The “International Conference for Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question” in Rome continues on its second day with the participation of over 300 delegates from different countries.

The conference, hosted by the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), started this morning with a session moderated by former Icelandic Minister of Justice and International İmralı Delegation member Ögmundur Jónasson, and Deputy Secretary General of ELDH, Lawyer Ceren Uysal. 

'What is happening in İmralı is the state's approach to the Kurdish issue'

Speaking here, lawyer Rengin Ergül spoke about the right to hope. Noting that what is happening today has a historical background, Rengin Ergül stated that what is happening in İmralı is a projection of the reality of the Kurdish people and the Turkish state's approach to the Kurdish issue. Rengin Ergül noted that the Kurdish issue was referred to as 'enemy criminal law' and 'enemy criminal trial' in the past and said, “The situation has surpassed enemy criminal law and trial. In fact, this regime of exception has now spread all over Turkey and we have seen an example of this in Istanbul. When we talk about this regime of exception in Turkey, we also need to address its historical background. The current regime created a consent by applying these practices on the masses and had them accepted.”

Commenting on the process in which the current regime was built,  Rengin Ergül spoke about Abdullah Öcalan’s capture and trial, the death sentence handed down to him, the abolition of the death penalty and the imposition of aggravated life imprisonment sentence specifically on Öcalan. “The ECtHR ruled in 2014 that the aggravated life imprisonment is torture and ill-treatment. It ruled that a prisoner has the right to hope for the date of his release from imprisonment,” she added.

'Turkey has not implemented the ECtHR decision'

Rengin Ergül noted that the Turkish state has not implemented the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. She remarked that thousands of people have been victimized by the aggravated life imprisonment regime which was built on Öcalan’s person and added that they want the ECtHR decision to be implemented in Turkey.

“If a peace process is to take place in Turkey, Turkey needs to take steps in this regard,” Rengin Ergül said, adding that Öcalan’s fundamental rights should not be made a subject of bargaining.

'The international campaign had a great impact'

Lawyer Faik Özgür Erol of Asrin Law Office and a member of the İmralı Delegation, noted that two family and three delegation meetings have taken place in İmralı in recent months. He said that the actions and activities organized within the scope of the international campaign “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ had a great impact on the realization of these meetings. Stating that the actions taken as part of the campaign were discussed during their meeting with Öcalan in İmralı, Erol conveyed Öcalan’s greetings to everyone. Noting that an extraordinary regime has been created in İmralı, Erol said that the developments in the last 6-7 months have emerged with the resistance of the Kurdish leader.

‘Öcalan says that the Sykes-Picot status has been dissolved’

Recalling Öcalan’s February 27 call, Erol said: “In this call, he made a new sociological and historical analysis. In the past, he used to focus on the historical nature of Turkish-Kurdish relations, but now we have seen that he has developed a new level of analyzing the sociological character of these societies. He thinks that Turkish-Kurdish relations have turned into denial in the last hundred years, but this will not eliminate the thousand-year brotherhood. He also made regional and universal analysis. There is a serious concentration on the situation in the Middle East. Particularly in his evaluation of the dissolution of Syria, he thinks that the status previously established in the Middle East has disappeared. He says that the Sykes-Picot status has been dissolved. There are new situations and possibilities that this determination brings with it. The change in this status will have striking effects in the coming period and we are experiencing and will experience them. He also predicted that it is necessary to watch carefully which strategies will prevail in the Middle East.

‘Communitarian socialism, democracy and women's freedom’

I think that Abdullah Öcalan has built his paradigm on the pillars of communitarian socialism, democracy and women's freedom. He is very clear that without one of these, the others cannot be realized. He thinks that no matter what kind of system you want to build, if you want to build a system, it must include democracy. He especially finds the state-based analysis of socialism problematic. He even says, 'My attitude against statism is a requirement of my socialist identity'. We have also seen that he has made new definitions about the state. He is of the opinion that the state is the most important institution after society. He thinks that the state is the epitome of society and that the state is influenced by the character of societies. He believes that systems that are not socialized cannot be successful.”

The conference continued with Panel 3, moderated by Amedeo Ciaccheri, President of Rome’s VIII Municipality, and Consuelo Nunez of the Spanish State Campaign Committee. The panel discussed the local, regional, and global impacts of Abdullah Öcalan’s perspective on peace and democratic society.

Speaking here, İmralı Delegation Member and DEM Party MP Pervin Buldan conveyed Öcalan’s greetings to those who contributed to the campaign. “After about 10 years, İmralı talks started again and we had the opportunity to meet with Abdullah Öcalan once again. We had three meetings as a political delegation.”

'With the step taken by Devlet Bahçeli, a new process has begun'

Pervin Buldan stated the following about the first meeting: “Mr. Öcalan said that fifty years were spent in rebellion. He said that the denial of our language and identity forced us into armed rebellion, and that he has been concentrating on peace for the last 25 years. He talked about the need for a new struggle for peace and democracy. In saying this, he underlined that Kurds and Turks act together. He talked about how Atatürk approached the Kurds and how he did this by keeping İsmet İnönü by his side. He said that the current situation is looking at the issue from a place that does not understand the unity of Atatürk and İsmet İnönü. For a Turkish-Kurdish alliance to materialize, everyone needs to revisit the past. He said that he had decided for this and that he believed there was no other solution but to make peace and lay down weapons. For this, Mr. Öcalan also evaluated the previous peace process. He said that even though society was ready in the previous process, politics was not ready for it because the nationalist front was against this process. However, with the step taken by Devlet Bahçeli, who is seen as the leader of the nationalist front, a new process has begun. Of course, Devlet Bahçeli's move is not a call he made on his own. It is an expression of a decision taken by the deep state.”

Pervin Buldan continued: “During our first meeting, he was preparing the Call for Peace and Democratic Society and gave us a task. He emphasized the importance of the parliament and asked us to visit all political parties. After the first meeting, we visited many parties. The meetings we had were very positive. Everyone expressed their contributions to the process. In the second meeting, when we told Mr. Öcalan that all groups would support the process, he was very happy. He then gave us a second assignment to meet with the Kurdish forces in Southern Kurdistan. Our meetings with the PUK and KDP were also very productive and positive. Then, on February 27, we went to the island with a larger delegation and that historic call was made.”

‘It is necessary to start working quickly to create legal conditions’

Pervin Buldan stated, “Two days before we came here, we had a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Mr. Öcalan had also asked us to have this meeting. There were question marks in everyone's minds about Erdoğan's distance from this issue. However, with this meeting, all political parties, especially the president, are now at the center of this issue. In that meeting, we gave a brief summary of the visits we had made. We also expressed our expectations. We discussed with the president the legal preparations to be made, the steps to be taken, the expectations of what should happen. In order for Mr. Öcalan to regain his physical freedom, it is necessary to start working quickly to create legal conditions, especially to create free working conditions.”

‘There will be no losers in peace’

Pervin Buldan said that Öcalan’s health, safety and working conditions should be changed and that steps should be taken quickly: “The way to achieve the peace initiated by Mr. Öcalan is through concrete steps. The realization of the peace process, a period in which an organization that has been at war for 50 years can lay down its arms, cannot be wasted with such blockages. This is of course not acceptable. It would be useful to quickly pass laws and improve Mr. Öcalan's conditions. After we return from here, there will be a meeting with the Minister of Justice and then we will have another meeting in İmralı. This process is expected to be completed in a few months. In other words, the process is expected to be completely successful by the end of June. This is the case for both Mr. Öcalan and the state authorities. Therefore, the work to be done and the support from Europe will make a great contribution to this. Each country has a lot of work to do on its own front. Every work to be done will bring about a process that will lead to Mr. Öcalan's physical freedom. A ground is being created in Turkey where Kurdish and Turkish people will live together. Everyone knows that there will be no losers in peace.”

'It is in our hands to make this process a success'

“It is in our hands to make this process a success,” Pervin Buldan said, adding that the struggle must be increased. Stating that Öcalan’s greatest expectation is from women and youth, Pervin Buldan said, “Mr. Öcalan makes long and detailed evaluations about the violence, murders and massacres that women have suffered. He is very angry about the deaths of children. The murder of Narin Güran was on the agenda in both meetings. He emphasized that democratic socialism would prevent the massacres of women and children. He says that the mentality that carries out the massacres of women and children must be confronted. He believes that a democratic society can prevent this mentality. The call for Peace and Democratic Society was a summary of these ideas. In short, we are all hopeful, we are all closer to peace. Because Mr. Öcalan says 'I have the will and hope to realize peace'. And we are behind Mr. Öcalan.”