AMED - Kisten Govender from the International Delegation of Lawyers Against Isolation, said: "What we need to do in South Africa now is to raise more awareness and raise more voices about the problems of the Kurds."

 

There has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is held in Imralı F-Type High Security Prison, for 36 months. Due to absolute lack of communication, Abdullah Ocalan's family and lawyer meeting are blocked by punishments given under the name of "systematic" discipline. The International Delegation of Lawyers Against Isolation, which brings together lawyers from around the world against the isolation that continues with absolute lack of communication in Imralı, made visits and contacts in Turkey and Kurdistan. South African lawyer Kisten Govender, lawyer of former South African President Nelson Mandela is in the delegation, made evaluations about the Imralı isolation. 

Pointing out the similarity between Abdullah Ocalan and Mandela, Lawyer Govender said that more voices should be raised for the Kurds.

 

MISSED HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY

 

Recalling the kidnapping of Abdullah Ocalan by the Israeli intelligence service MOSSAD and Turkish intelligence in Kenya while he was on his way to South Africa at the invitation of Mandela, during the international conspiracy, Govender said that this was a very sad situation. Govender said, “Because if that meeting had taken place, I'm sure South Africa would have been far more involved and supportive and they would have put a lot of pressure on the Turkish Government, even before Erdogan became president. It is a loss to Turkey. That it happened and it's not just the loss to the Kurdish peoples because it would have made a big difference in history.”

 

SIMILARITY OF MANDELA AND OCALAN

 

Pointing out that there is a symbolic similarity between Mandela, who was prisoner on Rebbon Island for 24 years, and Abdullah Ocalan, who is prisoner on Imralı Island for 25 years, Govender said: "Nelson Mandela was on the Robben Island as a prisoner for 24 years until he was taken out and they brought him up to negotiate and now we see Abdullah Ocalan is on an island to this all this symbolic examples of the two great leaders who are people of integrity and international respect, but one now is isolated. But it is a beacon for people, who will see that, we must not give up hope.”

 

IF HE HAD MET ABDULLAH OCALAN...

 

Reminding Nelson Mandela's famous words, "South Africa and the world will not be free until Palestine is free" Govender said: "If he had met with Abdullah I can tell you he would have also said that, ‘South Africa and the world will never be free until the Kurds are also free.’ What we need to do in South Africa now is to raise more awareness and raise more voices about the problems of the Kurds."

 

LACK OF NEWS IN IMRALI

 

Stating that he witnessed Mandela, similar to the lack of news from Abdullah Ocalan, Govender said: “Mandela was the leader of the people who are in the majority who are all oppressed. When you have a white minority population of about 2 million and a black population at that time off about 30 million. When Mandela was put on trial, he was facing a death sentence for treason. But the judge knew that he and his comrades, were about eight of them, could not be sentenced to death. It might have caused problems. So, the pressure of dealing with a majority force of people by a minority force the government to always be careful and make certain concessions even though they were the worst force in our world, compared to any other country where they legislated and put people as second class citizens without rights.”

 

'MANDELA HAD PRIVILEGES'

 

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan's situation is different for this reason, Govender stated that Mandela, who was held on Robben Island, had some privileges. Govender said, "Nelson Mandela was put on Robben Island, but he had certain privileges; To see your wife once a month, one letter once a month also, they could see lawyers. So those basic kinds of rights. They could not take that away. So, they did fight for more rights, but they were organized with a lot of comrades and people who are all arrested. So, there was solidarity in the prison in Robben Island. When you take the case of Ocalan and you look at the single leader, a powerful leader. He is representing a minority population and the Turkish people are in the majority and apartheid was the illegitimate government of a minority people rolling. Here you have a so-called democracy of everybody having a vote, even though you can rig an election and do things but it gives a certain amount of strength to a democratic government to abuse minorities because the minorities cannot enforce themselves on the majority.” 

MA / Müjdat Can