Call for participation in the ‘Long March’ in Germany

The “Long March”, traditionally organized by young Kurdish activists in Europe every year, will start on September 11 in Cologne, Germany. The Preparatory Committee has urged people to participate in the march in a “spirit of mobilization”.

The march will be held to demand freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Hundreds of young people from many parts of Europe including France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and England, are expected to attend the action organized as part of the “Werin Cenga Azadiyê” campaign. The march will kick off on September 11 in Cologne. The activists are expected to reach the final destination, Aachen, on September 14.

The Preparatory Committee underlined that Öcalan’s physical freedom is their fundamental demand.

“Our main demand to voice during the Long March which has become a traditional event organized by Kurdish youth who were somehow physically separated from their country and live in Europe, is to secure the physical freedom of Öcalan and to raise awareness for this,” the committee said.

“Isolation and genocide are being imposed on our people by the colonial Turkish Republic and the AKP-MHP regime in the person of our leader. There are occupation and genocidal attacks in Kurdistan and an annihilation plan against our people and their brave fighters in Bakur (North Kurdistan) and Bashur (South Kurdistan) is in effect,” the committee added.

“We, the Kurdish youth, do not recognize this annihilation plan. Just as our comrades are fighting against Turkish fascism in Avaşîn, Metîna and Zap, we will continue to fight to realize our dream of ‘Emancipation with Öcalan, meeting in Kurdistan’. Therefore, we invite all Kurdish youth living in Europe to join our Long March action in a spirit of mobilization under the motto ‘Dest bi Dest – Mil bi Mil: Werin Cenga Azadiyê’.”