Jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, Abdullah Ocalan, said a protest march in Ankara could be arranged to ensure cultural and democratic rights, according to the Turkish Daily News.
Speaking via his lawyers, Ocalan mentioned the Zapatur 2001 tour of Mexico carried out by the leader of the Mexican Zapatistas Marcos and 23 other leaders.
He noted that a similar march on Ankara could be possible and noted he would make a request to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to allow such a march.
Ocalan was quoted as saying that the primary aim of such a march would be to secure constitutional assurances for cultural and democratic rights.
"Just like in Mexico, one call from the president could get the ball rolling," his lawyer quoted him as saying.
"In this situation, thousands of people could conduct this peace walk on Ankara similar to the one made by the Zapatistas in Mexico. This would be the most appropriate response to overcoming the political and economic crisis in this country."
Ocalan was captured in Kenya in an undercover operation and hauled back to Turkey in February 1999 to face trial for leading an armed campaign for self-rule in southeast Anatolia.
He was sentenced to death for treason in June 1999, but his execution was put on hold by Ankara in January last year to allow the European Court of Human Rights to rule on his complaints against his arrest.
But the powerful Turkish military has snubbed the PKK's truce as a "ploy by the terrorist organization" and has called on the rebels to surrender or face the army. Meanwhile, the German Federal Parliament was asked Saturday to continue the ban on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) during discussions over the banning of terrorist organizations, said the paper.
Relating the PKK activities carried out in Germany, Interior Ministry Undersecretary Sonntag-Wolgast indicated that the PKK continues to disturb the peace in Germany with its activities.
Sonntag-Wolgast also said that although the PKK explained that they were "on the path to peace," they did not follow this in practice. Even after Ocalan was arrested and taken to Turkey, “many terrorist activities occurred in Germany.”
He said he was in favor of a continuation of the ban as the PKK is still a threat to peace in Germany – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
