Kurds demonstrate in protest of Ocalan's arrest
Regional-International, Politics, 2/25/1999

Thousands of Kurds who live in various parts of Europe demonstrated in Rome on Wednesday in protest against the arrest of the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, in Kenya last week.

The organizers of the demonstration said that some 35,000 persons took part in this peaceful demonstration in which pictures of Ocalan and black flags were raised, while Italian riot police were deployed in various parts of the city.

Italian Minister of Regional Affairs Katia Bellillo said during her participation in the demonstration that, "We will pursue all possible means in order to help the Kurdish people win self-rule."

One of the cofounders of the Italian Communist Party, Petro Ingaro, said, "The one who fights for the rights of the Kurds and for salvaging Ocalan, fights for the sake of freedom in the world."

Meanwhile, the Vatican news agency said that it received an appeal on Wednesday from the "Kurdish parliament in exile," asking Pope John Paul II to interfere to rescue the life of Ocalan. The secretary of state for the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, recently said in an interview with an Italian daily that the Vatican is preparing to ask the Turkish government to pardon Ocalan.

Elsewhere, some 6,000 Kurds demonstrated in downtown Berlin on Wednesday morning to protest the killing of three Kurds during the acts of protest following the kidnapping of Ocalan last week.

The demonstrators accused Turkey, Israel and the USA of practicing "the state run" policy and held the US and Israeli intelligence responsible for supporting the Turkish authorities in arresting Ocalan last week in Kenya.

The demonstrators asked Europe to send a delegation to Turkey to ensure the safety of Ocalan. Similar protests were held in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on Wednesday, in which hundred of Kurds took part.

Previous Stories:
  Turkey closes off borders with Iran, investigations continue with Ocalan   (2/23/1999)
  Ocalan to be tried in April   (2/22/1999)
  Report: Ocalan's lawyer tells the story of his capture   (2/19/1999)

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