The European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) issued a statement regarding the mass march and rally to be held in Cologne on 8 November for Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom and a democratic solution to the Kurdish question.
The KCDK-E, in its statement titled “End the 27-Year Isolation System! Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, Political Solution to the Kurdish Question,” said: “The international campaign for ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a Democratic Solution to the Kurdish Question’ has entered its third year. Kurds and their allies have carried out campaigns in many parts of the world, expanding the struggle for the physical freedom of Mr. Öcalan.
The influence and ideas of Abdullah Öcalan have reached a universal dimension. Across the world, peoples have drawn inspiration from his philosophy to strengthen their own struggles. From the Middle East to Latin America, from Europe to Canada and Australia, communities have begun to unite around these ideas.”
The statement added: “In a period when wars in the Middle East have brought genocide and massacres upon its peoples, Mr. Öcalan’s ideas have had a profound global impact. At such a critical time, his “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” on February 27 marked a historic step, not only for Kurdistan but also for Turkey and the entire Middle East. It renewed hope among the peoples that they could stand together and resist war and misery, strengthening the collective belief in peace.
For this reason, it is clear that meaningful results can only be achieved if all segments of society take part in this process, enabling Mr. Öcalan to fulfill his historic role. In this new phase of struggle, with unwavering determination, the Kurdish people and their allies must strengthen Mr. Öcalan’s hand and crown this process with victory.”
The statement continued: “From all four parts of Kurdistan, we call on our people, especially women and young people, as well as our internationalist friends, Turkish revolutionaries and democrats, environmental activists, and everyone who stands for peace and freedom: on November 8, let us all, with a spirit of mobilization, unite under the slogan ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, Political Solution to the Kurdish Question.’
On 8 November, everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, must set everything else aside and mobilize to fill the streets of Cologne, raising the slogans of freedom. Our federations, assemblies, institutions, and our people must work harder than ever and act with a strong sense of responsibility.”
The statement underlined that “ensuring that Abdullah Öcalan can live and work freely is the most critical threshold for the peace and freedom struggle of our peoples. For this reason, the march to be held in Cologne on November 8 carries historic significance. We call on all our people to participate in this march with great strength and determination.
As the KCDK-E, we call on our people to take part, with a spirit of mobilization, in the marches that will begin on November 1 in Southern France, Austria, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Greece, and the Scandinavian countries; and to join the final and largest action in Cologne on November 8, (Northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany), to expand our freedom resistance.’”