Ali Ocalan talks about meeting with Leader Abdullah Ocalan: he gifted pens to children

For the first time since his imprisonment in Imrali, Leader Abdullah Ocalan met his nephew Ali Ocalan and his children, Ronahi Ergin (10), Doylan and Erin (11), accompanied by a member of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Leader Ömer Ocalan's nephew, on June 7, on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.

Ali Ocalan (son of Fatma Ocalan, sister of Leader Abdullah Ocalan), spoke to Mezopotamya Agency about the details of the family meeting.

A Meeting After Years of Waiting

Ali Ocalan explained that the family had been requesting a visit for years, noting that Leader Abdullah Ocalan had asked to see his mother (Fatma Ocalan), but her health and condition prevented this. Ali Ocalan was nominated as the accompanying person for the visit. He said, "A few days before Eid, we received a phone call from the lawyer informing us that the request had been accepted. It was a moment of joy and sadness, as I felt a mixture of emotions. After 50 years, I would see the Leader for the first time."

Details of the Meeting in Imrali

Ali Ocalan continued, saying that they set off from Camlik by boat toward Imrali Island. The boat trip took an hour, and after a while, they were ushered into the visiting hall.

“Five to 20 minutes after we entered the hall, the Leader entered. He greeted us standing, congratulated us on the holiday, and also congratulated the children. This was the first time in 26 years he had seen children. He was very interested in them, played with them, asked them questions, and asked if they went to school. He gave them pens as a gift and said, ‘Read.’ He asked Ronahi, ‘Do you read? What do you want to become?’ She replied, ‘I want to be a lawyer.’”

Talk about Reha, the Party, and the People

Ali Ocalan added that the Leader asked about Reha (Urfa), the villages, and relatives, and spoke about the situation in that region. He noted that he recalled the names of those who had lost their lives, saying, “These are precious people to us. He sent his greetings to the people of Reha, the villages, and the relatives, and asked that his greetings be conveyed to everyone who inquired about him.”

"He was very composed, full of energy. He said, 'We are building a new life here,'" he said, speaking of his self-confidence and faith in the future.

Ali Ocalan explained that he presented a symbolic gift, a prayer bead, to the Leader during the meeting. The Leader responded by saying, "Take my gift with you, too," which was also a prayer bead. He also asked about the condition of the children and other family members.

Ali Ocalan concluded by saying, "After that, we said our goodbyes and the meeting ended."

T/S

ANHA