Freedom March...8th event in Gemlik, Turkey, against the policy followed in Imrali

Since 2005 until now, the people of Northern Kurdistan and Turkey have been organizing activities in the Gemlik district of the Turkish city of Bursa, opposing the strict isolation imposed on leader Abdullah Ocalan and demanding the realization of his physical freedom. They continue to organize marches, issue statements, and hold sessions in this regard.

The distance between Gemlik district and Imrali Island, where leader Abdullah Ocalan has been detained for 24 years, is 54 km. People gather in this district in convoys coming from various cities in Northern Kurdistan and Turkey, and these activities have not stopped despite its constant exposure to attacks by the Turkish state.

This year, the people of Northern Kurdistan and Turkey will march towards the Gemlik district on the 18th of this November, coming from 6 different axes under the name “Freedom March” to demand an end to the strict isolation imposed on the leader Abdullah Ocalan, about whom no information has been received for 3 years.

Here we review the activities that Gemlik witnessed to demand the physical freedom of Leader Ocalan and the end of his isolation since 2005.

Marching towards Gemlik in protest against the pretexts of preventing meetings

On October 9, 2011, on the 13th anniversary of the international conspiracy against Leader Ocalan, the second “Gemlik March” was launched, organized by the Union of Human Rights Associations to Support Families of Prisoners (TUHAD-FED). At that time, no information was received about Leader Abdullah Ocalan for 80 days. The meetings were being hindered under the pretext of “the weather is bad, and the ship is broken down,” and that march was launched under the slogan “Freedom for Ocalan,” as buses and private transport vehicles set off from 5 axes in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. Thousands participated in the march, and once again the forces of the Turkish occupation state stopped the crowds and blocked the way of the parents.

Before the march, Turkish state forces attacked the homes of representatives and members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), citing “operations of the Kurdistan Communities Union KCK,” and arrested hundreds. To prevent the march, they also submitted a war proposal to the Turkish parliament and began preparing for war, but the marches spread throughout dozens of cities, while dozens were exposed. Thousands are attacked and arrested by Turkish state authorities.

Events for women and lawyers in Gemlik

In 2012, within the framework of “Freedom for Ocalan, Stop Political Genocide” and led by the Revolutionary Free Women Movement (DOKH), women organized a sit-in in the Gemlik district of Bursa.

On July 27, 2015, on the anniversary of the ban on meeting with Leader Ocalan, about 200 male and female lawyers went to the Gemlik district at the invitation of the Mesopotamia Lawyers Association (MHD) and the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD), and demanded an end to the isolation of the leader.

Lawyers, parliamentarians, and representatives of many institutions from Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Amed, Ankara, Muş, Şarnekh, and Raha flocked to the Gendarmerie Command in Gemlik by buses and private transport vehicles, and submitted a request to visit Imrali, but their request was rejected under the pretext that “the ship is broken down.” The lawyers protested against this. The pretext is before the Gendarmerie Command.

 “All activities are against isolation.”

The representative of the Equality and Democracy Party, Minister Coşkan Parlak, pointed out that millions of Kurdish people and foreigners consider the leader Abdullah Ocalan a representative of their will, and pointed out that activities for the leader have continued for 25 years without interruption, and commented on the current activities in Northern Kurdistan and Turkey, saying: “Last October 9, we launched a campaign in Northern Kurdistan and western Turkey, and we organized some events in Istanbul and beyond. These events created an impact, and last October 15, we held a conference of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, during which many speeches were made demanding the freedom of Mr. Ocalan and he launched The Democratic Peoples’ Congress, the Kurdish Democratic Congress, the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, the Free Women’s Movement, the Democratic Regions Party, the Union of Human Rights Societies to Support and Assist Families of Prisoners and Detainees, and many of our other institutions launched a campaign, in which it was decided that families from 34 cities and districts would meet on November 3 and 18. This month, they will discuss the issue of isolation. Also on the 18th of November, we will begin our march to walk towards Gemlik for freedom on the 19th of the same month, under the slogan “Enough.” The march will start from 6 different axes in Northern Kurdistan and western Turkey. In the context of anti-isolation activities, we are now holding our meetings under the slogan 'Towards the liberation of the leader, towards democratic liberation.'

 “Isolation is the basis of crises, and one must be physically free.”

Parlak stated that isolation is the basis of all problems in the Middle East and Turkey and continued his speech by saying: “Isolation exacerbates the situation in the Middle East, Kurdistan and Turkey, and the more isolation is tightened, the more the political, economic and judicial crises are exacerbated. The matter has now reached a level where isolation has become one of the Turkish state systems, and this prevailing injustice in the Middle East and Turkey is based on isolation, as it is the reference for this injustice and lawlessness, and this isolation constitutes the basis for injustice. We will raise our voice louder in our next march on the 18th of the month. We must break this isolation. If we do that, then the Kurdish issue will be resolved. Through dialogue, the interlocutor is Mr. Ocalan and then Parliament. We are not only demanding an end to the isolation, but also the achievement of Mr. Ocalan’s physical freedom.”

 “In all our work, we focus on eliminating isolation.”

Representative Wizier Coşkan Parlak called on the people of Northern Kurdistan and Turkey to support the “Freedom March” to participate in it strongly and said: “We will be able to break the isolation with the unity of the Kurds and with a patriotic spirit. We call on all the Kurdish people and the world not to remain silent about this isolation, and we call on our people in Northern and Western Kurdistan.” Turkey must join this march, as our voice will be louder and we will focus all our work on lifting the isolation.”

T/ Satt.

ANHA