PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is being held under severe isolation in İmralı Prison as part of the discussions on the Kurdish issue, met with his nephew Ömer Öcalan on October 23, 2024 and with Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MPs Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan on December 28. The DEM Party Imrali delegation that met with Abdullah Öcalan shared with the public a 7-point message reflecting Öcalan's views. Participants of the vigil, which started a year and a half ago in Maxmur Refugee Camp to demand the lifting of the isolation of Öcalan and his physical freedom, said that Öcalan's messages “can pave the way for peace”. 

 

'EVERYONE SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS'

 

 

Sadık Heştanî said that Öcalan's message was a “peace perspective” and that the protests forced the state to hold talks, adding that the current situation of the Kurds was a process of existence and non-existence. Emphasizing that Kurds should raise their voices in all areas where they are present, Heştanî said, “The isolation currently being carried out is being carried out on the Kurdish people in the person of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. Every Kurd who is disturbed by this isolation must embrace and support this process. The meeting with the Kurdish People's Leader was good news for us. In such a process, this meeting should have taken place. However, no one should say, 'There was a meeting, so let us quit'. Mr. Abdullah Öcalan has the last word. We believe that the perspective message Mr. Öcalan gave in this meeting will pave the way for peace. The four parts of Kurdistan must embrace Mr. Öcalan and this process so that we can get a result.” 

 

'THE IDEAS OF LEADER BROKE THE ISOLATION'

 

 

Xanê Hilalî, one of the participants of the vigil, said, “Because we have not heard from the Leader for a long time. We are like people who have come out of the grave, we have been resurrected. Our only demand is that all the states of the world join hands. We hope that this meeting with the leader will lead to peace, freedom and democracy. We want peace. We want our leader to be released. Whoever extends his hand for peace, we will be with him. Our leader is our stance, our heart and our mind. He brought us from darkness to light. The period is the period of his freedom, the period is the period of building peace.”

 

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan's will broke the isolation, Xanê Hîlalî said, “His thoughts broke the isolation. For 4 years there was no meeting. If someone else had been in his place, he would have lost his mind by now. However, his steel will shattered this isolation policy.” 

 

'WE TRUST THE LEADER'

 

 

Stating that everyone should struggle within the framework of Öcalan's message, Şiyar Erkendî said, “The meeting with the leader is meaningful and important for us. We were very happy when they announced that they were in good spirits after the meeting. But everyone should be very careful in this process. It is not yet clear what will happen, how it will happen. But our trust in our leader is endless, he will solve it. He said, 'I am ready to solve it'. That is why we trust him. Some racist groups are making wrong comments. But these processes will be overcome. We will walk according to this process initiated by the leader. But we must be very vigilant. We have to be careful both in terms of security and life. This is the Middle East, we cannot predict what will happen and when."

 

Erkendî added, "The key to the solution is in İmralı and this door must be opened. This meeting did not happen because anyone wanted it to happen, this meeting happened thanks to the resistance of the Kurdish people. It is an important process for us and we will approach the process in this way.” 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut