MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed- On November 27, political prisoners in 104 prisons in Turkey initiated a hunger strike demanding “freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a resolution to the Kurdish question.” The political prisoners, who initiated a 15-day rotational hunger strike, will be on the hunger strike until February 15. Their families announced their support and called for negotiations for the end of the hunger strike.

In phone calls with their family members, the hunger strikers said that they would not end their hunger strike until their demands were met. NuJINHA spoke to Democratic Regions Party (DBP) female party council members about the hunger strike and the demand of the political prisoners.

‘Their demands are the demands of the whole society’

DBP party council member Yasemin Üçer said that society has become unable to take a breath due to the chaos and war policies deepened by the isolation. Yasemin Üçer emphasized that all opposition parties and human rights defenders should not remain silent against the hunger strike.

“The hunger strike initiated by prisoners is an uprising against the system and injustice in the country. An aggravated isolation is imposed both in prisons and in Imrali (a high-security prison on the island of Imrali). This isolation has been recently intensified. The political prisoners started the hunger strike to end the isolation. If the isolation is not lifted, history will repeat itself as it did before. The authorities, opposition parties and human rights organizations should take an urgent step. The demands of the prisoners are humanitarian demands.”

 Emphasizing that the demands of the hunger strikers are the demands of the whole society, Yasemin Üçer said, “We always say the isolation must be lifted. Immediate steps must be taken to end the hatred, anger and assimilation policies. Sick prisoners must be released and steps must be taken for a resolution to the Kurdish question. The isolation must be lifted to achieve peace in the Middle East.”

Yasemin Üçer said that they would do their best so that the demands of the hunger strikers would be met.  “No resolution can be achieved without the lift of the isolation in Imrali. We saw the effects of the peace process in society. Everyone should work to build peace.”

‘The isolation must be lifted to have a free and equal life’

DBP party council member Güvercin Aras also said that the demands of the hunger strikers must be met. “An aggravated isolation has been imposed on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. He has not been allowed to see his lawyers and family members for months. As Kurdish women, we demand the physical freedom of Mr.Öcalan. This isolation brings nothing but chaos and war. The doors of Imrali must be opened so that people can have an equal and free life.”

‘We should play a leading role’

Güvercin Aras emphasized that they, as the DBP, would support the hunger strike initiated in prisons. “We should remain silent but raise our voices. We support the hunger strike initiated in prisons. We will take to the streets to be the voices of the hunger strikers. As women, we should play a leading role to end this hunger strike. The demands of the hunger strikers must be met now.”