President of Kongra-Gel calls for Long March

KartalBRUSSELS, Belgium, — The president of Kongra-Gel (Kurdish Congress) Dr. Remzi Kartal called on all Kurdish people, intellectuals and institutions to join this Long March and give support in all areas for the freedom of Kurdish people and their leader.

A Long March titled “Freedom for Ocalan, status for the Kurdish people” is scheduled to take the Kurds from Geneva to Strasbourg urging for their national rights and the release of Kurdish national leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Pointing out to the total war the AKP government conducts against the Kurdish people and their Liberation Movement owing to the external support from the U.S. and NATO, Kartal underlined that; “The current phase when our struggle also requires a solution is a final process for all sides.”

Kongra Gel President indicated that the attacks of the Turkish state imposed resignation to Kurds and tried to break their self-confidence and will, said the followings;

“To obtain a result from this war, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan carries out total attacks to inactivate all resistance positions of the Kurdish people as well as imposing isolation on our Leader. The government aims to silence the Kurdish opposition and to break the technical and fair defense will of the Kurdish people by means of arresting Kurdish deputies, mayors, lawyers and friends and using chemical weapons against guerrillas.

For this purpose, legal regulations have been prepared to prolong Ocalan’s intensified isolation which has continued for 186 days now.”

Underlining that Ocalan’s current situation was “vitally critical” for the Kurdish people and their struggle, Kartal added; “It is high time to ensure the freedom of our Leader and our people by defeating the total destruction and slaughter policies of Erdogan government and imposing a solution with a splendid resistance in this historical final process of our struggle. It should be known that only a real and brave resistance could make freedom possible.”

Kartal also called for the enhancement of the campaigns and the Serhildan (uprising) movements that are conducted under the leadership of Kurdish women and youth.

Remarking that the long march would have significant effects on the current process, Kongra Gel President Kartal made the following call to the Kurds in Europe:

“I call on all our people, intellectuals and institutions to join this long march to give support in all areas for the freedom of our leader and people and to prod international institutions into action, the UN, EC and CPT in particular.”