ANPI (the Italian National Partisan Association) National Secretary Fabrizio De Sanctis told ANF that the Turkish state must show political courage for a solution.

The echoes of the meeting between DEM Party Urfa (Riha) MP Ömer Öcalan and Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, continue.

In his message conveyed to the public through his nephew, Öcalan emphasized that the isolation in Imrali continues and added: "If the conditions are right, I have the theoretical and practical capacity to move this process from the ground of conflict and violence to the ground of law and politics." ANPI has hundreds of thousands of members and is one of the supporters of the global "Freedom for Öcalan, Political Solution to the Kurdish Question" international campaign.

Meeting in Imrali is a positive development

De Sanctis said: "This meeting with Abdullah Öcalan was definitely a positive development. Öcalan is seen as a political leader by millions of Kurds. I had the opportunity to visit Amed and meet with many associations. Each time we were told that the conviction of Öcalan meant the conviction of all Kurds. This situation is felt as a restriction of the Kurds’ political freedoms; if their leaders are subject to this, they think they too can be subject to the worst consequences."

Indispensable in the solution of the problem

De Sanctis continued: "I think this meeting could be a small light that will turn into a big sun for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. While there is a great opportunity for a solution to the Kurdish question, the fact that meetings with Öcalan are banned again is a very serious situation. It seems that a new isolation measure has been decided, and the sentence has been extended for a few more months. This is accompanied by severe measures such as the removal of three elected Kurdish mayors."

Political courage is needed

De Sanctis added: "Öcalan’s message is a message showing a willingness for peace. He should be allowed to play a political role. He should be invited to the Turkish Parliament to discuss the conditions for a peaceful and political solution to the Kurdish issue. It is necessary to have the courage to confront this situation politically and, as I have said before, to talk to Mr. Öcalan, who represents millions of people."

Öcalan’s freedom is crucial to getting a solution

De Sanctis said: "Öcalan must speak as a free man. He must be able to speak freely and establish a dialogue with his comrades, parties and people. He must have all the tools at his disposal to express and discuss his political position. He needs freedom to play a real political role."