SÎLVA Al-ÎBRAHÎM

Manbij- On October 10, 2023, an international campaign titled, “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, political solution to the Kurdish issue” was launched and 74 press conferences demanding the freedom for Abdullah Öcalan were held around the world on the same day to mark the beginning of the campaign. People from different countries have already expressed their support for the campaign.

All institutions and organizations in North and East Syria have held many activities, marches and events as part of the campaign. NuJINHA spoke to Zahida İshak, executive of the Autonomous Administration Educational Committee in Manbij, northeastern Syria, about the international campaign demanding freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish issue.

‘They are afraid of the thoughts of leader Öcalan’

Pointing out that the campaign brought many figures, institutions and organizations in the world, Zahida İshak said, “The Turkish state has imposed an aggravated isolation on leader Öcalan by not allowing him to see his family members and his lawyers. All these arbitrary practices are to prevent leader Öcalan's thoughts from reaching the people. The capitalist countries are afraid of the thoughts of leader Öcalan.

“This campaign is not the first campaign demanding the lift of the isolation imposed on leader Öcalan. The difference between this campaign and previous campaigns is that people from different countries have expressed their support for the latest campaign. This campaign has proved that the thoughts of leader Abdullah Öcalan are accepted by many people and not limited to a region.”

‘Resistance is the best response’

Mentioning the impact of Abdullah Öcalan’s thoughts and ideology on many societies, Zahida İshak said, “Oppressed people are used to resistance. Today, a hunger strike has been started in prisons with the participation of women. However, the international community remains silent against the hunger strike. The hunger strikers need solidarity. Young people, women and all societies should further spread the thoughts and ideology of leader Öcalan against war policies. Resistance is the best response to these policies.”