wfn.org | As Protests Spread, Kurds Invade Ecumenical Center

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24-February-1999 
99081 
 
    As Protests Spread, Kurds Invade Ecumenical Center 
 
    by Edmund Doogue 
    Ecumenical News International 
 
GENEVA--About 50 Kurds invaded the Ecumenical Center in Geneva Feb. 19 to 
demand that the World Council of Churches (WCC) lobby for the release of 
their leader, Abdullah Ocalan. 
 
    Ocalan, leader of Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party, was mysteriously 
smuggled out of Kenya by Turkish agents Feb. 16. Since his arrest, vigorous 
protests by Kurds have been held in many cities, from Sydney to London, 
focusing unprecedented attention on their cause. The current edition of the 
Economist magazine describes the world's 25 million Kurds, who have no 
lands of their own and are mainly divided into minority communities in 
Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq, as "the biggest ethnic group without a state." 
 
    Turkey has promised that Ocalan will be given a fair trial, but many 
Western observers are highly sceptical, especially as Ocalan is generally 
described in Turkey as the nation's "most wanted man" and a terrorist 
responsible for the deaths of 30,000 people. 
 
    Switzerland has been the scene of a number of protests by local Kurds, 
including an ongoing demonstration by hunger-strikers outside the European 
headquarters of the United Nations, about a kilometer from the Ecumenical 
Center. 
 
    Almost immediately after the Kurds arrived at the Ecumenical Center, 
carrying the Kurdish flag and large banners with Ocalan's photo, the 
general secretary of the World Council of Churches, Konrad Raiser, met a 
delegation from the group. Shortly afterwards, at the Kurds' request, the 
WCC called at short notice a press conference at the Ecumenical Center 
during which the group's leader -- Ismael -- read out a list of demands by 
the Kurdish community in Switzerland, including: 
 
     * That European countries take action to obtain the release of Ocalan 
and guarantees for his safety 
     * That Ocalan's rights be respected in keeping with international 
human rights charters 
     * That a delegation of lawyers, journalists, doctors, politicians and 
representatives of non-governmental organizations travel to Turkey to 
observe the treatment of Ocalan. 
 
    At the press conference Kristine Greenaway, the WCC's communication 
director, said the WCC was calling "on its member churches in Europe to 
seize this opportunity and urge their respective governments to seek a 
peaceful political solution to the plight of the Kurdish people." She added 
that the WCC was appealing "to the Turkish government to ensure Mr. 
Ocalan's safety and that he can receive visits from his lawyers. The WCC 
further appeals to the Turkish authorities to ensure Mr Ocalan receives a 
fair trial in accordance with international norms and procedures of the 
rule of law." 
 
    Greenaway also said that the WCC had "followed the issue of the Kurdish 
people over the years." 
 
    In response to questions from the handful of journalists present, 
Ismael, speaking in French, said the protesters had come to the Ecumenical 
Center because it was a "humanitarian place." He insisted that the Kurds in 
Switzerland were engaged in "peaceful protest not in aggressive action." 
 
    Asked by ENI to comment on the fact that while the Kurds' demands 
included an accusation that Turkey had engaged in a "terrorist act" against 
Ocalan, the Turkish government accused Ocalan of multiple terrorist acts, 
Ismael replied: "If there is a war [between the Turkish authorities and the 
Kurds] it's because of them. We have no language, no culture, no lands.  We 
have been able to find no other solution. We have tried to have cease-fires 
several times, but the Turkish government will not hold talks with us. 
 
    "The Kurdish people didn't want a war, but we are forced to do this to 
gain our rights." 
 
    Ismael said that 35 Kurds in Geneva were on a hunger strike to protest 
against Ocalan's arrest. Many of the hunger-strikers were among the 
protesters at the Ecumenical Center. The leaders and staff members of 
several church-related organizations based in the Ecumenical Center 
attended the press conference. 
 
    In an interview immediately afterwards, Raiser told ENI that during the 
protest the WCC had contacted the International Commission of Jurists, 
based in Geneva, which had replied that it had already asked the Turkish 
authorities to ensure that Ocalan receives a fair trial. 
 
    Raiser added that he had agreed to meet the leader of the protesters 
again next week. 
 
    He told ENI that the WCC would keep abreast of developments on the 
issue, but added that the WCC needed to be sensitive because of concern for 
welfare of the Christian minority in Turkey which also faced problems. He 
said that the WCC would also seek cooperation with humanitarian NGOs to 
support "legitimate requests" from the Kurds. 
 
    Raiser said that he had held discussions with Keith Clements, general 
secretary of the Conference of European Churches on Feb. 18 about the 
Kurdish question.  The two organizations, he said, "may need to find ways" 
to influence the European Union (EU), the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe over the issue . 
(Turkey is a member of the OSCE and the Council of Europe, but not of the 
EU.) 
 
    The protesters left the Ecumenical Center shortly after the press 
conference. During the demonstration, the protesters blocked access from 
and to various parts of the Ecumenical Center, but there were no violent 
incidents. 

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