International Initiative
Freedom for Ocalan Peace in Kurdistan
P.O. Box 100511, D-50445 Koeln
E-Mail: info@freedom-for-ocalan.com
Url: www.freedom-for-ocalan.com
Cologne, 31 August 2001
Press Release:
The Ocalan case: 3rd anniversary of an
act of piracy
On 15 February 1999 the president of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan ,
was abducted from Kenya to Turkey. Several secret services cooperated
on this under direction of the CIA. Even three years later it has
not become completely clear who was responsible for this violation
of international law. And still Greece, Italy, Russia, Israel, and
Germany dismiss any responsibility. Therefore the European Court
of Human Rights where an application by Abdullah Ocalan is pending
will have to find out.
15 February 1999, however, was also the prelude of a political
process which neither party had felt possible until then. All fears
that this act of piracy might escalate the Turkish-Kurdish conflict
proved baseless since Abdullah Ocalan renewed the peace offering
that the PKK had repeated many times beginning with their first
unilateral ceasefire in 1993. The PKK suspended their armed struggle
and drew back their forces on territory outside Turkey. At the same
time they made clear they were striving for a solution of the Kurdish
question by solely political means. In this way a political climate
was created that was much less tense.
Then Turkish politicians announced steps towards democratisation.
In the first days of December 1999 Turkey was nominated candidate
for full EU-membership. Voices demanding a democratic rebuild of
the country propagated. Turkey is still far from complying with
the Copenhagen criteria which make the recognition of cultural and
language minority rights indispensable for full EU-membership. The
human rights situation is still a catastrophe. Politically displeasing
opinion is still rigidly persecuted. There is still the same "classical"
policy towards the Kurds. And with a view to the Kurdish students'
campaign for education in their mother-tongue the ruling elites
exhibit a striking incapacity to rethink their policy.
Recently the PKK announced the party would end all its activities
in Turkey and Europe. Now the beginning of a peace process seems
possible. The party even considers changing its name and advances
in its transformation into a strictly political organisation. Thus,
unexpectedly, there is an opportunity for Europe to strengthen its
influence on a democratisation in Turkey. Those forces inside the
Turkish state who for economic reasons do not favour a peaceful
solution of the conflict are more and more openly obstructing this
process. Indeed they insist on the execution of Abdullah Ocalan
who even after his imprisonment is still undisputed as a leader
with a large part of the Kurdish population. Realistically one may
assume, therefore, that a solution of the Kurdish question in Turkey
is closely linked to the future fate of the Kurdish leader. For
many Kurds it is him who warrants the progress of an peace or democratisation
process. Therefore in his case, too, a conceivable and recognisable
perspective must be created, a perspective only conceivable in the
course of a solution of the Kurdish question.
The European Court of Human Rights by itself cannot accomplish
all of this. As was the case with comparable questions Europe has
to take the initiative. A first step might be an international Kurdistan
conference. It is by active participation only that stability and
security can be achieved in a region which is closer to Europe than
it seems.
Consequently, we call on the democratic public to speak for Abdullah
Ocalan's release.
"Freedom for Abdullah Ocalan - Peace in Kurdistan"
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