Hunger strike in South Kurdistan continues

“Öcalan is being persecuted and heavily isolated because of his struggle for a free Kurdistan. Within this hunger strike we want to take our place as a group of Hewlêr intellectuals and political activists.”

The hunger strike demanding the end of the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan is continuing in Hewlêr, south Kurdistan.

Teacher Idris Sıddık, writer, Kawa Qadir Nadir and Selahattin University Faculty Agriculture teacher Qasim Abdullah Ömer, are among those who have taken over the solidarity hunger strike.

Short period hunger strikes are organising everywhere in solidarity with HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven in Amed, HDP member Nasır Yağız in Hewlêr, and the other activists on indefinite hunger strike.

Nasır Yağız's health situation is getting worse every passing day.

​Speaking about the reason for his participation in the solidarity hunger strike, writer Kawa Qadir Nadir said: “I see the hunger strike action initiated around the world and Kurdistan to break the heavy isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of Kurds.

I see Leyla Güven who went on hunger strike 119 days ago and in Hewlêr I see Nasır Yağız who went on hunger strike 106 days ago. I believe this resistance will result in victory. With this hunger strike resistance an epic was created. It is a struggle that was initiated for the freedom of Kurdistan and Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Öcalan is one of the leaders of our people. He is our leader. He was abducted as a result of an international conspiracy. He has been in prison for 20 years under heavy isolation. Our leader must no longer be in these conditions and should be liberated.”

Writer Kawa Qadir Nadir continued: “Öcalan is being persecuted and heavily isolated because of his struggle for a free Kurdistan. Within this hunger strike we want to take our place as a group of Hewlêr intellectuals and political activists. Friends of Rojava have a good saying, ’We should raise this sea’. That’s why we have joined this action. If there is an attack against the Kurds, we must respond together. Therefore, we must unite Kurds. We must claim Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan as one of our leaders.”

Kasım Abdullah Ömer, a lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture at Salahaddin University, said that he joined the hunger strike to support the activists who are fasting everywhere, in Europe, Northern Kurdistan, prisons, and in particular to support the hunger strike by Leyla Güven and Nasır Yağız.

“The whole world - he said - knows that we are a people and that we have rights, and that a Leader has been unjustly held in prison. Isolation is not only against Leader Öcalan, but also against all Kurds. I believe that all our people will step out and support the resistance.”

Teacher Idris Sıddık, reminded that hunger strikes had been going on in Bashur, Rojhilat, Rojava and Bakur for a long time, said that this hunger strike resistance is demanding the end of isolation against Öcalan.

“Serok Apo - he said - is in prison under conditions of heavy isolation. But his thoughts, his philosophy, live in the four parts of Kurdistan. Leader Apo is against the division of Kurds. He is against the state policy of denial and oppression.

The aim of Arabs, Persian and Turkish states is to point at Kurds as enemies and destroy Kurds and Kurdistan. In these states there are those who say they are in favor of the so-called solution. But Kurds should never give up their methods of resistance and struggle.”

The activist added: “We wanted to take our place in the resistance and for this we joined this hunger strike. We'll succeed.”