Ocalan: This government is far from solutions

Ozgur Politica    (Ozgur Politica is a pro PKK punblication in Turkish)
(Translated Text)
Jan 27, 2001

PKK President Abdullah Ocalan called on both the Turkish administration and the powers in South
Kurdistan to correctly understand the steps for peace that they have presented over the past two years,
but said that the current Turkish government did not have the appropriate makeup for taking concrete
steps towards solution.

A group which included Ocalan's brother Mehmet Ocalan and attorneys Irfan Dundar, Mahmut Sakar,
and Aysel Tugluk from the Century Law Firm went to Imrali for a regular visit with the PKK President the
other day. As last week's visit had been canceled due to inclement weather, this was the first visit in two
weeks.

Ocalan mainly discussed the current situation of the Turkish government during the visits, and commented
that the government under the premiership of Bulent Ecevit had not taken a stance favorable to solving
the matters of the Kurdish question and democratization. Ocalan made the following comments:
"The last two years have passed without pain as a result of the PKK's dropping its weapons and
its great efforts on the subject of democratic, peaceful methods for the Kurdish question. This
positive situation must be properly utilized by both Turkey and the forces in the South. But it does not
appear that the current government's position is suitable for taking concrete steps on the subject of
solution... The stance we have continued for two years on Imrali must be understood correctly and with
a responsible approach by everyone."

Massing troops in the South will open the path to war in the North

Ocalan called attention to the fact that the military build-up in South Kurdistan over the past few months
was increasing the risk of war and noted that any potential war would spread to North Kurdistan
[Turkish Kurdistan] as well.

Legitimate defense is our universal right

"Such a situation means opening the path to new pains," Ocalan said, continuing, "It is unfortunate that
Turkey has not understood this correctly." Ocalan said that the PKK would not refrain from using its
right to self defense, and commented as follows: "We do not want war, but if we are set upon with the aim
of annihilation, we will use our legitimate right to self defense, which is a universal right, against this."

Southern forces should be mediators

Ocalan said that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) forces who
wanted to destroy the PKK in South Kurdistan were on the wrong path, continuing as follows: "What [PUK
leader Jalal] Talabani and [KDP leader Massoud] Barzani need to do is not incite for war, but enter the
picture for mediating between Turkey and the PKK on the basis of a democratic solution to the Kurdish
question. I am not giving orders for war from Imrali; just the opposite, we want to develop a democratic
solution, including the dropping of weapons, based on allegiance to the unitary structure."

The deep psychological effect of my health on the people must be known

Ocalan said that his physical condition was more important for the Kurdish people and the PKK than it
was for himself and underscored that the concerned sides must be well aware of this. Ocalan continued to
say the following: "Beyond my personal physical condition, I know the deep psychological effect on
the people. When I keep our nature in mind, I view it as suitable to make an evaluation concerning my own
condition. Both my health and the reality of my life must be taken up in depth and with a responsible
approach."

Don't evaluate from a 20th century perspective

Ocalan said he had renewed his own health like Prometheus of Greek mythology, and noted that this
would be difficult to understand for those who think with the logic of the 20th century. Ocalan continued
as follows: "Just like Prometheus renewed and rejuvenated his own liver, I am constantly renewing
and rejuvenating my heart and mind. I am updating perspectives concerning the future with historical
developments. Health is only possible with this. It is difficult for 20th century man to understand this; it is
necessary to understand the ideological philosophic dimension of my personality. It must be considered in
all dimensions, mythological, philosophical, psychological, political."

My thoughts are crucial for the Turks

The PKK President said that the ideas he presented must be understood very well and stressed that this
was a matter which transcended the Kurds alone but was a crucial matter for the Turks as well. Ocalan
said that it was necessary to capture the depth of vision, saying: "The Imrali process in my life
transcends me personally as an individual, it transcends the Kurds as a people also, and it a process which
encompasses the Turks as well. I did not make my physical circumstances a mortal matter from the
beginning; these are known. The psychological depth, the depth of conscience experienced during this
process must be comprehended very well, this is crucial. If intellectuals and friends are trying to understand
us, they must try to see the loftiness of the responsibility we have shouldered, the depths of life and death."

Who was Prometheus?

Greek mythology relates the story of Prometheus, whom PKK President Abdullah Ocalan referred to.
Zeus was the greatest of the gods who held all power in their hands. Of all the gods, the people feared
Zeus the most, and in order to avoid his wrath, they did whatever he commanded. But Prometheus wanted
to prove that mankind was a superior creature and that Zeus was not the only power. Prometheus
therefore split a bull in two during a sacrificial ceremony. From the good section of the bull,
Prometheus separated the bones from the meat, wrapped them in hide, and laid them before Zeus.
Zeus was forced to chose without seeing; it was a contest of intelligence and superiority. Zeus made his
choice. But when he saw that the bones inside the hide had fallen to him while the good sections of the
bull went to the people, he banned fire and light from the people.

Prometheus, once more endangering himself for the sake of the people, stole balls of fire from the "wheel
of the sun" and gave them to the people. In other words, he gave light, or wisdom, and fire, or the
strength of the sun, to the people. This once again proved that man was the most valuable creature.
Enraged, Zeus chained Prometheus to Mount Kauasos with an iron chain and sent an eagle to torment him.
The eagle would come every day and eat Prometheus' liver. But despite this, Prometheus, with his semi-god
powers, would rejuvenate his liver every day, and thus endure this horrible torment and pain every day.

One day, while passing through the Caucasus Mountains, Heracles killed the eagle, without knowing
that it belonged to Zeus. But by now, Zeus wanted to set Prometheus free because he had grown tired
of the anger of the people. But more importantly, Zeus one days learns from a prophecy that a child
born of Prometheus would be more powerful than his father, and remove Zeus from his throne...
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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com