WOMEN’S ALLIANCE

FOR KURDISTAN, IRAQ AND SYRIA

https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/activities/womens-alliance-for-kurdistan-iraq-and-syria

  1. Leyla Guven : Letter to President of the European Parliament
  2. Kurdish MP on hunger strike prepared to “protest to the death”
  3. Leyla Guven:MP on hunger strike for 77 days in Turkey.
  4. Jailed Kurdish politician on hunger strike: We are determined 
  5. Welsh Kurds Start Hunger Strike for Ocalan
  6. Co-mayor candidate and many other women detained in Sirnak
  7. Actions for Rojava across the United States
  8. Italian women in solidarity with Leyla Guven 
  9. Solidarity Party of Afghanistan supports Kurdish hunger strikers
  10. Demo against isolation in Paris 
  11. Hunger strike in Strasbourg on day 43
  12. A people’s leader cannot be in isolation, the resistance goes on! 

 

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  1. Leyla Guven : Letter to President of the European Parliament

Peace in Kurdistan Campaign/28 January 2019

Dear MrTajani,

We are currently facing serious tremendous on the path towards democratization and normalization in Turkey, as was also made known in sessions held at the European Parliament. The most critical of these obstacles is the persistence of total isolation imposed on Mr Abdullah Öcalan held in Imrali Prison since April 5, 2015. Mr Öcalan has played a key role in the pursuit of a peaceful solution to the conflict, especially by all his efforts during the peace process that took place between 2013 and 2015. He continues to be the person best placed to continue playing this historic role.I believe that the clear positions taken byall the institutions that collectively constitute the European Unionare going to be crucial for the restarting of the process of conflict resolution. The consistent demand for this stance in turn will enable a normalization to take place in Turkey, in my firmly held view.
https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/2019/01/29/leyla-guven-letter-to-president-of-the-european-parliament/

 

  1. Kurdish MP on hunger strike prepared to “protest to the death”

Roar magazine/January 2019

There was no outcry from such governments when Kurds were being burned alive in the basements of Cizre or older women were shot down by snipers in the streets of Silopi. Likewise, international efforts to resolve the Syrian war have systematically excluded the Kurdish people, due to the interests of the Turkish state. In this environment, apart from resorting to direct action to defend their existence, what more dignified action could there be than the one chosen by Leyla Güven?
https://roarmag.org/essays/hunger-strike-leyla-guven-hdp/

 

  1. Leyla Guven:MP on hunger strike for 77 days in Turkey.

BBC News/23 January 2019

“Mum, don’t leave me!” Sabiha Temizkan tweeted, in a desperate plea to her imprisoned mother Leyla Guven, now on hunger strike for 77 days.

She also posted a photo of herself planting an affectionate kiss on her mother’s cheek.

Leyla Guven, 55, has been in jail since January 2018 for critical remarks about Turkey’s military operation in the predominantly Kurdish town of Afrin in northern Syria.

Facing more than a 100 years in prison on charges of membership and leadership of an armed organisation, terror propaganda and inciting people to hatred, Ms Guven went on hunger strike.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46960947

 

  1. Jailed Kurdish politician on hunger strike: We are determined 

ANF News/29 Jan 2019

I am proud and excited to be taking on the responsibility of creating hope in place of despair, and light against the absolute darkness. With this sentiment, I salute with love, respect, hope and resilience dearest Leyla Guven, who has torn at the darkness with torch at hand, all resisting women and all hunger strikers from Strasbourg to Hewler, from Amed to Kandira. IMRALI IS A SYSTEM TO FORCE SURRENDER The whole world, friend and foe alike, know that Mr. Abdullah Ocalan is not a person, he is a people. he is the peoples of the democratic nation, and he is every person who seeks the…
https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/jailed-kurdish-politician-on-hunger-strike-we-are-determined-32528

 

  1. Welsh Kurds Start Hunger Strike for Ocalan

Moring Star/18 December 2018

Three activists in Newport began a hunger strike on Monday night and a further five will fast every day in solidarity with those carrying out hunger strikes in Turkish prisons.

Imam Sis, who is one of the hunger strikers, said: “I am on an indefinite hunger strike until we get a response and they stop the isolation of Ocalan and allow his family and solicitors to visit.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/welsh-kurds-start-hunger-strike-ocalan

  1. Co-mayor candidate and many other women detained in Sirnak 

ANF News/29 Jan 2019

As part of a political genocide led by the Turkish state against the Kurdish people, the HDP’s co-mayor candidate for the Kurdish town of Cizre, Berivan Kutlu, was detained along with many other women in Sirnak. Early this morning, the Turkish police raided several houses in the center of Sirnak city and the Cizre district. As a result, the HDP’s co-mayor candidate for Cizre, Berivan Kutlu, was detained along with many other women.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/co-mayor-candidate-and-many-other-women-detained-in-sirnak-32523

 

  1. Actions for Rojava across the United States 

 ANF News/29 Jan 2019

American feminist Gloria Steinem spoke at the rally, commending Rojava’s institutionalized gender equality and urging people to support the women’s struggle there. “We are rallying in support of the Kurdish people and their long, long tradition of a pluralist, multiethnic society, whose deep traditions and beliefs are direct democracy, preservation of the earth that long preceded words like ecology, and equality between women and men,” she said.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/actions-for-rojava-across-the-united-states-32515

 

  1. Italian women in solidarity with Leyla Guven 

ANF News/ 28 Jan 2019

Rete-Jin announced support for the hunger strike campaign aimed at ending the isolation of the Kurdish people’s leader, Abdullah Ocalan. Italian Women’s Solidarity Network with Kurdistan (Rete-Jin) held its annual meeting in the city of Milano on January 26-27. Member of the Jineology European Committee, Necibe Qeredaxi, participated in the meeting and evaluated the recent developments in Kurdistan including the hunger strike by Leyla Guven which is on the 82nd day, the hunger strike in prisons of North Kurdistan and Turkey, Strasbourg and Wales.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/women/italian-women-in-solidarity-with-leyla-guven-32500

 

  1. Solidarity Party of Afghanistan supports Kurdish hunger strikers

ANF News/28 January 2019

Selay Ghaffar greeted Leyla Guven and all Kurdish prisoners and said: “Kurdistan’s struggle history is full of free women and men who have suffered a lot to establish a fair society, but never gave up to the reactionary forces. The revolutionary movement of Kurdistan was strengthened with the sacrifice of high-ranking women like Sakine Cansiz, Shirin Elemhuli, Arin Mirkan, Leyla Kasım, Fidan Dogan, Leyla Ozcan, Avesta Khabour and hundreds of other warrior women; therefore, no one has the power to destroy them.”
https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/solidarity-party-of-afghanistan-supports-kurdish-hunger-strikers-32499

 

  1. Demo against isolation in Paris 

ANF News/28 January 2019

“Hunger strikes led by Leyla Güven, are pushing the AKP/MHP fascism back, but isolation is still on. Our action will continue with determination until the isolation is broken.” The Paris action ended with the call of Berivan Firat, a representative of the Kurdish women’s movement in France, to join forces and act united.

https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/demo-against-isolation-in-paris-32490

 

  1. Hunger strike in Strasbourg on day 43

ANF News/28 January 2019 

Cemal said to be sure that isolation against Öcalan will be lifted and called on all Kurdish people to join the resistance. Canê Kobanê, who spoke on behalf of Jinên Ciwanên Azad, said that the action led by Leyla Güven was the struggle of the free Kurdish women. Kobanê called on everyone to stand up and underlined that the people should be involved in the resistance process whichever way they can.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/hunger-strike-in-strasbourg-on-day-43-32489

 

  1. A people’s leader cannot be in isolation, the resistance goes on! 

ANF News/27 January 2019

“The leader of a people cannot be isolated, cannot be subjugated in prison. This is an act of humiliation and shame. This resistance will continue until isolation is ended”, said HDP MP Leyla Güven who has been on hunger strike for 81 days.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/a-people-s-leader-cannot-be-in-isolation-the-resistance-goes-on-32484

 

Peace in Kurdistan

Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question

Email: estella24@tiscali.co.uk

http://www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.com

Contacts Estella Schmid 020 7586 5892 & Melanie Gingell – Tel: 020 7272 7890

Fax: 020 7263 0596

Patrons: John Austin, Christine Blower, NUT International Secretary, Prof Bill Bowring, Julie Christie, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn MP,  Prof Mary Davis, Lord Dholakia, Simon Dubbins, UNITE International Director,  Jill Evans MEP, Lindsey German, Convenor STWC, Melanie Gingell, Rahila Gupta, Nick Hildyard, Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Cymru, James Kelman, Bruce Kent, Jean Lambert MEP, Elfyn Llwyd, Aonghas MacNeacail, Scottish Gaelic poet, Mike Mansfield QC, Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, GFTU, Dr. Jessica Ayesha Northey, International Coordinator, Green Party of England and Wales; Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy, Dr Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Kate Osamor MP, Margaret Owen OBE, Gareth Peirce, Maxine Peake, Lord Rea, Joe Ryan, Stephen Smellie, Steve Sweeney, Dr Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Dr Tom Wakeford, Dr Derek Wall, Julie Ward MEP, Hywel Williams MP.

Published by pikcampaign