Academics for Peace visited the hunger strikers in Strasbourg and expressed support with their demand for an end to the isolation regime imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Academics Engin Sustam, Eren Can, Selim Eskiizmirliler and Çetin Gürer stressed the importance of standing beside the struggle against isolation by taking ’moral responsibility’.

‘We must do everything in our hands’

Speaking during the visit, Peace Academic Selim Eskiizmirliler said that the isolation against Öcalan is imposed on political prisoners in Turkey and has become a symbol.

“The silence - said the academic - was broken by the hunger strikes. If we don't want to sacrifice a single hair of our comrades to the fascist dictatorship of Erdoğan, then we must support this process. I came here to reiterate our total support and commitment to do everything in our hands to avoid any death among the hunger strikers.”

Eskiizmirliler recalled that the hunger strike is not the last resistance action and quoted the examples not just in Turkey but also in the United Kingdom and Germany. “Now - he said - we are witnessing a new example of this” and called on all groups to “do everything they can without any delay.”

‘Your demands are the demands of all human beings’

Academic Eren Can said: “Your demands are the demands of all human beings.” Can underlined the 40-years people's movement and their resistance, and added that if the revolutionary-democratic sections secure to get united they could go through this period.

Gürer: The determination to resist is still strong

Cetin Gürer pointed out the importance of an ethical attitude to peace, and underlined the resistance initiated by Leyla Güven.

Despite the devastating fascism conditions in Turkey “the determination to resist is still strong”, said Gürer, adding: “This fascism has not managed to bend the determination of the people. If we can resist, it means we still have will. This is what Leyla Güven shows us.”

Gürer added: “As long as we resist, we will be able to protect our will and maintain our honor. To the extent that we resist, we will be able to take steps to build the peace we envision for the future.”

Çetin Gürer said that they came to Strasbourg and offered their support to the hunger strikers as this is one of the tasks of academics.

The democratic-peaceful solution of the Kurdish problem is one of the prerequisites for democracy and peace in Turkey and the Middle East, said Cetin Gürer, pointing out that the road to the solution passes through the elimination of the isolation against Abdullah Öcalan.

‘Not the end of the road but the first and most important resistance’

Academic Engin Sustam said he supported the hunger strike because it was a political stand against the isolation imposed on peace builder Öcalan.

Sustam added that hunger strikes are not the last resort but the first and most important resistance and called for solidarity to spread.

Koç: The stance of academics is important

Speaking on behalf of the hunger strikers, Yuksel Koç said the support by the academics is very important.

Underlining that isolation against Öcalan is at the same time isolation against the peoples, Koç said that the hunger strikes aim at breaking it.

The KCDK-E, said Koç, had considered insufficient the results reached by other actions and for this decided to undertake the hunger strike.

The message of the hunger strikes has now reached millions in the whole world, said Koç, adding that ending isolation is also a matter of conscience.

Noting that they want the support of all intellectuals, academics, journalists and politicians who oppose isolation, Koç said that it is important to voice the demand for resistance everywhere.

Koç noted that academics could play a role in this.