ISTANBUL - Journalist and filmmaker Benedetta Argentieri, who was on the Freedom Ship, which departed from Greece to Italy to demand freedom for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, said that Abdullah Öcalan’s perspective of Democratic Confederalism can be a real alternative to the existing system that is collapsing.

 

While the aggravated isolation on Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan continues, no news has been heard from him for eight months. Many segments, especially the Kurdish people, who adopt the philosophy of the PKK leader and care about his thoughts, are carrying out actions demanding his freedom. In this context, 40 activists, who boarded the Freedom Ship with the call of the Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Initiative, departed from Athens, Greece on November 9, and arrived in Naples, Italy, on November 12, to demand freedom for Abdullah Öcalan. The Freedom Ship passengers, who were welcomed as collectively, held a march in Naples, pointing to the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.

 

We talked with the Italian filmmaker and journalist Benedetta Argentieri, who took part in the Freedom Ship action and made an overseas trip, about the purpose of their actions and Abdullah Öcalan’s thoughts.

 

*First of all, can we get to know you a little bit?

 

My name is Benedetta Argentieri, I am a journalist and filmmaker. I concentrate my work on women issues, and conflict around the world. I was able to visit different parts of Kurdistan, in particular Bashur and Rojava, and like that I got to know the Kurdish Women’s movement and all the political theories around it. So since then I started studying and it has been a wonderful journey of discovering practices that are very different from Western feminism.

 

A symbolic trip

 

*You participated in the Freedom Ship action. What was the purpose of the action? What was it that drew you to this action?

 

Yes I partecipate to the Freedom Ship Action, I think it was a very different idea to draw attention to Abdullah Öcalan’s situation. The idea was to make the same trip Öcalan made in November 1998, when he had to leave Greece and searched for asylum in Italy. Unfortunately the Italian government at the time, didn’t take timely action, and when they granted Asylum, Öcalan had been already arrested. It was symbolic trip, in fact we arrived in Naples the same day he did 23 years earlier. As a filmmaker I wanted to document the action.

 

* You are closely interested in Abdullah Öcalan's ideas and philosophy. How did you first meet Abdullah Öcalan’s ideas? 

 

It was in 1999 when I first heard about the Kurdish Freedom movement and Abdullah Öcalan. It was the time of his arrest and I remember several mobilization around Europe. Though it was more than a decade later that I started really to be interested in his ideas. I was very fascinated by the change of the movement’s paradigm and Öcalan’s proposal for a democratic society, not just for the Middle East but for all capitalist societies. A real alternative to the system. As I mentioned earlier I have visited Rojava, and other places, where you can see Democratic Confederalism in practice.

 

‘Conditions are inhumane

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*Abdullah Öcalan has been in isolation for 22 years. What do you think about it?

 

The conditions in which Abdullah Öcalan has been imprisoned, are inhumane. In fact, many organizations have pointed out it violates  several international conventions. We know he was not able to meet his lawyers for a very long time, and the same for his family. Also, we should remember also all the other political prisoners who are in Turkey’s jails in very hard condition. We are talking about thousands of people who are deprived of their freedom for their ideas. 

 

*There are currently worldwide protests for the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. Are these actions sufficient?

 

I don’t know if the protests are sufficient, though so far they have not been able to actually pressure Turkey to at least ease Öcalan’s isolation. It is important for people to know what is happening and why, so protests help in that sense. They spread awareness which is also an essential part of such a campaign.

 

‘Öcalan is fairly known in Italy’

 

*A municipality in your country, Italy, granted Honorary Citizenship to Abdullah Öcalan. How is Abdullah Öcalan known and known in your country?

 

Actually, a dozen municipalities have granted Honorary Citizenship to Abdullah Öcalan, amongst them there are also Naples and Palermo. There is a strong solidarity movement in Italy, therefore I would say Öcalan is fairly known.

 

‘His thoughts inspired’

 

*Why is Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom important for peoples, especially for you?

 

Öcalan’s thoughts have inspired literally millions of people around the world. The Democratic Confederalism suggestion can indeed be an alternative to the existing system that is collapsing. His freedom is important because he is a symbol not only for Kurds, but for anyone who believes in certain values.

 

Before that, Nelson Mandela spent more than 20 years in prison, accused of being a ‘’terrorist’’ only because he wanted freedom for his people. Now is the time of Öcalan to be released.