Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" made on 27 February continues to be discussed all over the world, especially in Kurdistan and Turkey. Öcalan's call was the main topic at the conference "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, political solution to the Kurdish question" held in Rome, the capital of Italy, on 11-12 April. Hundreds of intellectuals, writers, politicians and journalists, including well-known names from around the world, attended the conference. Maurizio Acerbo, Secretary General of the Communist Refoundation Party (Partito della Rifondazione Comunista-PRC) in Italy, gave a speech on Öcalan's freedom and world examples. 

 

Maurizio Acerbo made evaluations to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) on the topics discussed at the conference and Abdullah Öcalan's call. 

 

IMPORTANCE OF THE CONFERENCE  

 

Acerbo said, "The international conference in Rome is emotional. Because it was we who accompanied Öcalan to Italy in 1999 to help him obtain political asylum. Unfortunately, the Italian government did not have the dignity to resist the pressure of the US, NATO, mass media and right-wing parties. I remember that at that time the public knew very little about the history of the struggle of the Kurdish people and the PKK, and many believed the accusations of terrorism." Acerbo said that Lorenzo Orsetti (Tekoşer Piling), an Italian who fought in the ranks of the SDF in the fight against ISIS in northern and eastern Syria and died in 2019, shattered perceptions of the Kurdish movement. Acerbo noted that Orsetti's father has always been in solidarity with the Kurdish people. 

 

‘THE FIRST STEP IS THE RELEASE OF ÖCALAN’

 

Stating that the conference emphasised the need to ensure Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom, Acerbo said: "There cannot be a peace process without Öcalan's freedom. The first step towards peace in South Africa was the release of Nelson Mandela. The same goes for Öcalan. The first step for the Middle East and Turkey is the release of Öcalan.’ 

 

Acerbo pointed out that Turkey is a member of NATO and the European Union (EU) is indispensable for Turkey and said, "It is important for European countries to put pressure. The first step the European Union should take is to remove the PKK from the list of terrorist organisations. With such a decision, they can say to Erdoğan enough is enough."

 

‘ÖCALAN DESERVES THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE’

 

Noting that the first two major municipalities to grant honorary citizenship to Abdullah Öcalan were the Italian municipalities of Palermo and Naples, Acerbo said: "Honorary citizenship is very important because it strengthens the sympathy in these and other new cities for the Kurdish people and the heroic resistance of President Öcalan. These cities remind everyone that President Ocalan is an important thinker and democratic revolutionary. He is not a terrorist, but a hero for his people and for the international community."

 

Acerbo said that the conference decided to nominate Abdullah Öcalan for the Nobel Peace Prize, which would strengthen the struggle for peace and democracy. "This award is not always given to deserving people, but Öcalan definitely deserves it. I think we should fight for President Öcalan to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize." 

 

On 1 September, World Peace Day, Acerbo stated that they are planning a big mobilisation with all movements in Italy and added: "Öcalan's proposal for Democratic Confederalism is the best response to the tendencies of Capitalist Modernity towards war, nationalism, fundamentalism, intolerance, violence and militarism. President Öcalan's proposals for peace, democracy, coexistence, autonomy, women's freedom and self-government of the people are the key to peace in the Middle East and are a universal value."

 

MA / Hîvda Çelebi