ŞIRNEX - Women from Botan said: "Not only the families of the prisoners, but all of us, must raise our voice and resist" regarding the hunger strike in prisons carried out within the scope of the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign.

 

There has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in severe isolation conditions in İmralı Type F Closed Prison and has not been allowed to meet with his family and lawyers, for more than 33 months. While the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign launched at the international level against this situation continues, the action of political prisoners who went on hunger strike in prisons to support the campaign has reached its 23rd day.

 

On the other hand, 'Justice Watches' have been started by prisoner family associations in Amed(Diyarbakır), Wan(Van), Adana, Mersin and Istanbul.

 

The women from Botan, to whom we held a microphone at Şirnex, stated that women should lead these actions initiated within the scope of the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign.

 

'WOMEN MUST WORK DAY AND NIGHT'

 

Azime Tansu, one of the women who expressed her thoughts in the campaign, stated that the path to democracy in Turkey passes through İmralı and said: “We want the aggravated isolation imposed on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan to be lifted. If the isolation is lifted, then the path to peace will be opened and peace will be possible. If the isolation is lifted, the deaths will end. But as long as the isolation of Mr. Öcalan continues, peace will not come. All women should give voice to the voices of the prisoners." 

 

Drawing attention to Abdullah Öcalan's "jin, jiyan, azadi" philosophy, Niharin Burumtekin said: "Women should lead the campaign. Thanks to the philosophy of Mr. Öcalan, women became free and they are fighting everywhere to demand freedom. The Kurdish people must make the sacrifices that Öcalan made for us. We need to join hands and oppose this isolation. Especially us women who need to work day and night."

 

'WE MUST TAKE ACTION BEFORE THE FUNERALS ARE FOUND'

 

Meryem Fidan, one of the women, demanded that the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan be lifted as soon as possible and said: "Until Mr. Öcalan is free, we will always be oppressed. Everyone, especially women, must stand up. We will resist the isolation until Mr. Öcalan is free. If all of us are free, we will always be oppressed. If we remain silent, corpses will come out of prisons; that's why everyone should take action and fight until the government takes a step forward before corpses come out of prisons."

 

'HOW LONG WILL THIS OPPRESSION CONTINUE?'

 

Emphasizing that the isolation can be broken with a common struggle, Ayşe Tokay said: "We do not want our children to die on hunger strike. If the isolation on Öcalan is lifted, the doors of the prisons will be opened. Our children will be on hunger strike until the isolation is lifted. We do not want corpses to come from prisons. Everyone with conscience and faith needs to raise their voice. How long will this oppression continue? My call to the Kurds is: If we have unity, we can lift the isolation."

 

'WE SHOULD SHARE THE BURDEN OF THE PRISONERS'

 

Zerin Aytış, one of the Peace Mothers, reminded Öcalan's role and mission in the Kurdish issue and said: “We will not be able to get rid of these arrests and massacres unless we are united. Mr. Öcalan wants peace, not war. The isolation should be on the agenda of every Kurd. If this isolation is lifted, this oppression in prisons will end. Today, not only the families of prisoners, but everyone must stand up."

 

Emine Alkış condemned the isolation as follows: "We need to share this burden that the prisoners bear. If we share, we will lift the isolation. If we do not lift the isolation, we cannot progress even a single step; that's why, I call on the four parts of Kurdistan: Be an alliance. ”

 

'WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY'

 

Underlining that supporting the prisoners is not only the responsibility of their families, Asya Tay said: “We salute the hunger strike resistance. They live in the most difficult conditions and are currently on hunger strike to break the isolation. Unless this isolation is lifted, we will not be free. Not only the families of the prisoners, but all of us must raise our voice and resist."