A march has commenced under the banner ‘To Amara For Freedom’, to celebrate the 75th birthday of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in isolation in a high-security prison on Turkey’s Imrali Island for 25 years, the last three under total incommunicado. The march to his birthplace in Ömerli (Amara), Halfeti (Xelfetî), Urfa (Riha), comes as a mark of respect and a call for his freedom.
Organised by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA), and several other associations, the event drew people from various parts of Kurdish and western regions of Turkey to the rural Aligor district of Suruç (Pirsus). Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, Co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), spoke on behalf of the participants before the march, emphasising Öcalan’s pivotal role in the Kurdish struggle and the significance of the date. “Öcalan has ignited a people’s awakening,” she said.
This year’s march to Öcalan’s birthplace in Amara not only commemorates his birthday but also signifies a broader movement for Kurdish rights and identity, symbolised through the planting of trees in various locations. The ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, A Political Solution to the Kurdish Issue’ campaign reflects this sentiment, viewing 4 April as a day of renewal and hope for Kurds globally.
As part of the campaign, participants of a Justice Vigil in Istanbul and relatives of prisoners echoed the sentiment, describing the 4 April as “the Kurdish people’s birthday”. They credited Öcalan with empowering the Kurdish people, especially women, advocating for rights and awareness. “Thanks to Abdullah Öcalan, we have recognised our identity and language,” participants said, highlighting the day’s significance as a milestone in the Kurdish struggle for recognition and equality.
