UK hosts conference supporting leader Ocalan physical freedom

The conference, organized by the “Trade Union Campaign for Ocalan’s Freedom” and the “Kurdish Progress Center” on June 26, focused on evaluating peace processes and solutions in the Middle East, particularly between Turkey and the Kurds.

The event, consisting of three sessions, included parliamentarians, academics, journalists, trade unionists, and civil society representatives. It was hosted by Baroness Foster and Baroness Verma from the Conservative Party.

The first session:

Titled “The Path to Peace: Turkey, the Kurds, and Regional Stability in the Middle East,” the first session was chaired by Osman Baydemir, former MP of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the Co-Mayor of Diyarbakır. Speakers included Tuncer Bakırhan, the Co-Chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), journalist and academic Ezel Başaran from Oxford University, journalist Ferhad Hami from Rojava, and political theorist Professor Abbas Vali.

Bakırhan emphasized the importance of ongoing negotiations and dialogues for peace among peoples. Başaran noted that Israel’s attacks on Gaza forced Turkey to reposition its foreign policy, potentially bringing internal peace back to the agenda. Hami highlighted the decisive influence of leader Ocalan’s ideas on the Autonomous Administration model in Rojava and discussed community mobilization during the Kobani revolution. Professor Vali spoke about the history of the Kurdish movement, stressing that peace is impossible without democracy.

Second session: International Peace Experiences

Chaired by Claire Baker, the prominent figure in the UK trade union movement, the second session, titled “Peace Processes and International Reconciliation,” featured Mariella Kohon, the assistant director of strategy and implementation at the UK Trade Union Congress (TUC) and advisor to the Colombian peace process, and Shavanah Byers from the Trademark organization.

The session discussed historical lessons and social foundations of peace and reconciliation processes, highlighting the importance of dialogue through examples from Colombia, Ireland, and South Africa. Labour Party member and House of Lords member Maurice Glasman attended the session, emphasizing that his party must also contribute to making peace efforts between the Kurds and Turkey permanent.

A message from Sinn Féin was read during the session, stating that leader Ocalan’s call for peace was a milestone and that “his release is essential for building a comprehensive process.”

Third session: Britain’s Role and leader Ocalan’s Freedom

The final session, titled “Promoting Peace: Britain’s Role,” was chaired by Simon Dubbins, the spokesperson for the Freedom for leader Ocalan campaign. It was opened by Baroness Verma of the Conservative Party, who stressed that peace is a valuable and worthwhile pursuit, and hosted by Baroness Foster.

Speakers included Stephen Knight, the lawyer and doctor of law from Oxford University, and Meral Çiçek from the Kurdish Women’s Movement.

Knight noted that the UK’s ban on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) complicates peace processes, while Çiçek highlighted the connection between social freedom and women’s freedom, emphasizing that peace and democracy cannot be achieved without women.

a.k

ANHA