KURDISTAN

Paris rally: ‘Lift the state secret on massacres, free Abdullah Öcalan, delist the PKK’

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Paris against the massacres of 9 January 2013 and 22 December 2022, demanding the lifting of the state secret order on the investigation information and the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.

ANF
PARIS
Saturday, 6 Jan 2024, 19:02
Share
Tweet
E-mail
WhatsApp
Telegram


Tens of thousands of people gathered in Gare du Nord Square against the Paris massacres and marched to Republique square in Paris today to demand justice for the PKK founding member Sakine Cansız (Sara), Fîdan Doğan (Rojbîn) and Leyla Şaylemez (Ronahî), who were murdered by the Turkish state in Paris on 9 January 2013, and for the three victims of the second Paris massacre, which claimed the lives of Emine Kara (Evîn Goyî), Mîr Perwer and Abdurrahman Kızıl on 23 December 2022.

Speakers addressing the crowd in Republique Square at a rally after the march demanded the lifting of the state secret order on the massacre cases, the removal of the PKK from the list of terrorist organisations and the freedom of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan.

TJK-E Spokesperson Ayten Kaplan thanked the participants of the march and rally and pointed out that those who ordered the massacre were protected. Kaplan said, "You did not accept France keeping this case in the dark. We appeal to the French state, we want justice to be done finally in this case. This massacre cannot remain in the dark. The killers are clear. Those who gave the instruction are clear. France must hold those responsible to account. Dirty games, dirty negotiations, dirty politics are being conducted. There are negotiations over the genocide of Kurds. These plans are being carried out by keeping Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdish people, on Imrali Island. We will not stop. Our search for justice will continue. We will be on the streets. We will march until the end by claiming the legacy of the martyrs, and we will say justice until the end. Jin Jiyan Azadi!"

After Ayten Kaplan's speech, Hélène Bidard, a senator from the Communist Party of France, took the stage with the senators and addressed the crowd, stating: "The three women killed in the massacre represented three different generations. The massacre was carried out by Turkish intelligence. We want light to be shed on this incident. These women were feminists and were fighting for all women. 10 years later, three more Kurds were murdered in Paris. Evîn Goyî fought against ISIS. She was murdered in Paris just like her friends martyred 10 years ago. I would like to commemorate Jina Amini here. She fought for the Kurdish women's feminist struggle and for the women of the world. On behalf of the French Communist Party, I call for the lifting of state secrecy. We want the Anti-Terrorism Court to deal with the matter. The French state is protecting the criminals in the massacre. France must clarify its position for the freedom of Kurdistan. On behalf of the FKP, I also call on the European Union to implement the judgments of the ECtHR. France must protect the Kurds in the country. We are with you against the dark forces".

İbrahim Bilen, speaking on behalf of the families of Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan, Leyla Şaylemez, Evin Goyi, Mir Perwer and Abdurrahman Kızıl, said: "We bow with respect in front of all our martyrs. If we can speak our language freely today, it is thanks to our martyrs, Leader Öcalan and those who resisted on the war front. We are here thanks to those who fought for this cause. Claim your martyrs. We are here thanks to our leader. We will not step back. We exist, we will exist. We are bigger than dungeons and chemical weapons.”

After the speech on behalf of the families of martyrs, Evin Goyi's little nephew Meles Bilen sang a song dedicated to all the martyrs of Paris.

Pascal Torre, co-chair of the Coordination Nationale Solidarité Kurdistan (CNSK), emphasised in his speech that the massacres cannot be brought to light until the state secret order on the case files is lifted. Torre said: "Those who were martyred in the massacre were murdered by Turkish intelligence. For 11 years, the CNSK has been with the CDK-F. We are in solidarity with them. However, no steps have been taken to shed light on the massacre because of the 'state secret' decision. Erdoğan is responsible for the massacre, the embassy is guilty. A crime has been committed against the Kurds. Why didn't the French state lift the state secret? The French state works in harmony with Turkish intelligence.

We want those who planned the massacre to be brought to justice. We condemn the Turkish state. We must work for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. The PKK must be removed from the terrorist list. We condemn the bombing of Shengal by the Turkish state. France should support the Kurds.

Know that we will stand with you as the French committee of solidarity with Kurdistan. Long live the solidarity of peoples."

KCDK-E Co-President Zübeyde Zümrüt stated the following: "I bow with respect to the martyrs of the revolution in the person of Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan, Mîr Perwer and Evîn Goyî. As a Kurdish woman, I am grateful for their legacy. 11 years ago, Sakine Cansız, the pioneer of the Kurdish society, Leyla Şaylemez, the youth pioneer, and Fidan Doğan, a diplomat of the Kurdish people, were targeted. Kurdish women were targeted. For the second time in 10 years, we were murdered. We know our killers. The Kurdish people handed over those who played a role in both massacres to France. But the French state did not shed light on the massacre. We will not give up the search for justice. We will increase our struggle as much as our hatred. The French state closed its eyes. It swept the files under the carpet with state secrets. We will remove these secrets through people's struggle. We will be in action until we liberate Leader Öcalan."

Speaking after, KCDK-E Co-Chair Engin Sever said that the strongest response to the massacre would be the freedom of the Kurdish people's leader: “We have been massacred in Paris twice in 10 years. They wanted to keep the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle down. Leader Öcalan gave the greatest answer to them with the liberation of Rojava. In response to the second massacre, we will give the strongest response by liberating Leader Öcalan in 2024. These massacres were carried out by the Turkish state. The French state also has a hand. Both states are NATO members; it seems that there is a NATO finger in it. France is an EU member, there is an EU finger. Therefore, we must turn every area in Europe into a site of resistance.”

Mathilde Panot of the French Non-Submission Movement said in her speech: "I am a member of the Paris parliamentary group. The parliamentarians of our party are with us. Justice and truth have still not emerged. The Anti-Terrorism Court must be involved in this attack. We want to learn the details of this investigation. We support your struggle. We appeal to the French government. Lift state secrecy! We don't want people to be slaughtered in this city. We do not want this regime to commit massacres in Paris or elsewhere. The Kurdish people fought ISIS for the sake of all humanity. That is why every Kurd needs to be protected in this country. The Turkish state is using blackmail. We demand the release of political prisoners in Turkish prisons. We condemn the Turkish state’s bombing of Rojava, where a democratic, ecological, women's libertarian system is being formed there. Our struggle for justice and truth will continue."

Senator Remi Féraud, speaking on behalf of the municipality of Paris, also called for the lifting of the state secrecy on the massacre cases and stated: "I speak on behalf of the municipality of the 10th district of Paris and the municipality of Paris. I commemorate Sara, Rojbin, Ronahi once again. The state secrecy on the massacre cases must be lifted. These are political massacres committed in the centre of Paris. On behalf of the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, I say that we do not want such massacres to happen in Paris. This should be labeled as a terrorist attack and an Anti-Terrorism Court should hear the case. We are in solidarity with Rojava and we are with the Kurdish people. We stand with all Kurds in the struggle for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. We are fighting for justice and for the truth to be revealed."

KCK Executive Council member Zübeyir Aydar emphasised that the French state did not conduct an effective investigation into the massacre cases: "We are in search of justice. Last year, 3 more Kurds were massacred here. 11 years have passed but justice has not been done yet. This case has been covered up until now. The French state has not taken a positive step in this matter. It did not carry out an investigation. It was MIT that carried out this massacre. There are voice recordings, there is evidence; but still no case has been opened against the Turkish State. Once again, we do not accept it. We appeal to the French state. You are also responsible. Kurds will follow their cases. We will follow these cases."

Aydar further spoke about the isolation of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan, the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question" campaign initiated worldwide on 10 October, the hunger strikes started in Turkish prisons and the guerrilla resistance against the Turkish state attacks in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

"We are going through a very important process. We have not heard anything from Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of our movement and our people, for 34 months. No one is allowed to meet with him, neither his family, nor his lawyers, or anyone else. Our friends started a campaign on 10 October for freedom for Öcalan and a solution to the Kurdish question. We call on our people to embrace this campaign because the freedom of Leader Öcalan and the freedom of the Kurdish people are interconnected. On the other hand, thousands of prisoners are on hunger strike for over 40 days. We must take our place in this process. We must fulfil our duty towards the prisoners in Iran and Turkey. I salute them. In addition, let the friend and foe know that the caravan of freedom is marching. The caravan of freedom that set out 50 years ago is today marching to freedom in the north, south, east and west. That is why thousands of Kurdish youths are fighting in the mountains of Kurdistan in these cold days to protect the values of our people.”

Speaking on behalf of the National Women's Movement, Suzy Rothman stated the following: “In the first massacre which took place in 2013, and the second in 2022, we know that the Kurdish women's movement was targeted in Paris because the target was Kurdish women pioneers. These women were exiled to France because they struggled against the mentality of power, and they were murdered here. The Kurdish women's movement is a feminist movement, and we take to the streets together on 25 November and 8 March, fighting for the women of the world. We must show solidarity for the realisation of the democratic society project developed in Rojava. Our struggle is up-to-date. And we want the truth to be revealed. We want light to be shed on the massacres. We are with you for truth and justice."

Jean Christophe Sellin, National Coordinator of the Left Party, then took the floor and said: "For truth and justice, we demand the lifting of state secrecy on these cases. We support the YPG and YPJ fighters in Rojava. We are with you against the Paris massacres. We want the PKK to be removed from the terror list. We will continue our struggle for truth and justice.

We want the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, Apo. And we believe that only Öcalan can develop a solution for the Kurdish people. The PKK and Kurdish parties are developing their project for democracy and ecological life. AKP is against this. We are with the Kurds in Rojava and with the Palestinians in Gaza.

Macron should lift the state secrecy on the case files and shed light on the Paris massacres. He should host the families of martyrs and do what is necessary.”

Oliver Besancenot, spokesperson of the New Anti-Capitalist Party, stated: "We must put pressure on the French state so that the state secret on the massacres is lifted. We send our greetings to the families of the martyrs. We stand with the Kurdish people. We are inspired by the project of democratic confederalism. We must fight together. Right-wing fascist governments are developing everywhere, in France too. These governments are not against Erdogan. France must do what is necessary to remove the PKK from the list of terrorist organisations. Political prisoners in Turkey and Öcalan must be released."

After the speeches, the message sent by the KJK Coordination was read to the participants, after which Denis Gravouil from the CGT union took the floor and said: “On behalf of the CGT union, we see very well that Kurdish people were murdered twice in Paris. These 6 people were murdered because they defended the Kurdish cause. We know that a fascist was responsible for the 2nd massacre, but he was used for other purposes. For this reason, the state secret on the massacres should be lifted and the Anti-Terrorism Court should hear the cases. The communes of the Kurdish people must be protected and those responsible must be put on trial. As CGT we want to show our solidarity. We demand truth and justice."

Jerome Gleizes, a member of the Paris Council for the Ecologists, said: "11 years ago Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan, Leyla Şaylemez were murdered in Paris. A year ago, Evîn Goyî, Mîr Perwer, Abdurrahman Kızıl were murdered in Paris. We want you to know that ecologists are on the side of the Kurds. Erdoğan's Turkey is behind these massacres. Courts must be functional for truth and justice to emerge. Ecologists are with the Kurds. The Treaty of Lausanne, which has just marked its hundredth year, is a betrayal of the Kurds. There can be no solution without recognizing Kurdish rights. I believe that in the future we will find realistic justice."

René le Mignot called for a dialog with Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan for a democratic solution to the Kurdish question. "Leyla Şaylemez was fighting for Kurdish youth. Fidan Doğan was conducting diplomacy for the Kurdish people. Sakine Cansız was a founder of the PKK and was fighting for the freedom of her people. That is why they were murdered. We have been calling for truth on this massacre for 11 years. All the evidence shows that the Turkish state is involved. Why wasn't the killer ever tried? If the killer was sick, why wasn't he out on trial earlier? We know that Erdoğan and the Turkish Embassy are behind this massacre. We reiterate our call upon the French state to lift the state secret on the massacre file. Because 10 years later another massacre was committed at a time when 60 Kurdish women activists were set to gather at the CDK-F. This attack was not a racist, but a terrorist attack. The Turkish state's war continues in a similar way in Rojava, Iraq and Iran. We know what the Kurdish people's leader is fighting for in the Middle East. Abdullah Öcalan, Kurdish politicians, and Selahattin Demirtaş must be released. We want the PKK to be removed from the list of terrorist organizations. As stated in the human rights convention, when the state attacks people, the people have the right to defend themselves. For a democratic solution to the Kurdish question, there must be dialogue between Abdullah Öcalan and the state,” said René le Mignot and ended her speech with a victory sign.

Lila Ayahalaa, on behalf of the Union Communiste Libertarie (Libertarian Communist Union-UCL), also called for the lifting of state secrecy on the massacre cases. In her speech, Lila Ayahalaa said: "Comrades, our organization stands with you today. The state secret on the 2013 attack must be lifted for the truth to be revealed. It is a political attack against the Kurdish people, against the peoples of Kurdistan. The strategy of the occupying Turkish state is the same. It attacks the Kurdish people everywhere. The enemies of women know very well that women's struggle brings revolution. Democratic confederalism inspires peoples all over the world. The PKK is waging a struggle of self-defense against fascism. Therefore, Abdullah Öcalan must be released. Revolution is universal."

The rally ended with a concert by TEV-ÇAND artists.