IMRALI, Turkey, — Kurdish national leader Abdullah Ocalan was denied of meeting his family for seven months and his lawyers for three months.
He sent out an important message during his meeting with his brother Mehmet Ocalan, saying “The process was blocked because of the government’s attitude, not by our side. They shout our mouths by denying our meetings but we are going to stand behind our words.”
Mehmet Ocalan said in an interview with ANF that; “We met finally after seven months and my brother still can’t meet his lawyers. He thinks that this entire situation has to do with the current process and he demands awareness concerning the seriousness of the situation. He says that he is ready to do his part to end the bloodshed.”
According to Mehmet Ocalan, the Kurdish national leader made the following points;
* The government is trying to ensure a political rant from the current situation. The suspension of the meetings with the state is related to the process. The process, which had been brought to a point in the former negotiations, has been blocked as of now. I have no idea whether negotiations will restart or not but if they do start again, I will once again make every effort for the ending of the bloodshed and deaths.
* The government and the state need to approach with more courage to end the tear of mothers of both guerrillas and soldiers. I am ready to make every effort to achieve this. They cannot destroy Kurds. They put shut our mouths us by denying our meetings but I am standing behind the words that I said during negotiations so far.
* We didn’t block the process, contrary to what some Turkish media and columnists write. Journalists should write the truth and facts since what they write does not provide any contribution to peace. They should better write things to contribute to peace, otherwise there will be no benefit for the process.
* I don’t know when meetings with lawyers and families will start again but meetings have been suspended in connection with the government’s attitude. Some news appeared on the media saying that I got an isolation sentence, this is not true. I send greetings and regards to all our people. They shall have hope; Kurds will win.”
* The process isn’t blocked from our point, as I explained this to the public through my lawyers in our last meeting. We held talks with the state and its competent bodies but these talks were blocked by the state and the government itself. We are waiting for a step to be taken to open the way to negotiations again and to stop deaths, however everything isn’t in our power. The Kurdish problem is a serious issue. If this fight was started by us, its solution will in the same way came from us. This must be known by everyone. The initiators of this issue are Qendil, the PKK and me who will also come up with a solution to the problem. A democratic solution could be enabled when this is understood well.
* Mayors, BDP politicians, administrators of civil society organizations, human rights defenders and others have never been connected to the PKK. They are organizations and individuals who do politics and give a struggle in the open. Their connection with the KCK (Confederation of Kurdish Communities) or the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) is not real, it is just an excuse. Arrested persons must be released in the soonest time. Gathering politicians under a single name ‘KCK’ will not be for the benefit of anyone.
* The State targets the PKK. They are making plans aimed at making an end of Kurds but they forget that the PKK is the people. This must forthwith be understood and peace will come through talks. In this way, we can make contributions forever just like we introduced all solution alternatives during earlier negotiations.
* At this stage, the key is in the hands of state authorities, not ours. Negotiations will continue and everything could change in the coming process if they open the door. At this moment there is nothing for us to say. The way could be paved for the process and democratic solution could come. On the other hand, the war could even be extended and more people could die, which we aim to prevent but can’t ensure one-sidedly. They need to pave the way for us.