British trade union lawyer Paul Scholey who was among the International Peace Delegation that came to Turkey back in 2019, spoke to Mesopotamia Agency (MA) regarding the continued isolation on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and his role in the solution of the Kurdish problem.

 

Recalling that they came to Turkey on the 100th day of the indefinite- non rotating hunger strike initiated by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP Leyla Güven back in 2019, Scholey said: "Probably sitting by the bedside of Leyla Guven who was approaching her 100th day on hunger strike.  She was terribly ill, very frail as you would imagine - but she insisted that our delegation should come to sit and speak with her." 

 

'IT WAS SHOCKING TO SEE HOW FAR THINGS HAD GONE'

 

Underlining that the main agenda of their delegation was to examine and report on the isolation imposed on Öcalan, Scholey stated that they immediately saw that the authoritarian regime had other issues as well. Scholey said: "The principal purpose of our delegation was to look at and report about the isolation of Mr. Öcalan. But we quickly saw that there were other issues arising out of Erdogan's authoritarian regime.", Scholey added that they saw that the trade unions were supressed and recalled that one unionist told him they were attacked by some people calling them 'Godless Communists'. Scholey also underlined that they saw that the politicians were being arrested and there were attacks on the judiciary and other public officials. Scholey said: "It was shocking to see how far things had gone."

 

MEETING WITH A PEACE MOTHER

 

Underlining that he was struck by the words of Leyla Güven who said she was on hunger strike because she loved life, not because she loved death, Scholey said he met with a Peace Mother in Diyarbakır who lost her daughter, husband and two sons, and had a very moving conversation with her. Scholey said: "I was shocked by conditions in Diyarbakir. We were followed by (not-very!) secret police constantly. The presence of armed personnel was disturbing."

 

'JUDGES ARE IMPRISONED'

 

Describing Öcalan as the 'Mandela of the Middle East', Scholey said: "I doubt that a resolution to current issues is likely whilst he remains imprisoned. The lack of access to relatives and lawyers over the years is shocking." Stressing that the isolation imposed in Imrali is not caused by laws, Scholey said: "Turkey has perfectly good laws.  No new laws are needed.  What is needed is for the existing laws to be enforced. But I fear the Rule of Law no longer runs in Turkey.  When judges are imprisoned, no one is safe."

 

'ÖCALAN'S COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY IS VERY IMPRESSIVE'

 

Stating that he has read some of Öcalan's writings, Scholey said: "I am impressed by Ocalan's commitment to equality, he sees that as underpinning all other progress, and in Kurdistan I was very taken with the efforts that have been made to support and promote women. I see a direct link between him and his work - and his release - and the ultimate peaceful resolution of the Kurdish problem. I hope very much to see that progress."

 

 

MA / Berivan Altan – Gözde Çağrı Özköse