Derya Ren - Sema Çağlak

 

DİYARBAKIR - Stating that the isolation also affected the countries in the region, women from TJA and HDP stated that it is possible to break the isolation with organizing and said, ‘’Politics of Turkey is under isolation, society is tried to be isolated’’.

 

Since 1999, aggravated isolation has continued on PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is being held in Imralı F-Type High Security Prison. Reactions are rising from many segments, especially rights defenders, towards the isolation.

 

The Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activists and women who are members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) stated that the isolation is getting deeper and that political prisoners, especially PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, should be released as soon as possible.

 

‘AKP-MHP driven the country into chaos’

 

TJA activist Elif Haran said that the isolation in the person of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan has been applied to the whole society for 22 years and that this situation has worsened in recent years. Emphasizing that the AKP-MHP rulership is putting pressure on the peoples of Turkey, Elif said, ‘’We see that the violations of rights in prisons are increasing day by day. The main reason why the society is in such chaos and crisis is the disconnection with Abdullah Öcalan. There was a period of relaxation in the negotiation process. However, the AKP-MHP rulership disrupted the process and driven the country into chaos’’.

 

‘Dialogue process should begin’

 

Reminding Abdullah Öcalan’s statement, ‘’Give me a week, I can solve all the problems in the Middle East’’, Elif said that Abdullah Öcalan is the only person who can solve the problems in the Middle East. Expressing that the isolation must end, Elif said, ‘’We are faced with a government that feeds on chaos. We see the end of the AKP-MHP rulership. People are fighting with poverty right now. All problems would be solved if dialogues were made with Mr. Öcalan. Because we have seen the dialogue process before. The processes in which there was tranquility and peace were the processes in which there were talks with Mr. Öcalan. As women, we defend that the dialogue process should be started as soon as possible’’.

 

‘Special war policies are also part of the isolation’

 

Noting that the isolation affects not only the Kurdish people, but also the peoples of Turkey, and that the peoples of Turkey are driven into a deadlock with the deepening isolation, HDP Kayapınar Municipality Councilor Canan Güler said, ‘’As long as this government is in power, we will always be under isolation and chaos. The government is keeping the entire population, especially the prisons, under isolation, reasoning the pandemic. At the moment, the current government is trying to discipline the people with hunger. The isolation implemented in Turkey also affects the countries in the region. The current special war policies are also a part of this isolation’’. Adding that young people are driven into prostitution and drugs, Canan underlined that young people are worried about the future due to chaos and crisis.

Canan stated that all democratic segments, especially non-governmental organizations in the region and in Turkey, should lead the people. Adding that the entire society is aware of the isolation, Canan said, ‘’Everyone knows but afraid. It is in our hands to destroy this fear’’.

 

‘Politics of Turkey is under isolation’

 

HDP Bağlar District Co-chair Sümeyye Kırıcı pointed out that the isolation is felt more in the region. Sümeyye said, ‘’No voice is raised against the isolation. Hundreds of our young people are driven into prostitution and drugs as a result of special war policies. Politics of Turkey is under isolation. The isolation is felt most on women. The women are kept under pressure. There should be united against isolation. All peoples, especially the Kurdish people, should stand up’’.

 

‘Society is tried to be isolated’

 

Yenişehir Municipality Co-Mayor Belgin Diken, who was replaced with trustee, emphasized that the system is trying to deepen the isolation through women and said, ‘’Our people need to resist against the isolation. Society is trying to be isolated with pressures. We will always continue to fight against isolation. There is a policy created by the system. Together with our people, we will try to destroy these dirty policies’’.