Global powers, which see PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan as an obstacle to their Middle East plans, have put into action plans for destruction and liquidation in order to implement the Greater Middle East Project (BOP) they prepared. The plan put into effect with NATO Gladio aimed to annihilate Abdullah Ocalan. Unable to achieve results with the bomb assassination near a house in Damascus, global powers attempted to liquidate Abdullah Ocalan with an international conspiracy plan. As stated by Abdullah Ocalan, global powers aiming to create “PKK without Apo and Kurds without PKK", and the Damascus government, under political and military pressure, wanted the PKK Leader to leave Syria. Abdullah Ocalan, who gave up his 40-year-old dream on roads leading to mountains and went to Europe on October 9, 1998, insisting on a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue. Ocalan was brought to Turkey on February 15, 1999, with an international conspiracy that was built step by step, and was put in a specially designed single-person prison on Imralı Island.

 

The "You Cannot Darken Our Sun" protests, initiated by prisoners setting their own bodies on fire on October 9, 1998, against the plans to liquidate Abdullah Ocalan, shed light on the darkness that was intended to be created. These actions, which were initiated on the first day of the conspiracy and spread all over the prison walls, created a circle of fire against the conspiracy.

 

These actions, initiated against the international conspiracy, were continued in the following years against the isolation system put into effect on Imralı Island against Abdullah Ocalan. Abdullah Ocalan was poisoned in Imralı, where he held in severe isolation conditions. Due to concerns about Ocalan's health and safety conditions, Veysi Kaya, a 23-year-old Arab citizen living in the Barbaros District of Adana's Seyhan district, set his body on fire on February 9, 2006, in order to protest this situation. Kaya's nephew Abdulkadir Atilla also set his body on fire to protest the Imrali isolation on March 11, 2012, because there was no news from Abdullah Ocalan.

 

Veysi Kaya's sister, Nuran Kaya, evaluated the repercussions of the Imrali isolation, her brother and nephew's action against the isolation, and explained the importance of Abdullah Ocalan's freedom.

 

PRESSURE FROM STEWRÊ TO ADANA

 

Stating that they migrated to Adana from their hometown Teffî (İçören) in the Stewrê (Savur) district of Mêrdîn in 1982 due to state pressures, Kaya said that they continued their lives here as 8 siblings. Stating that they are from the Arab people and were affected by the Kurds' freedom struggle in 1991, Kaya stated that her older sister Ayşe Kaya joined HPG in 1995 and her older brother Veysi Kaya took part in youth work. Stating that the state oppression that started in Stewrê continued in Adana with house raids, detention and torture, Kaya emphasized that they continued the fight despite all the pressure.

 

'MY BROTHER LEFT US A LEGACY OF RESISTANCE'

 

Stating that February 15, when Abdullah Ocalan was brought to Turkey as part of an international conspiracy, was a "dark day", Kaya said that hundreds of people turned the darkness into light by setting their own bodies on fire. Stating that her brother also set his own body on fire against concerns about Abdullah Ocalan's health and security conditions, Kaya noted that this action was a criticism of the public. Emphasizing that her brother left them a legacy of resistance with this action, Kaya underlined the need to fight for freedom of Ocalan.

 

'THIS IS A STRUGGLE FOR HUMANITY'

 

Stating that her family was impressed by the reality and resistance of the Kurds, Kaya said: “This struggle is the struggle of Arabs, Turks, Kurds and all peoples. It is an honor for me to take part in this struggle as an Arab. The freedom of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan does not mean that only the Kurds will be free. The freedom of Mr. Ocalan means that the Arabs will be also free. There is also an isolation on the Arabs. Abolishing the isolation imposed on Mr. Ocalan also means abolishing the isolation imposed on the Arabs. I want to address the Arabs from here; This struggle is the struggle of all peoples and the struggle of the Arab people as well. They must take part in this struggle.  This struggle is a struggle for humanity.”

 

'HIS FREEDOM IS OUR FREEDOM'

 

Pointing out that there has been no news for 35 months from Abdullah Ocalan, who has been held in absolute isolation conditions for 25 years, Kaya said that she also took part in the Justice Watch carried out by the families of the prisoners who are on hunger strike against the isolation. Stating that she supports demand for freedom of Abdullah Ocalan, Kaya said: “No one can be free unless physical freedom of Mr. Ocalan is ensured. Mr. Ocalan appeals to the whole world. We want our Leader to be free. The freedom of our Leader is our freedom. No people can be free unless the Leader is free. No issue will be resolved without opening the doors of Imralı. Imrali holds the key to peace.”

 

HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST THE CONSPIRACY

 

A hunger strike was launched in the tent opened to protest the conspiracy within the scope of the "You Cannot Darken Our Sun" actions in Cizîr district of Şirnex. 73-year-old Hezar Küçük, who went on a hunger strike for 15 days with 8 women in the action that started after Abdullah Ocalan was brought to Turkey with a conspiracy, said that they started to continue their protest at home after the police attack.

 

'WOMEN SHOWED A UNIQUE RESISTANCE'

 

Stating that they started the action against the conspiracy to demand the freedom of Abdullah Ocalan, Küçük said that the women showed a unique resistance. Küçük explained that process as follows: “In those years, there was great fear among the people due to oppression and attacks. But we stood against this fear. In the year that Ocalan was brought to Turkey, protests were started everywhere. We, as 9 women from Botan, went on a hunger strike. This action was to condemn the international conspiracy against the Kurds in the person of Mr. Ocalan. At that time, our party building was in Dörtyol and a tent was set up in front of it. Those who went on hunger strike gathered here. But then the police surrounded us and they attacked us. They detained many of our friends by using violence and torturing them. But women showed great resistance against this attack. There was resistance to the conspiracy; Everyone, men, women, young and old, was standing. Conditions were difficult, but the Kurds were in great resistance."

 

'YEARS PASSED BUT DEMANDS HAVE NOT CHANGED'

 

Emphasizing that the demands of the Kurds have not changed despite 25 years, Küçük said: "The resistance of the Kurds still continues. There are protests both outside and in prisons to get news from Mr. Ocalan. Years have passed, but the demands have not changed. The Kurds want to get information from Mr. Ocalan and demand that steps be taken for permanent peace. We want the release of all political prisoners, including Mr. Ocalan.”

 

'IMRALI ISOLATION CAN END BY THE KURDISH ALLIANCE

 

Underlining that the isolation can be end with an inter-Kurdish alliance, she said: “If this isolation on Mr. Ocalan ends, peace will come to the Middle East. If there is a meeting with Mr. Ocalan, peace will come. Together we can stop this war. Let's end this isolation. We want a peaceful life, a peaceful world. For this to happen, the Kurds must unite and establish their own alliance. All we need is alliance. If we establish that alliance among ourselves, we can break the isolation.”

 

MA / Hamdullah Yağız Kesen - Zeynep Durgut