Italy’s Il Manifesto covered Saturday’s Kurdish march in Rome, emphasising the enduring support for Öcalan’s vision. The publication delved into Öcalan’s impact, noting his transformation into a key figure for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Turkey.
His proposals for local autonomy based on direct democracy challenge the traditional state-centric approach, the article notes, advocating for the liberation of oppressed minorities with women’s liberation at the core.
The article portrays Öcalan as a figure of fear for many in Turkey, considered a hero by Kurds and a criminal by most Turks, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who views him as “public enemy number one.”
The report delved into significant impact Öcalan has continued to have from his prison cell on Imrali Island, likening his intellectual and political revolution to Antonio Gramsci’s work during his imprisonment by the Italian Fascist regime. It discussed the “international conspiracy” leading to Öcalan’s arrest in 1999, aimed at quelling the Kurdish issue, a major point of polarisation in Turkish politics since the foundation of the republic.
It pointed out that while the Turkish government had hoped that imprisonment would lead to obscurity for Öcalan, his writings have not only helped the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to overcome past mistakes but also sketched a vision for society based on grassroots democracy, women’s liberation and a new form of patriotism that never comes to an end. It highlighted Öcalan’s assertion that “the greatest revolution is that of the mind”, showing his the spread of ideas beyond his physical presence.
The article also covered the initiative by journalist and activist Havin Guneser to translate and publish Öcalan’s works in English, making them accessible to a Western audience. It emphasised the importance of the fight for Öcalan’s freedom as a catalyst for democratic and revolutionary changes inspired by his ideas, particularly the woman, life and freedom connection.
Öcalan, according to the Italian publication, is recognised as a leader for many peoples in the Middle East, not just the Kurds, advocating for self-determination through his writings and the “Rojava revolution”. The report concluded with a call for solidarity and organisation to rebuild a life of freedom, reflecting on the 25 years of Öcalan’s resistance in his prison cell and his role as a peacemaker.
The article mentioned that the marches in Rome and Milan held yesterday, 17 February, were “held anually to mark Öcalan’s arrest on 15 February 1999”, and were organised by ReteKurdistan Italia and Uiki, supported by various unions, party groups and associations, to demand Öcalan’s freedom and “a political solution to the Kurdish issue, amid the ongoing Turkish military offensive against Kurdistan”.
