PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners Hamili Yıldırım, Veysi Aktaş and Ömer Hayri Konar, who have been held in isolation in İmralı Type F High Security Prison for more than 25 years, have not been heard from for 42 months. Reactions are rising from all over the world, especially Kurdistan, against the state of “incommunicado” that has caused economic, social, political and social crisis in the country. 

 

A group of intellectuals, writers, socialists and human rights defenders from Kurdistan and Turkey have formed the “Justice Initiative Against Isolation”. Announced on August 5, the initiative aims to come together with all segments of society in the coming period. Orhan Işık, a member of the MED Federation of Legal and Solidarity Associations of Families of Prisoners and Convicts (MED TUHAD-FED), spoke about the initiative's purpose and activities. 

 

WHY IS THE ISOLATION DEEPENED?

 

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan has a project that can answer today's problems, Işık said that the isolation was deepened for this reason. Pointing out that Abdullah Öcalan developed Democratic Modernity against the current system, Işık touched upon the ravages of Capitalist Modernity on humanity. He stated that Abdullah Öcalan's paradigm, which can be a solution to the world's problems, especially the Kurdish issue, frightens both international powers and Turkey. 

 

'AN INTERNATIONAL IDENTITY'

 

Stating that the Justice Against Isolation Initiative is not affiliated to a specific institution and has a structure that transcends all institutions, Işık said that its aim is to reach every person who can be reached. 

 

Işık said: “For a long time, political parties, institutions, trade unions, the working class, academics and intellectuals in Europe and many other parts of the world have been considering Mr. Öcalan's paradigm as academic education in the theoretical sense and as the salvation of humanity. In this sense, Mr. Öcalan has now assumed an international identity beyond the borders of the Middle East. The initiative set out from such a point. We set out by saying 'until the isolation is ended' and we will continue the struggle until the isolation is ended.” 

 

WHY WAS THE INITIATIVE FORMED?

 

Işık stated that the aim of the initiative was to ensure that the meetings with Abdullah Öcalan are provided in a fair manner and continued as follows: “Neither his family, nor his lawyers, nor the public knows whether his basic needs are being met, what is going on there. Even at the slightest point of seeking democratic rights, the system does not allow him to express himself. This is isolation. The economic crisis is isolation itself. The fact that people are increasingly experiencing serious psychological social problems is a reflection of isolation. The way to break the perception and fear syndrome created by the system is for all revolutionary, democratic dynamics, the working class, intellectuals, political parties, everyone to stand up against it. Therefore, such an initiative was born as an urgent need.” Işık said that within the scope of their work, they will have meetings with all segments of society.

 

MA / Rukiye Adıgüzel