At the annual congress of the UK’s largest labor movement, the TUC, discussions focused on the freedom and ideas of Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), stressing that solidarity with the Kurdish people is not an act of charity, but a duty and a form of action.
On the final day of the conference, held at the Brighton Centre, a panel titled “A New Page in Peace and Democracy: Öcalan and the Path to a Political Solution in Turkey and Syria” took place. One of the most critical issues on the agenda of the labor movement and international solidarity was addressed.
The discussion centered on the importance of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom and his vision of a democratic solution as a perspective for peace in the Middle East.
Speakers included Sarah Wooley, General Secretary of the BFAWU Union; Mariela Kohon, TUC Officer; Dr. Mohamed Moustafa, UK Representative of the Syrian Democratic Council; Simon Dubins, Unite Union officer and spokesperson for the Freedom for Öcalan Campaign; and Bedran Öztürk, MP from the DEM Party.
Opening the session, Freedom for Öcalan Campaign spokesperson Simon Dubins highlighted the critical role the Kurds played in the fight against ISIS. Recalling his deeply impactful experiences during a visit to the region in 2016, Dubbins said: “In recent months, there have been very significant developments in Turkey and Kurdistan. Under the leadership of Abdullah Öcalan, the leaders of the Kurdish Freedom Movement are promising to resolve the wars in both Turkey and Syria through democratic means. It will not be an easy process; the ground is very slippery. The Turkish state is not showing a sincere stance regarding Rojava. Right now, more solidarity is needed than ever before. Öcalan is still not free, and without this, we cannot speak of a real peace process. We need to do much more, and we have a strong foundation to build on.”
Solidarity is a duty
Sarah Wooley, General Secretary of the BFAWU Union, underlined the direct connection between the labor struggle and the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom, stressing that solidarity is not charity, but a duty and action: “The struggles of working people are interconnected; it doesn’t matter whether in Britain, Turkey, or in North and East Syria. Öcalan’s vision of grassroots democracy, women’s liberation, and minority rights offers a path out of conflict. Solidarity is not charity; it is a duty, it is action, it is the struggle itself.”
Wooley emphasized that the role of trade unionists is to amplify voices that are being silenced: “We cannot be neutral. Silence legitimizes oppression. Our duty is to amplify the truth and to strengthen solidarity with the Kurdish people.”
A new Social Contract
Dr. Mohamed Moustafa stressed that Öcalan’s concept of the “democratic nation” could play a key role in solving the region’s problems. He noted that Öcalan’s vision proposes a new social contract not only for the Kurds but for all peoples of Syria: “This means a new system based on inclusion rather than exclusion, equality rather than domination. It means Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Turkmens, Armenians, Muslims, Christians, and Yazidis being able to live together with equal rights. The equal participation of women in politics is at the heart of this vision. Because if women are not free, society cannot be free.”
Abdullah Öcalan is proposing a system
Addressing the Democratic and Peace process in Turkey, DEM Party MP Bedran Öztürk emphasized the historical importance of Öcalan’s role: “Since 1924, the Kurdish people have faced the denial of their identity. But these policies of repression have brought nothing to Turkey or to anyone else. Mr. Öcalan is not only criticizing the existing system, he is also proposing a new one. The co-governance experience in North and East Syria is the most concrete example of this. This model, where women’s leadership, direct democracy, and the equal representation of peoples is practiced, is a source of hope for the region.”
The meeting concluded with the message that Öcalan’s ideas play a decisive role not only for the Kurdish people but also for the future of peace, democracy, and social justice throughout the Middle East.
Participants stressed that the international trade union movement must take active responsibility in this struggle.
Held as part of the TUC’s annual congress, the meeting highlighted the joint struggle of both labor organizations and the Kurdish people, once again putting forward the call: “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan for peace.”
The TUC, founded in 1868, represents 48 affiliated unions with 5.5 million members. It is the most influential organization in the United Kingdom in the social, political, and labor sphere.