In a recent article published in Phileleftheros, Cyprus’s largest and oldest Greek language daily, writer Alekos Michaelidis has highlighted the enduring influence of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been in solitary confinement in Turkey’s İmralı Island Prison for 25 years.
Describing Öcalan as a global personality and a major revolutionary figure whose works have been translated into 25 languages, Michaelidis stressed the importance of his writings and thoughts, even while he remains in solitary confinement.
As a tribute to Öcalan, Michaelidis dedicated his column on Saturday to an excerpt from the PKK leader’s book “Manifesto of Democratic Civilisation” entitled “I am chained to the rocks of İmralı”.
Öcalan, often referred to as the leader of the Kurdish people, delves into the historical context of what he describes as an international conspiracy against him that began in the 1970s. He presents himself as an unexpected but central element in a plan orchestrated since the 1970s, suggesting that his non-conformity with the system made him a prime target for neutralisation. Öcalan’s narrative points to a choice imposed on him: either become a compliant soldier within the system or face elimination. His inherent resistance to becoming part of the system, he argues, inevitably made him an easy target for those seeking to suppress his influence.
Michaelidis’s decision to publish Öcalan’s writings comes after the PKK leader’s completion of 25 years in prison on İmralı Island on 15 February, and ahead of his birthday on 4 April: a time to reflect on his contributions and the circumstances of his imprisonment.