The "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, democratic solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign, which Kurds and their supporters started on October 10, continues. While the campaign continues with seminars, marches and events in 74 centers, political prisoners in Turkey and Kurdistan started a rotating hunger strike within the scope of the same campaign on November 27, and their actions have continued for 86 days. Additionally, Mothers for Peace and many non-governmental organizations continue their Justice Watch actions in many parts of Turkey and Kurdistan to support prisoners on hunger strike and campaign.

 

Activist Dr. Thoreau Redcrow spoke to Xwebun Newspaper about the paradigm of PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan and “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, democratic solution to the Kurdish issue”.

 

‘EUROPEAN POWERS DIVIDE ETHNIC POPULATIONS’

 

American Dr. who specializes in stateless nations and Kurdish studies. Redcrow, visited Bakur, Başur and almost every city in Rojava, and spent the last ten years of his life working on Kurdistan and raising awareness of the isolation imposed on Öcalan.

Redcrow stated that Democratic Confederalism is a valuable philosophy arising from the effort to turn theory into practice said: “It offers up a solution for many of the problems plaguing the Middle East and Global South, where most of the borders were artificial colonial constructions for the purposes of Western resource exploitation. European powers often drew national boundaries in a way to divide ethnic populations for the purposes of making them easier to control. But what Democratic Confederalism does is evolve past those contrived lines on a map and give local populations a chance to determine their own lives and destiny.”

 

‘OCALAN’S IDEAS ALSO GIVE US WISDOM ON HOW TO HANDLE..’

 

Redcrow said: “Since the Kurds are occupied by Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria – it provides them the perfect laboratory for testing out these theories on local autonomy and democratic participation under states that traditionally have denied their existence and basic rights. Ocalan’s ideas also give us wisdom on how to handle our impending ecological crisis and guarantee freedom for women – who remain doubly occupied across much of the region, both in their homeland and in their literal home by patriarchal traditions which want to limit their horizons.”

 

‘KURDISH FREEDOM STRUGGLE’

 

For the Kurdish Freedom Struggle said: “As for the Kurdish freedom struggle, I believe it is one of the most heroic battles taking place in the world today and view it as another star in the long constellation of historical revolutions from the storming of the Bastille (1789) to the storming of the Winter Palace (1917). I see the former streets of Sur (2015) as another Paris Commune (1871), the defiant rubble of Kobane (2014) as another Stalingrad (1942), and the Zagros mountains defended by Kurdish guerrillas as another Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War (1936). Human freedom is a long arc and the struggle to liberate Kurdistan sits firmly within the historical tradition of people deciding that a life of subjugation is worse than death.”

 

‘THEY WANT TO CREATE A COLLECTIVE SCHIZOPHRENIA AND UNEASE AMONGST THE KURDS’

 

Stating that Turkish state and Erdogan’s regime uses the inhuman isolation against Ocalan as a way of attacking the Kurds psychologically. Redcrow said: “They believe that by leaving him alone on an island (which is a form of torture), they can break the will of the over 20 million Kurds occupied in Northern Kurdistan. They want to create a collective schizophrenia and unease amongst the Kurds by denying information about his well-being, in the same way that dictatorships will often ‘disappear’ dissidents who resist their rule. Such kidnappings or disappearances are arguably worse than killing a person, as it leaves the surviving family in a state of panic on where their loved one is, or if they are even still alive? The Turkish state does a similar thing by isolating Ocalan on Imralı Island and preventing any contact with him and his family or lawyers. In this way, Ocalan’s body is a symbolic replacement for the Kurdish nation, where Ankara carries out cruelty against him out of frustration at their impotence and inability to defeat the valiant resistance of the PKK guerrillas. Turkey’s position is essentially; ‘We cannot defeat you, but we can at least torment your leader as our hostage, in an attempt to cause you communal trauma.’” 

 

‘PEOPLE DO NOT CRITICIZE THE HAND THAT PAYS THEM’

 

Pointing out that Turkish state is have many accomplices and collaborators. Redcrow said: “The primary one being NATO, who does not hold Turkey accountable for any of their war crimes as they are afraid of pushing Ankara into Russia’s geopolitical orbit, if they were to require them to adhere to international law. As a result, the Turkish state knows they have a free pass to behave however they wish, as long as they perfectly maintain a middle position between Washington and Moscow and continually play one off of the other. But we should not forget that the gluttonous Turkish military monster has sustained itself on diet of a US jets and helicopters, German tanks, British missiles, French bombs, Italian pistols, Israeli mortars, and Canadian drone components. The accepted blood money exchanged for this arsenal is part of what creates a state who believes they can operate Imrali Island prison without international scrutiny. As most people do not criticize the hand that pays them.” 

 

‘ONLY SOLUTION THAT CAN SALVAGE THE TURKISH REPUBLIC’

 

Redcrow stated the key role of PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan for solution of the Kurdish issue and said: “Ending Ocalan’s isolation and entering into negotiations with him for a lasting peace is the only solution that can salvage the Turkish Republic. Ocalan is the only individual who can sign a treaty with the Turkish state that would be honored by the Kurdish people and so Ankara should utilize his position of unquestioned respect and authority in that regard. If Ocalan were to die while in prison, there will not be another figure like him to reach that agreement with and the conflict could last another 40 years. Plus, having Ocalan pass away while isolated and alone on Imrali Island will create such an open wound of bad will with the Kurds in Turkey, that it will make it impossible to repair the damage. Why would any Kurd want to remain a part of a state that effectively murdered their national leader who was asking for peace and reconciliation? It will show all Kurds that there is no future for them within Turkey, and their current calls for autonomy will likely radicalize in to demands for outright independence. So, it would be wise for Erdogan and his regime to take Ocalan’s olive branch because it will likely not be offered again after he is gone.”

 

‘MILLIONS OF KURDS ARE ALREADY AWAKENED’

 

About hunger strikes started in prisoners Redcrow said: “I believe history shows that hunger strikes only work if your opponent has a moral conscience and can be persuaded to change their behavior by feeling guilt from your agony. However, I believe the Turkish state as it is currently constructed, does not possess any moral compass that can be swayed to point in the right direction. As a result, Kurds going on hunger strike just end up doing the enemies work for them, by harming some of the best and brightest people in the Kurdistan freedom movement. I would much rather see those same people maximize their health to actively resist the Turkish state, than weaken their bodies in a futile attempt to gain Ankara’s sympathy. But I recognize that others may disagree with my position and still find value in using hunger strikes for their symbolic and inspirational value. And I also realize that in the case of prisoners, hunger striking can be a way of challenging and taking back some form of control from your jailers – like it was for Mazlum Dogan and those in Diyarbakir No. 5 prison. But I would like to see a change in tactics for today’s conditions, as millions of Kurds are already awakened now, so such sacrifices as rallying cries I feel are no longer necessary.”