The launching of the campaign in South Africa has a special significance for two reasons: firstly, because South Africa occupies the moral high ground for peacefully resolving its political difference in that it was able to prove to the world that through dialogue and negotiations opposing and polarised forces can resolve their political problems through peaceful means; and secondly, because in February 1999 Ocalan was on the way from Europe to South Africa to seek political asylum, when he was
Luanch of Million Signatures Campaign 2010
intercepted by security forces in Kenya, abducted and handed blindfolded to the Turkeys security forces. We in South Africa therefore have  special interest in the fate and well-being of Ocalan.

We are accordingly launching the International Campaign for a Million Signatures calling for the release of Ocalan from prison to enable him, like Mandela, to contribute positively to the resolution of the conflict between the Turkish and Kurdish people through peaceful means. I might mention that Ocalan has already submitted to the Turkish authorities "The Road Map to Peace", which he conceived in prison. The Kurdish people have expressed unqualified support for the peace plan.

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In and during April 1997, KHRAG welcomed two members of the Kurdistan Parliament in Exile. They were, Serhat Bucak and Nizamettin Toguc. KHRAG arranged an intensive programme for the two delegates.  They met officials of the ANC, SACP and COSATU. The meetings were extremely positive and all these organisations pledged their support to the Kurdish cause. The Acting-Secretary General, Cheryl Carolus, reported that the ANC supports the cause of the Kurdish people. It had spoken to the Kurdish liberation movement, PKK, about two years earlier and had pledged its support to the PKK’s struggle for basic human rights for the Kurdish people in Turkey. Minister Omar undertook to take the matter up at cabinet level. It was suggested that the delegation meets up with Blade Nzimande the Secretary-General of the SACP. Chris Nissen was very positive and undertook to mobilise support for the Kurdish cause. The visit of the delegation was a precursor to the visit of a more senior delegation.

Memorandum of Intent

A draft Memorandum of Intent was prepared, setting out the proposed unfolding of negotiations between the Turkish and Kurdish peoples for the resolution of the Kurdish question in Turkey. It was suggested that the document be discussed by the Kurdistan Parliament in Exile; that it approves the principles contained therein with the necessary amendments; and that it mandates the senior delegation, who is to visit South Africa, to discuss the Memorandum of Intent with President Mandela. President Mandela should then be mandated to initiate “talks about talks” with the Turkish authorities. The Memorandum of Intent sets out the pre-conditions which have to be met by both parties before the “talks about talks” can take place, the time frames and the way forward

International Initiative: “Freedom for Abdullah Ocalan-Peace in Kurdistan

KHRAG supports the aims and objectives of the International Initiative. It was formed following the arrest of Abdullah Ocalan on or about 15 February 1999. We quote from a recent publication of the International Initiative dated 13 October 2009 and headed “Human Rights in Turkey 2009: One step forward, two steps back”.

Lifting of Arms Embargo by South Africa

The South African government had imposed a ban on arms export to Turkey because of its human rights record against the Kurdish civilians. These included extra-judicial killings, destruction of Kurdish villages, detention without trial of activists, the banning of organisations sympathetic to the Kurds, abuse of basic human rights and the militarisation of the civilian institutions. During the visit of the delegation, it was reported that the South African government had decided to uplift the arms embargo to Turkey. KHRAG had expressed its disappointment at the proposed lifting of the arms embargo and resolved not to condone the South African government's decision to uplift the arms embargo.