The 10-day long march started two days ago with a press statement in front of the European Council of Justice in Luxembourg with the motto “Freedom for Öcalan, Status for Kurdistan” and continues on the third day.

Among the marching crowd are representatives of Kurdish institutions in Europe and 67 internationalists from 15 countries and representatives from the Kurdish institutions in Europe. They are planning to arrive in Strasbourg on February 10. The marchers will call on institutions like the EU and the CPT to improve conditions for Öcalan and they will meet with many institutions on their way. The demonstrators will then attend the rally to be held in Strasbourg on February 11 to protest the international conspiracy against Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Demonstrators spent the second night in the town of Thionville where officials from the municipality personally engaged in preparations to welcome and host them before their arrival. While welcoming the marchers, municipal officials said they were happy to put Kurds and their friends up.

After stopping over in the town, demonstrators continued to move at 09:00 in the morning and arrived the French city of Talance after a walk of 17 kms. They have walked a total of 75 kms during three days.

DEPUTY MAYOR: ÖCALAN MUST BE FREE

A delegation on behalf of the demonstrators held one-hour meeting with Deputy Mayor of Thionville, Daniel Atta whom they presented a file detailing the purpose of the Long March and the current situation in Kurdistan.

Deputy Mayor Daniel Atta said in a statement that they support the Kurdish struggle, and had good relations with the Kurds living in Thionville.

Atta remarked that they would love to welcome Kurds as citizens of a free Kurdistan rather than this way, expressing their demand that Öcalan attain his freedom, and adding that they would love to host the Kurdish leader too in their town.

Demonstrators will spend this night in the town of Landremond, and resume their march to St. Avold tomorrow.

PARTICIPANTS OF THE MARCH

67 internationalists from 15 countries from Europe to Latin America are participating in the march in solidarity with the Kurdish people and their demand; including 16 from Germany, 4 from France, 4 from Sweden, 2 from Belgium, 2 from Italy, 2 from the Netherlands, 1 from Denmark, 2 from Switzerland, 2 from the UK, 20 from Spain, Basque Country, Catalonia and Andalusia, 1 from Chile, 2 from Argentine, 6 from Portugal and 1 from Brazil.

In addition to the allies of Kurds from around the world, 18 representatives of various institutions from Kurdistan and Turkey are also joining the march; including 1 from PYD (Democratic Union Party), 1 from PJAK (Party for Free Life of Kurdistan), 1 from MLKP (Marxist-Leninist Communist Party), 3 from TEV-ÇAND (Mesopotamian Movement for Democratic Culture and Art in Europe), 5 from Kurdish Foreign Relations, 1 from the Union of Kurdistan Êzîdîs, 3 from Ciwanên Azad, 1 from the Peace Bureau of Kurdish Women (CENI) and 2 from TJK-E (Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe).