Transmedia Publishing Ltd. & Pluto Press
in association with Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
Book Launch
Thursday 2 June 2011, 6.30pm
at Garden Court Chambers
Abdullah Ocalan PRISON WRITINGS: THE PKK AND THE KURDISH QUESTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Speakers include
Gareth Peirce, human rights lawyer
Klaus Happel the political editor and director of Transmedia Publishing and the translator of Ocalan’s new book
John Tobisch-Haupt freelance translator and political consultant; a spokesperson of the International Initiative “Freedom for Ocalan – Peace in Kurdistan” which promotes a peaceful and democratic solution of the Kurdish question in Turkey
Nawroz Oramari Kurdish poet, singer/songwriter
Abdullah Ocalan, leader and founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), was kidnapped and arrested in 1999. He is now serving a life sentence in a Turkish prison on the island of Imrali off the coast of Istanbul.
In his second volume of prison writings Mr. Ocalan applies the political and historical philosophy that was developed in the first volume of his PRISON WRITINGS: THE ROOTS OF CIVILISATION (Pluto-Press) to the Kurdish question. It addresses the concrete political issues which are central to the resolution of the issue in the contemporary context.
He also calls for a “Renaissance of the Middle East” that can result in the integration of democratic values and universal human rights with the cultural values of Middle Eastern societies.
Ocalan is a highly articulate spokesman for his people and credited as the author of some 40 books, most of which have never been translated into English. The latest volume is a timely contribution to the future of the Middle East which is currently undergoing an unprecedented popular revolt and social transformation.
‘Abdullah Ocalan has written an extremely important book which everyone concerned with the politics of the Middle East, the Kurdish question, ancient history or socialist ideas should read and digest.’
Stan Newens, former MP and MEP, United Kingdom; review in the Spokesman Journal.’
‘It can be read with profit by anyone who seeks to forge a modern secular future of peace and progress for the Middle East built upon the best offered by previous world civilizations.’
Michael M. Gunther, Professor of political science, Tennessee Technological University, USA; review in ‘Middle East Policy’
PRISON WRITINGS: THE PKK AND THE KURDISH QUESTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY is distributed by Pluto Press in the UK and Palgrave Macmillan in the U.S. and Canada.
It is presently available from Pluto’s website, from Amazon.co.uk, WHSmith.co.uk and many more in Europe and North America.
Refreshments will be available!
ALL WELCOME
For more information or to RSVP for this event contact
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign: estella24@tiscali.co.uk Tel 020 7586 5892
Pluto Press: events@plutobooks.com Tel 0208 348 2724
Transmedia Publishing Ltd: Klaus Happel kh@transmedia-publishing.co.uk
+49-(0)203-4140919