Makhmour- The international conspiracy against Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan on October 9, 1998 has entered its 27th year. Since then, the conspiracy has continued through the isolation started in the prison island of Imrali and spread to the whole society, torture, occupation and genocidal attacks. Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan has been held in the prison island of Imrali for more than 26 years, as it is 43 months since he has had contact with the outside world. On October 10, 2023, an international campaign demanding “freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question” was launched in 74 countries with the support of NGOs, unions, political parties and writers.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Bêrivan Kaya, a teacher in the Martyr Rustem Cudi Camp (Makhmour refugee camp) commented on the international conspiracy.

‘The aim of the conspiracy was to separate the Kurdish people from leader Apo’

Bêrivan Kaya pointed out that the international conspiracy was planned by global powers and said, “Our leader has been held behind bars in the prison island of Imrali for more than 26 years. Many countries such as the US, the European Union collaborated with the Turkish state for the international conspiracy that took place in 1998. The conspiracy, of course, was not only against our leader but also against the Kurdish people. The aim of the conspiracy was to separate the Kurdish people from leader Apo. The governments aimed to annihilate the Kurdish people in order to maintain their own power; however, leader Apo organized the people with his thoughts and philosophy. The people gathered around the leader’s thoughts and philosophy and fought against all the attacks.”

‘All attacks against the Kurdish people are a part of the conspiracy’

All attacks against the Kurdish people and the isolation imposed in the prison island of Imrali are a part of the conspiracy, Bêrivan Kaya added. “Today, the international conspiracy has continued with attacks against us. But the target of the attacks is our leader. The disciplinary punishments against him and the bans on his family and lawyers visits are a part of the conspiracy.”

Bêrivan Kaya criticized the silence of the CPT, the European Union and international human rights organizations against the isolation imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.

“Our leader has been deprived of his right to hope. The European Union, the CPT and the European Court of Human Rights claim that they defend human rights; however, they remain silent against the situation of leader Apo. Their silence shows that they played a role in the international conspiracy against him. Why does not the CPT share its report with the public? Their aim is to legitimize the isolation imposed on our leader.”

‘Our single aim is to ensure the physical freedom of our leader’

Calling on everyone to strengthen the struggle for freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, Bêrivan Kaya said, “The international campaign demanding ‘freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question’ has continued for about a year. As the Kurds, we should support this campaign, raise our voices everywhere and fight for our rights. As women, our single aim is to ensure the physical freedom of our leader.”