The effects of the historic call made by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February continue to echo around the world. Following the call for a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, the PKK Executive Committee announced that they would comply with the call and declared a ceasefire as of 1 March. In parallel with these developments, the demand for the physical freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues to rise. 

 

Elif Bindal, 76, a childhood friend of Abdullah Öcalan, who lives in the rural neighbourhood of Amara in Xelfetî (Halfeti) district of Riha (Urfa), is waiting to meet Abdullah Öcalan again in Amara, whom she has not seen for nearly 50 years. Elif Bindal, who is the sister of Hasan Bindal (Hamza), Abdullah Öcalan's childhood and struggle friend and who was murdered in a conspiracy, told her memories in front of the house where Abdullah Öcalan was born and expressed her wish to see Abdullah Öcalan in Amara. 

 

Stating that the Kurdish people have paid a great price and been subjected to great persecution until these days, Elif Bindal said, "No one wants war. Everyone wants peace. Peace is always beautiful. We hope it will come soon. No more tears of mothers and fathers. Young people should not die. Our houses and villages were burnt down, everyone would be happy if there is peace." 

 

Expressing that she gets excited even when she hears Abdullah Öcalan's name on television. "Our biggest expectation is to see him here in Amara. We want him to come here as soon as possible," said Elif Bindal and added, "When I was a child, I used to play games with the President. We used to gather behind our house and play games. They had a field behind our house. He was 3-4 years older than us. I would sometimes see him reading a book in the field. He would sit under a tree and read for hours. He would come to our house and ask my mother for water to water the trees in the field. He used to go to school in Jibîn with my martyred brother Hamza. They used to go to school together. I have photographs of them together. He always looked up to Apo as an example. They both used to be young with the young, children with the children, and old with the old. Apo was a very good person. He gathered everyone around him. He liked to spend more time in the countryside than in the village. He always liked to spend time outside the village and to work with animals. Their favourite animals were birds, especially partridges. I was younger than them, but I still remember many memories. In our village, a 13-year-old child was married off, and although he was a child himself, he (Abdullah Öcalan) was the only one who opposed it." 

 

‘EVERYONE LOVES HIM’

 

Underlining that Abdullah Öcalan has always fought for the freedom of women, Elif Bindal added that the oppression against women has decreased with Abdullah Öcalan's philosophy. Stating that she took a long look at Abdullah Öcalan's photograph on television when she saw his historic call, Elif Bindal said, "I saw the image of him 50 years ago, when he was young, when he appeared on television before he was imprisoned. In 26 years in prison, he has changed a lot. Seeing him after so many years gave me an indescribable happiness. Everyone loves him. There is no one who does not like her. Before him, women could not come out and speak. Women used to sit separately, men used to sit separately. But thanks to her, women are in a different place today. My nephew's name is Hasan, after my martyred brother. He also lost his life in the struggle for freedom. The fire burns where it falls. Let the blood stop, let mothers stop crying."  

 

MA / Emrullah Acar