Author Laura Shrader: Mr. Öcalan is the protagonist of international politics
- 10:20 10 December 2023
- News
ANKARA - Italian Journalist-Author Laura Shrader said, “Thanks to the Serhildan movement born by Leader Öcalan and the PKK, the Kurdish people rediscovered their pride and love for their culture and language. Berxwedan reveals that Mr. Öcalan is the protagonist of international politics against the world that remained silent after Imrali."
Italian Journalist Laura Schrader, who is in the 'Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Committee' and author of the books I Fuochi del Kurdistan, Civilta e Verita, wrote a book called Berxwedan (La Resistenze del Popolo Kurdo Contro il Genocidio di Erdoğan). Inspired by the resistance that developed in Kurdistan in the light of the peace initiatives developed by PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan under the conditions of captivity in İmralı Prison and the philosophies and ideas he put forward, the book deals with the resistance of the Kurdish people against the AKP government. In her book "Berxwedan", author Laura also includes the writings written by Abdullah Öcalan's niece, Ayney Öcalan, and especially the resistance that developed on the basis of her important narratives and philosophy during the trial of Abdullah Öcalan in 1999.
“A book that shows that there is a common point behind the unshakable resistance of the Kurdish people, a permanent leader: Mr. Öcalan's thoughts. Here a narrative emerged consisting of comments, impressions and emotions.”
*First of all, I want to ask this. How and why did you decide to write about PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan? What led you to this?
I am part of the Italian Time Committee has come. Freedom for Öcalan. Among the various initiatives in Italy, in September 2022 Uiki - Kurdistan Information Office in Italy organized a large concert in Rome. I wrote the texts that the actor Elio Giordano red on stage; listening to him I understood the importance of making these issues known in a way suitable for those approaching the Kurdish question for the first time. At that time I had also published some articles on the same topic: the unjust imprisonment of Öcalan and the unacceptable condition of his isolation. I thought it was necessary to do something more comprehensive. A book to make it known that behind the unshakable resistance of the Kurdish people, there is a common thread, a constant presence: the thoughts of Öcalan.
* Your book "Berxwedan" tells about PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's peace and resistance adventure of the last 20 years. Could you tell us about the topics in your book and your writing?
In my books I want to speak to everyone, not just to the experts on the Kurdish question. I have chosen a style that has been defined as "impressionist" and which I am told - and I hope - is "effective". The narrative unfolds with the focus in each chapter, on tragic events, such as the destruction of Sur, the occupation of Afrin , the devastation of Cizre and on some personalities such as Sakine Fidan , Demirtaş and the massacres against HDP, Hevrin Khalef , Erdogan himself .
“I also reminded of the hope for peace and democracy born in the Oslo talks, and in general, I emphasized the fact that Serok's leadership and peace pioneering is still a living hope.”
* Could you briefly tell us how you described the PKK Leader in the book?
The spirit of the leader runs through the entire book. To better frame the present, I also talk about the terrible war against the PKK in the nineties and about all of Serok's peace proposals, starting from 1993. And I remember the hope of peace and democracy born with the Oslo meetings, and I stress the fact that Sereok’s leadership is alive. It inspires the resistance of the Kurdish people and the innovative policy of democratic confederalism, which is a model of civil coexistence for all humanity, as well as it was the motor of the Kurdish victory against Isis. And I highlight that the Jin Jiyan Azadi movement known throughout the world was born from the "women's revolution" created by Öcalan since the foundation of the PKK. In Berxwedan a chapter is written by a very dear friend, Ayney Öcalan, who presents a familiar aspect of the leader, and it is touching.
“Semiologist Roland Barthes writes that taking away a person's language is the first place from which all crimes are discovered. Thanks to the Serhildan movement born by Leader Öcalan and the PKK, the Kurdish people rediscovered their pride and love for their culture and language.”
*Why did you name the book "Berxwedan", which means Resistance? Why this name?
The use of the Kurdish word Berxwedan it is a tribute to the Kurdish language, erased by the cultural genocide wanted by Ataturk. Taking away a man's language - this is where all crimes arise, writes semiologist Roland Barthes. And Leyla Zana points out that Kurdish children experience alienation from the moment they enter a nursery school. Preventing the use of one's own language is a brutal crime in any case, and in this case it is very serious because Turkish is a Uralic-Altaic language and Kurdish is an Indo-European language: different mental constructions. Thanks to the Serhildan movement born by President Öcalan and the PKK, the Kurdish people have rediscovered pride and love for their culture and language. For this reason I consider Öcalan a leader of incomparable importance.
“Mr. Öcalan was granted political asylum in Italy with the sentence dated October 1, 1999. Considering this decision alone, Italy needs to take action and work for himself, but it is not working.”
*As you know, the PKK Leader, whom you mentioned as a "unique leader", has been kept in isolation in Turkey for 25 years and there has been no news from him for 33 months. What do you think about this absolute isolation?
President Öcalan's isolation is an international crime, condemned several times by both the United Nations and the European Union. But their words are not followed by concrete actions. Turkey is still considered a valuable NATO ally. Öcalan obtained political asylum in Italy with a sentence dated 1 October 1999. Italy should work for him but does not. On this matter, there is an abyss between the need for justice of millions of citizens around the world and the substantial indifference of the governments and of the international organizations.
“Only an exceptional mind can find the strength and the inspiration, during an inhumane imprisonment, to write books where history, politics and philosophy intertwine in the building of constructive proposals that could resolve the complex geopolitical situation of Mesopotamia.”
*He is a writer like you and has written and published many books on his philosophy. How do you evaluate the paradigm and his writing about the people and announcing it to the world under all these conditions and isolation?
Only an exceptional mind can find the strength and the inspiration, during an inhumane imprisonment, to write books where history, politics and philosophy intertwine in the building of constructive proposals that could resolve the complex geopolitical situation of Mesopotamia, and not only of it. Also from a literary point of view, Öcalan's works are extremely valid, interesting, rich in historical information and profound political evaluations. His criticism of patriarchy is very strong and well argued. His reevaluation of the role of women is an authentic revolution in thought, very current. Just in these days in Italy on the occasion of yet another femicide, patriarchal culture and chauvinist mentality are condemned
“Berxwedan demonstrates that Öcalan, closed in Imrali 's silence, is a protagonist of the international politics.”
* Finally, I would like to ask this: The war still continues in the Middle East and Kurdistan. While these wars are taking place, many people are still talking about the paradigm presented in the Middle East and Kurdistan. How do you handle it?
The paradigm of democratic confederalism is valid in general, and not only for Kurdistan. But Palestinians today have neither real leadership nor creative thinking. The proposal of "two peoples and two states" unfortunately remains a slogan and a confederal solution does not seem to be taken into consideration. I want to recall Mazlum Abdi 's words about the war in Gaza. Abdi, commander of the SDF, in a recent interview with Al Monitor raised the real risk of a new cycle of Islamic terrorism in the world and recalled that the SDF are the antithesis of violent extremism and that they have lost more than 11,000 fighters against Isis, and declared: We should be supported, not attached. As we know, Turkish bombs and atrocities from Ankara's jihadist allies fall on Rojava. The progressive, secular, feminist Rojava is one of the symbols of the Kurdish resistence. Berxwedan demonstrates that Öcalan, closed in Imrali 's silence, is a protagonist of the international politics.
