Maxmur people rally against 15 February plot

Around the world, Kurds and activists in solidarity took to the streets to mark the 23rd anniversary of the abduction of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan from Kenya to Turkey on 15 February 1999. Thousands of people also gathered in the Maxmur refugee camp in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) and demanded Öcalan’s freedom. The crowd displayed pictures of Öcalan and flags of the KCK, PKK and HPG, as well as placards with slogans such as “You cannot darken our sun”. The participants repeatedly chanted, “15 February is a disgrace for the world”.

In front of the protest tent, the co-chair of the Maxmur People’s Council, Filiz Budak, gave a speech and said: “Nobody can break the will of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], he has reached millions. On this basis, we state that the isolation on Imrali must be broken and Rêber Apo must be freed if we want to live a dignified and free life and solve the problem of the Middle East.”

Budak continued, “To this end, we call on the Kurdish people, the democratic forces and all people who have a conscience to unite in the struggle for Imrali and to take to the streets for the freedom of Rêber Apo. The forces that are silent today will go down in the history of Kurdistan as traitors. Those who want to stand alongside the Kurdish people and experience this victory should take to the streets now.”