Abdullah Öcalan: I Have 50 Percent Hope
Mehmet Öcalan told about his recent visit to his brother Abdullah Öcalan, PKK leader who is currently in solitary confinement in Imrali Island. Some of the highlights from the meeting are as follows:
* A. Öcalan said the first step of the process is over even though some of his demands have not been realized. "We hope the second step will be more positive. This is our expectation, hope. We will transition to the second step in the days to come. We don’t know how it will unfold. I have 50 percent hope,” he said.
* A. Öcalan: “At least they must have put off the village guard system. Why are they building gigantic headquarters? They are hiring new village guards. If the process will end good, their is no need to hire village guards. There is no need to build tower-like headquarters. They will not contribute to the process.”
* “A. Öcalan asked how the society responded to the process. I said people are discussing about the process in the whole [Kurdish] region. I told him that people don’t have confidence on the state, system. I told him that he is the only reason of their trust.”
* A. Öcalan: “We hope that the second step will start well. I give it a 50 percent chance. We hope that the state will not block the process and do what it is necessary, so that they process will unfold this way. I do my part more than needed. But what I can do is also limited. It won’t happen even if I do so. Everybody should contribute to the process. If we want the matter resolved, both Turks and Kurds must contribute authentically. We hop that Turks and Kurds will contribute to the process. In case of provocations, everybody must prevent them no matter which side.”
* “There is a lot of emphasis on the upcoming local elections. I mentioned him of people’s expectations,” Mehmet Öcalan said. Abdullah Öcalan responded: “Mayors and deputies are the representatives of the people and not themselves. If this is a service, it is a service to the people. Those who served longtime as deputy should pass on to other people. If a deputy is elective for four consecutive terms, they may become a local chairperson or join the party assembly. If they served as mayor, they can also attend the local municipal parliament. Their places are greater in democratic institutions. Because they are selected by people. In the eyes of society, institutions have higher values.”
* A. Öcalan also added that his advocates must visit him immediately and that advocates and family members must visit him more frequently. “If these conditions are not met, the process won’t go in a healthy way. If this mistake is not corrected, the process will block anyways and won’t unfold,” he said. (ÇT/BM)
* bianet compiled this article from yuksekovahaber.com website.