Die Linke MP and Germany’s Federal Parliament Interior Affairs Commission Member Martina Renner visited the indefinite non-alternating hunger strike in Strasbourg on the 50th day of the protest along with Die Linke’s Kurdish MP Gokay Akbulut.

Renner was able to meet very briefly with Yuksel Koc as his health has been deteriorating rapidly in the last few days and with other hunger strikers and spoke to them about the demands the Kurdish people have, starting with an end to the isolation.

“WE WANT THE ISOLATION TO END”

Martina Renner said Die Linke supports the hunger strikers’ demands and added that they demand the release of imprisoned HDP politicians as well as an end to the isolation imposed upon Ocalan.

Martina Renner pointed out the Turkish state’s threats against Northern and Eastern Syria, which includes Rojava, and said Turkey is working together with ISIS and its derivatives. Renner added that European state governments not heeding their voice makes the Kurds in Europe uneasy and stated that they stand in solidarity with the Kurdish people to remedy the situation.

DEMANDING AN END TO GERMANY’S COLLABORATION WITH TURKEY

Die Linke Mp Martina Renner stressed that the Kurds’ demands are also Die Linke’s demands and stated that they will continue to voice these demands in the Federal Parliament as they have been doing. Renner said among their demands is the end of all arms sales to Turkey and all military, police and intelligence collaboration with the country and added that they were visiting Strasbourg to show their support for the peoples of Northern Syria as well.

Renner accepted that there is a certain silence in the public towards the people who defend democratic rights and resist in Turkey and Europe, and argued that the several ongoing conflicts throughout the world does have a part in this. Renner also pointed to the PKK ban in Germany which has been in place for over 25 years and to the constant discrimination against Kurds by the German state, and said the situation is a factor in the limited sympathy for the Kurdish cause in society. Renner stated that the “terrorism” discourse regarding the Kurds prevents the Kurdish people’s demands as a people from becoming more visible among the German public.

“EUROPE TURNS A BLIND EYE TO MANY THINGS”

Renner also answered questions about why there is silence regarding the isolation of the Kurdish People’s Leader and said Germany and many other European states stand with the Erdogan regime due to domestic political matters like the Refugee Deal and foreign policy issues like Turkey’s membership to NATO. Martina Renner added that the demands the hunger strikers posit regarding the isolation of Ocalan pertain to the most fundamental universal human rights and said Europe turns a blind eye to many violations and oppressions by Turkey such as pressure against press freedom and all politically motivated lawsuits.

Renner said the issues in Turkey and the threats of attack against Northern Syria need to be resolved at the European level and called on the German government to clearly demonstrate that “Erdogan has no support in Europe”.

DEMANDING DEMOCRATIC CIRCLES TAKE ACTION “BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE”

Renner said they stand with the hunger strikers to break the silence by the public in Europe and added that more effort needs to be put in to better explain why people are protesting in Europe and Turkey. Renner also pointed out that during times of intensified conflict, it is not possible to discuss the prohibition mindset against Kurds in Germany or the Turkey policies, and added that for this reason, democratic circles should take action before it’s too late.

NOT CONFINED TO LEFTIST PARTIES

Martina Renner said Die Linke has been drawing attention to the Kurdish issue in several platforms including the European Parliament and added that leftist parties in Europe have been conscious of the issue for decades. Renner said left wing/socialist parties are in the minority in many European countries and as such they can’t make their voice heard as well as it should be, and added that despite this fact social democrats, Greens and even some right wing conservative parties have a positive approach. Renner said the example of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which is a government coalition partner in Germany, demanding a no-fly zone specifically to prevent attacks against Rojava is important. Renner added that it shouldn’t be confined to just leftist parties when it comes to the Kurds.