Rojava: YPG announces death of German fighter Kevin Jochim

YPG Press Office announced the death of German fighter Kevin Jochim (Dilsoz Bahar) in a clash in Silûk town of Girê Spî, Rojava (West) Kurdistan, on 6 July, 2015.

In a press statement on its website, YPG said that Rojava continued to set an example of fraternity of peoples despite all the counter approaches, adding; "All opponent forces, the ISIS gang organization in the first place, desire to turn Rojava into a place or center of conflicts among peoples on the grounds of their nation, belief and sects. This is why they have put all such attempts and provocations into practice. Still, the wariness of our people has eliminated these plans despite all their efforts and despicable plans."

Pointing out that the philosophy embraced by the people of Rojava played a major role in the elimination of these plans, YPG said this philosophy which was based on sharing culture, neighborhood, embracing of each other had today proved the democratic nation project to be the most contemporary instance of solution.

YPG continued, underlining that; "This stance has an influence on not only the neighboring Kurdish, Arab, Persian, Assyrian and Turkish peoples, but also all the freedom adorers throughout the entire world, thanks to which the support for the revolutionary struggle in Rojava always remains high and strong. Youths from across the world are coming to Rojava, uniting here and taking their place in the defense of free life on the fronts of resistance. The sacred land gets wet with blood and tear."

YPG said that one of these heroes was comrade Kevin Jochim (Dilsoz Bihar), of German origin, who was born into an esteemed family in the German city of Karlsruhe on 2 November, 1993. He joined the ranks of the freedom struggle in 2012, after which he took place in numerous daring battles and played an important role in the liberation of ISIS-occupied villages and settlements within the Operation Commander Rubar Qamishlo.

YPG said that comrade Dilsoz unfortunately fell a martyr in clashes in the Şergirat village of Silûk town on 6th July, 2015.

Pledging to pursue the objectives and dreams of comrade Dilsoz, and to do the best to succeed against darkness, YPG extended condolences to martyr Dilsoz's family, and the Kurdish and German people.

YPG gave the following information regarding the profile of the fallen German fighter;

Nom de guerre : DILSOZ BAHAR
Name : KEVIN JOCHİM
Mother's name: MAORİNE KOSTLUK
Father's name : FREİDİ BENKLER
Place of birth : KARLSRUHE- GERMANY
Martyred : 6.7.2015, ŞERGIRAT VILLAGE, SULUK

(via ANF News)

Germany: Report about the hunger strike of Sadi Özpolat & Gülaferit Unsal

via 325 

Here in Germany two communist prisoners from Turkey, who had been sentenced according to the “antiterror-paragraph §129b”, achieved victories by means of long hungerstrikes: Sadi Özpolat starved 43 days and Gülaferit Ünsal 54 days. They fought against censorship, prison clothing and intimidation. They didn’t fight in the prison alone. Together with Gülaferit 6 other prisoners starved as well in solidarity.

Taken from one of our speeches (“Network of all political prisoners”, Hamburg) in front of the Berlin prison, where Gülaferit is jailed: (29.5.2015)

“This is a draconic assault to all prisoners. More than 100 yearly commit suicide, living under similar conditions as Gülaferit, without any hope and unwilling to vegetate isolated anymore.”

9 political prisoners of armed groups like RAF, who organised collective resistance against such conditions, didn’t survive in prison in the seventies and eighties.

Solidarity in prison:

At her last hunger strike day Gülaferit even went to thirst strike to underline her stoutness to stay starving until all of her demands had been fulfilled.

She was not alone in her fight; 6 other prisoners started a solidarity hungerstrike:

Ahmet Düzün Yüksel in Ratingen prison.

Muzaffer Dogan, Özgur Aslan, Sonnur Demiray and Yusuf Tas, waiting for trial in Stuttgart.

Özkan Güzel in Essen Prison. He went on solidarity hunger strike for Gülaferit and prolonged his strike insisting on not wearing prison clothing.

These solidarity hunger strikes show collective behavior. Its a signal to the class justice, that they will fight against the assault to their comrade! The 1st May call of political and resisting prisoners was a first step of collective resistance.

Reactions outside:

Most important were several actions in Berlin. There were rallies, demonstrations and solidarity hunger strikes all over Germany and other European countries. On the positive side to mention is the intensified cooperation of migrant comrades from Turkey and the local left.

Besides digital publications, appeared articles in newspapers and left radios. Because of this growing pressure even bourgeois parties at the end of the hunger strikes intervened for the strikers.

Certainly there could have been more support.

Reasons for missing solidarity were:

Fear of recognition

The communist mindset of the striking prisoners. On Linksunten Indymedia the missing solidarity was criticized from libertarian viewpoint. Worth mentioning is though, that many anarchist comrades were engaged.

Perspective:

Even if Gülaferit’s demands were “only” humanistic, for a long time Pankow prison and judiciary ignored the hunger strike. The question is why.

The position of the class-justice can only be understood, if we bring to mind the recent role of Germany. Turkey is an important partner of Germany and NATO.

That’s why left-wing Turkish comrades will be tackled, persecuted and criminalized for fighting this partnership. Currently the progressive journal “Yürüyüs” (long walk) has been banned in Germany, even if it is legal in Turkey.

Even bourgeois institutions accuse the German government to be racist. It is well established that the government with the help of secret services supported and protected the racist and fascist terror-gang NSU for years [Neo-nazi terrorist group]. The same government, that accept the drowning of refugees at the EU-borders, those who don’t have enough to live, because their countries have been plundered and destroyed by the German government.

Germany connotes itself as successor state of the “Third Reich” and as the most powerful European power which is at war all over the world together with its allies.

Fighting against this overwhelming power with lots of actions together with the prisoners we could win in the end.

We have to control the implementation of the demands. And the fight for freedom and liberation has to be intensified here and internationalised. Solidarity with the hunger strikes, for us this means bringing the battle into the “heart of the beast”.

Germany: Comrade Gülaferit Ünsal successfully ends her 54 day hunger strike

‪Berlin,‬ 29.05.15: Comrade Gülaferit Ünsal an activist from Turkey who was sentenced to 6.5 years in 2012 after being convicted under the draconian paragraph 129b law for allegedly collecting funds and organizing training for the militant left Turkish organization DHKP-C (Democratic People's Liberation Party-Front) has ended a 54 day hunger-strike after prison authorities finally relented and agreed to meet all of her demands.

Gülaferit was fighting for her right to have Turkish-language newspapers, magazines & books sent to her and for a campaign by prison authorities that involved them using violent prisoners to intimidate and harass her to end.

An agreement was signed by prison authorities in the presence of Gülaferit and her lawyer Canan Bayram. Canan stated afterwards that it was absurd that Gülaferit had to hunger strike for over 50 days just to get her basic rights as a prisoner.

Red Aid, the Network for Political Prisoners, Turkish organizations, anarchists, communists and autonomists all supported Gülaferit throughout her hunger strike visiting her many times and mobilizing every few days to stage public demonstrations in solidarity with her struggle.

The news of the successful conclusion to Gülaferit's hunger strike was met with much joy by her supporters, at the time of the announcement around 60 of them were demonstrating outside the jail.

Red Aid and other organizations and supporters will continue to provide solidarity for Gülaferit and of course will be monitoring the situation to ensure that the authorities stick to their agreement.

Freiheit für Gülaferit!
Freedom for Gülaferit!
Freiheit für alle Gefangenen!
Freedom for all prisoners!
Feuer allen Gefängnissen!
Fire to all prisons!
Solidarität ist unsere Waffe!
Η αλληλεγγύη είναι το όπλο μας!
Solidarity is our weapon!

Declaration (in German) from Red Aid Berlin