The isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is imprisoned in İmralı Type F High Security Closed Prison, continues. The global campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" continues in its second year. Many people, including Nobel Laureate writers and academics, have launched various campaigns and made applications for Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom.

 

On 3 December 2024, an international delegation applied to the Ministry of Justice for a meeting with Abdullah Öcalan. Among the applicants was Francesca Baruffaldi on behalf of the Italian Labour Confederation La Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (CGIL Lombardia).

 

Francesca Baruffaldi commented on the latest developments.

 

'TURKEY MUST COME TO TERMS WITH THE KURDS'  

 

Francesca Baruffaldi stated that political games are complex and said: "The new positions expressed by Öcalan on peace and addressed to the Turkish government, in the light of the very serious situation that is unfolding in this part of the world, the war in Gaza and Lebanon, the revolution in Syria, outline a very difficult scenario and Turkey, which is within all these boundaries, must come to terms with the Kurdish population and with its leader who has been unjustly detained for too many years. The political game is complex and the international scenario, not only in the Middle East, has changed rapidly over the past year."  

 

FIRST STEP

 

Stressed that messages posed by Öcalan are crucial for peace in the region and in the world Francesca Baruffaldi said: "The war scenario that Israel is waging could drag on many other wars, Turkey certainly plays a key role and the hand that Ocalan extends to the Turkish government could be very important in sending a message of peace to all peoples. I do believe in peace between peoples. Freeing the leader of the Kurdish people is certainly the first step that would open up a democratic path both to the Kurdish issue and beyond. It would be an important signal for the Middle East and the rest of the world, which seems to me to be standing idly by, or at best engaging in other conflicts."

 

“I can say that for me, as a European citizen, to see and hear news every day that tells us that the civilian population in Palestine in Gaza is exterminated upsets me, but I am more shocked by the European institutions that are mute. So I am not amazed by the indifference, but in my own small way I always try to commiserate," she said and added: "Perhaps after the 28 December visit with the DEm party delegation something is moving, but I don't know local politics in depth to answer the question in more detail."  

 

'TURKEY PLAYING ON BOTH TABLES'

 

Attacks on North and East Syria have attracted attention as the debate on a solution continues Francesca Baruffaldi continued: "Like yet another war scenario, like yet another catastrophe, but it seems that for now Turkey is playing on both tables. Stop bombing, stop genocide against any people. We call for immediate peace."