freedom for Öcalan campaign co-chair Simon Dubbins, MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Lord Maurice Glasman, Dan Carden, Orfaith Begley, European Parliament MP Julie Ward, former HDP MP Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Aslef Union Secretary General Mick Whelan and Kurdish activist Elif Sarıca spoke in the panel discussion that was attended by hundreds of people.

Speeches in the discussion pointed out that the Freedom for Öcalan campaign has been the fastest growing international solidarity in the UK in recent years. They stressed that the Freedom for Öcalan campaign launched by British national trade unions with millions of members continues to grow and gain influence.

POINTING TO THE ARRESTED JOURNALISTS

Freedom for Öcalan campaign co-chair Simon Dubbins gave the opening speech and said the Kurdish people’s freedom will be possible through Öcalan’s freedom. Sinn Fein MP Orfhlaith Begley said they bring messages of solidarity with Öcalan from Northern Ireland and added that they consider Öcalan a comrade and will continue to offer support for his freedom.

Aslef Union Secretary General Mick Whelan also spoke in the discussion and said British public is getting to know the Kurdish Freedom Movement and Öcalan better. Whelan said they will continue to show solidarity with the Kurdish Freedom Movement despite bans. In his speech, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pointed to the situation of arrested journalists in Turkey. The panel discussion ended with the delegates and party members voting unanimously to issue a call for Öcalan’s freedom.