Kurdish activists on vigil in Geneva protest the UN’s silence

For over a year now, Kurds and people in solidarity have been demanding the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish question in front of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Geneva. The first rally in the framework of the “Time for Freedom” campaign took place on 25 January 2021. Since then, activists have staged a sit-in in front of the UN building every Wednesday to protest against the international silence on the Turkish campaign of destruction in Kurdistan. In addition to the central demand for freedom for the Kurdish leader and PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, various current issues have been brought up at the vigil over the course of the year. The UN is urged to act against the war crimes of the Turkish army and to investigate the use of chemical weapons.

Today’s rally was opened with a minute’s silence in memory of all martyrs of the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle in the persons of Umut Çimen (Muhammed İsmail), Berçem Amîgra (Yağmur Yücedağ) and Cuma Çekdar (Halil Taş) who fell during the Turkish military operation in Dersim in March 2017.

Turning their backs on the UN headquarters, the activists protested the silence of the United Nations, which has long turned a deaf ear to the demands of the Kurdish people.

Speaking here, Salih Sağlam, the co-chair of the Democratic Kurdish Community Center (CDK) in Geneva, stated that they wanted to have their voices heard through the Human Rights Sessions to be held at the UN during the month of March.

Sağlam stressed that their action would continue until the ‘Dem dema azadiyê ye’ (Time for freedom) campaign is crowned with victory and the fair demands of the Kurdish people are met.

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