Hunger Strike Ends Following Meeting with Öcalan

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish 

Mehmet Öcalan meeting on İmralı island with his brother Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has made a press statement with the hunger strikers.

Mehmet Öcalan starting his speech in Kurdish conveyed messages of his brother, Abdullah Öcalan.

Mehmet Öcalan continuing his speech in Turkish said Abullah Öcalan’s medical condition is fine along with other three prisoners.

Mehmet Öcalan said Abdullah Öcalan conveyed the message that “If the state is ready, our projects are ready and we can solve this issue [Kurdish question] in six months”.

In the statement issued on behalf of the 50 hunger strikers after Öcalan's speech, following messages were given:

"Yes, finally we've heard from Öcalan. As people, we have taken a deep breathe. Our fight for him to obtain his freedom will continue.

"Even thought this hunger strike has ended, our actions will continue. We will be at the squares, on the streets. Resistance against coups is legitimate and we will continue our resistance. Öcalan is the safeguard of peace in the Middle East".

Öcalan's message

Abdullah Öcalan's message read out by Mehmet Öcalan is as follows:

"We work together with the three friends who are here. The isolation is ongoing but we have no physical problems.

"We have projects. If the state is ready, let it send two people and we solve this issue [Kurdish question] in two months.

"People die everyday. This country doesn't deserve it. This is a blind war. No one will defeat anyone. Let this bloodshed stop.

"This solution cannot be realized one-sided. The greatest side is the state.

"If the state is ready, it may send me that delegation again.

"Tomorrow is the Sacrifice Feast. If 40 people die in a country per day, there can't be a bairam there. I wish everybody a happy bairam but this is not ethical".

The hunger strike has ended

The Democratic Society Congress (DTK), People's Democratic Congress (HDK), Free Women's Congress (Kongreya Jinên Azad/KJA), Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) demanding a meeting with Abdullah Öcalan within legal rules had started a hunger strike on September 5, 2016 at Diyarbakır DBP central building.

50 people among whom were politicians and artists joined the hunger strike.

The hunger strike has ended after the meeting was provided. (ÇT/TK)