IMRALI PRISON, Turkey, — Kurdish national leader Abdullah Ocalan says that the Kurdish people will have no choice but to establish their own administrative system unless their rights are guaranteed by law.
Speaking with his lawyers during a weekly meeting in Imrali Island Prison Ocalan said Kurds can govern themselves within the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) system if Turkish government fails to recognise their rights.
Ocalan mentioned that Kurds will organize themselves in social, political, cultural, legal, economical, diplomatic and self-defence aspects. “Until today KCK concentrated on political aspect. But from now on it will start to organize in all seven aspects” Ocalan said.
Reminding that he did everything to pave the way for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish problem Ocalan said “Until today there was a small scale conflict which I prevented. I showed patience for the AKP since 2002 but they did not take any steps to solve the Kurdish Question”.
Speaking on the fate of the unilateral ceasefire Ocalan said if he gets positive signals from the government he can convince PKK to extend the ceasefire period until the end of the general elections. “But if I don’t get any signals then I will say ‘it’s over’” Ocalan said.
Ocalan criticized Turkish government’s politics against imprisoned Kurdish politicians and said then AKP favours Kurdish politicians who are not posing a threat to Turkey’s official stance on Kurdish issue.
Ocalan reminded that 2000 Kurdish politicians are still in prison for so called KCK-case but some leaders of other political parties were acquitted from the investigations with the orders from the government.
The case is of Kurdistan Socialist Party’s ex-leader Kemal Burkay, who was under investigation for being a leader of an illegal organization for over 35 years. Burkay, who is living in Sweden, is now acquitted and preparing to return to Turkey after years of exile.
Burkay is well-know for his critical stance against Ocalan and the PKK.
Ocalan again called on Kurdish and Turkish political parties to form a “democratic national bloc” which will include every social, ethnic and religious group which are discriminated by the Turkish state.
Ocalan also celebrated International Women’s Day and thanked all Kurdish women for their support.