Cypriot writer and poet Yasar Ismailoglu, now 80 years old, first crossed paths with Abdullah Öcalan 55 years ago. He said he cried and became emotional when he heard Öcalan’s voice after 26 years. He said, “Abdullah Öcalan is an extraordinary human being. Despite the harsh conditions, he sounded very strong. We have not seen him for 26 years. We have lived in constant worry. A voice and image are not enough, he must be freed now.”
Ismailoglu also sent a message to his friend of 55 years, Abdullah Öcalan, and said: “I am grateful that you exist. You were the one who provided the solution to rescue us from this swamp. My trust in you is absolute, my dear friend, my comrade. One day, we will surely embrace.”
Yasar Ismailoglu (known as “Yasar Hoca”) has lived in London for over 50 years and has stood in solidarity with the Kurdish people as a close friend for nearly four decades. He has published a total of 46 books, eight of them poetry collections. His long-standing connection with the Kurdish people has been deeply shaped by the influence of Abdullah Öcalan.
In 1964, Yasar Ismailoglu was part of the Cyprus Mujahideen. His political views and life direction changed dramatically after he was accepted into the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University (Mülkiye) in 1966. During his Mülkiye years, influenced by the revolutionary leaders of the left at the time, he became active in the ranks of Revolutionary Left (Dev-Sol). A brief encounter with Abdullah Öcalan during those years later grew into a profound and lasting friendship with the Kurdish people.
That first encounter dates back to a political action in 1971, during which the windows of a board belonging to far-right nationalists were smashed.
Like millions of people across Kurdistan, Yasar Ismailoglu also received the recent video and audio message sent by Abdullah Öcalan from Imrali after 26 years with great emotion and excitement. Now living in London, Ismailoglu shared with ANF the feelings evoked by seeing and hearing Öcalan again after 26 years, their first encounter 55 years ago, the Damascus period, and the meaning of their comradeship spanning more than half a century.
Ismailoglu explained that in 1966, he left Cyprus after being accepted into the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University. He said: “While studying at Ankara Siyasal, I believe it was about two years later that I began to take an active role in the leftist movement. I met Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin Inan, Hüseyin Cevahir, and Mahir Çayan. Back then, we used to call Ibrahim Kaypakkaya a ‘Maoist.’ During that time, we were all active within the Federation of Idea Clubs.”
How did the board protest unfold?
Yasar Ismailoglu described how he and Abdullah Öcalan carried out a protest action targeting a board located in the area of the Faculty of Political Science where the amphitheaters and lecture halls were situated at the time. He recounted their first meeting as follows: “There were posters from social democrats, socialists, and ultranationalists on the board. The ultranationalists started smashing the panels where we posted our flyers. One day while we were sitting in the cafeteria, they said, ‘Cypriot, you will smash the ultranationalists’ board together with Apo (Abdullah Öcalan).’ So we went, and Öcalan came. That’s when we met. I saw him as a big man, with thick hands and large feet. I, on the other hand, was a short and small guy.
We went together and first did some scouting. We planned where I would stand and what he would do. There was a large corridor next to the amphitheater. I stood there as the lookout. Mr. Öcalan’s mother had sent him a pair of hand-knitted socks; he put one over his hand and hit the board’s glass twice. The glass broke. He moved toward the amphitheater, and I walked toward the corridor where the professors were. That was our action.”
‘The Apoists’ were being talked about everywhere
Ismailoğlu said that following the protest they carried out at the Faculty of Political Science in 1971, Abdullah Öcalan disappeared, and he never saw him again. During that time, he continued his involvement in the leftist struggle, while a group known as “the Apoists” began to be talked about.
But Ismailoğlu’s story with Öcalan did not end there. His encounter with Estella Schmidt in the late 1990s would eventually lead him back to Öcalan.
After graduating from the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University, Ismailoğlu left Turkey and settled in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. Once in London, he became involved in union work and served as the Regional Secretary for the Hackney branch of the NALGO union.
At a conference organized by the union, renowned human rights advocate and friend of the Kurdish people Estella Schmidt was in attendance. Schmidt wanted to distribute brochures about the Kurds during the event and asked Ismailoğlu for permission. Upon reading the brochure, Ismailoğlu found that it resonated deeply with his own ideas, and from that moment on, his interest in the Kurdish people began.
This meeting with Estella not only brought him closer to the Kurdish cause but also led to his involvement in the Kurdish Solidarity Committee, which had been founded by Kurdish friends at the time. As part of this process, in 1991, Ismailoğlu joined a delegation consisting of Cypriot intellectuals, the Greek-Kurdish Solidarity Network, and the Kurdish Solidarity Network on a visit to Damascus to meet with Abdullah Öcalan.
Öcalan’s memory and the Damascus encounter
Yaşar Ismailoğlu recounted his meeting with Abdullah Öcalan in Damascus and how Öcalan recognized him: “In 1991, we formed a delegation. Together with progressive Cypriots and the Greek-Kurdish Solidarity Network, which also included Estella Schmidt, we went to Damascus. There, Öcalan said to me, ‘Cypriot, I remember you.’
Of course, by then I had forgotten the incident we experienced at the Faculty of Political Science, and I hadn’t realized he was the same person. In front of everyone, he said, ‘You were wearing a brick-red sweater.’
Yes, after so many years, he even remembered the color of my sweater. He added, ‘I carried out my first protest in Ankara with you.’ While he described this action to everyone at that meeting, I became emotional and cried. He came and embraced me.”
Yaşar Ismailoğlu described how deeply moved he was that Abdullah Öcalan remembered him, expressing his emotions with the following words: “First and foremost, it made me cry. Because it made me part of the Kurdish people’s struggle and gave me a sense of honor. He said, ‘Yaşar is now our spiritual son.’
Later, during a meeting at the Kurdish Community Centre, he joined by phone and sent his greetings to me. There again, he repeated the same thing and honored me.”
During the period of the international conspiracy, when Abdullah Öcalan was in Rome, Yaşar Ismailoğlu and Estella began making preparations to visit him. However, one day before their scheduled meeting, Öcalan was forced to leave Rome. Ismailoğlu described that moment: “When he arrived in Europe, during the Rome process, we prepared to visit him. We were going to see Abdullah Öcalan. But when he had to leave Italy, our tickets became useless.”
I have immense respect for him
Yaşar Ismailoğlu said he feels proud to have contributed to the Kurdish freedom struggle and described Abdullah Öcalan in these words: “Every time we found ourselves in a difficult situation, Öcalan became a light, a guide. I am deeply honored that he gave me the chance to take part, however modestly, in supporting and contributing to the freedom struggle of a rightful people. My contribution may be small, but the love and passion for this cause were gifted to me by Öcalan. I have immense respect for him.”
He speaks through reading the world
Abdullah Öcalan’s Call for a Democratic Society was also addressed by Ismailoğlu, who said: “He tells us: ‘Lay down your arms. Laying down arms is not surrender, it is an achievement.’ He says this by reading the current global conjuncture, and he emphasizes that at this stage, disarmament is not a loss. The era of denial is over, and now he presents democratic struggle as the path forward.
If Öcalan were free, he would accomplish even greater things. I believe in him, and I trust him. If there is patience and dedicated work, great gains will be achieved.”
I cried the moment I heard his voice
Those who believe in Abdullah Öcalan, who love him and follow his path, were able to see him live for the first time in 26 years. When asked, “What did you feel?” Yaşar Ismailoğlu became emotional and shared his thoughts: “The moment I heard his voice, I cried. I was deeply moved. Of course, Öcalan’s hair has turned white, just like mine. But his will is intact. Despite all the pressure and those harsh conditions, he looked very vigorous. We were not able to see him for 26 years and have lived with constant worry.
The fact that he could produce such clarity and strength under those conditions shows how strong his will is. Even a short video reveals how he still moves millions of Kurds. I trust him wholeheartedly.”
Ismailoğlu emphasized that Öcalan’s stance remains crystal clear and added that voice and image alone are not enough: “He must now be freed. He will produce so much more. I want him to be free. They never truly imprisoned him, but now he must also be physically free. How beautifully he speaks…
He foresaw this process long ago and laid out the ‘Democratic Society Paradigm.’ That vision is now becoming reality.”
The greatest political development of the century
Ismailoğlu described the Kurdish question as the most pressing issue in the Middle East and continued: “Turkey has no choice but to come to terms with the Kurds. The situation in the Middle East especially compels this. Once the Kurdish question is resolved, the Cyprus issue will also be solved. A Turkey that resolves the Kurdish question through the paradigm of Abdullah Öcalan will undergo a social transformation that will not only bring peace to Cyprus but will also help resolve conflicts across the Middle East.
The Democratic Society Paradigm proposed by Abdullah Öcalan is the greatest political development and ideological contribution of the past century. It offers an alternative proposal and practice against the capitalist system.”
My dear friend, my comrade…
Yaşar Ismailoğlu, in a heartfelt message to his friend of 55 years, expressed his emotions with the following words: “I love you dearly. We are eagerly waiting for the day you return among us. I am grateful that you exist. You were the one who provided the solution to rescue us from this swamp. My trust in you is absolute, my dear friend, my comrade.
I feel very emotional about this. This is a friendship and comradeship that will never die. Even though you cannot see him or touch him, you feel his presence 24 hours a day. I believe that one day, we will surely embrace again. And just like in Syria, I believe one day his hand will again touch my back.
Abdullah Öcalan is a captivating human being. His gaze, his mind, his face, the way he touches your back with his hand… everything about him is mesmerizing.”
Who is Yaşar Ismailoğlu?
Yaşar Ismailoğlu was born on October 26, 1945, in Limassol, Cyprus. He is a Turkish Cypriot poet, writer, and researcher. He completed his primary and secondary education in Limassol and developed an early interest in literature and social issues. In the early 1970s, he was accepted into the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University, where he studied international politics. During those years, he was also involved in leftist revolutionary struggles. He later emigrated to the United Kingdom, where he pursued postgraduate studies at SOAS and Birkbeck College in London.
After settling in the UK, Ismailoğlu became known as a prolific writer, producing works in poetry, memoir, research, and short fiction. To date, he has published 46 books, primarily focused on the theme of peace in Cyprus, including memoirs, poems, stories, and essays.
More than a literary figure, Ismailoğlu has also stood out as a human rights advocate and social activist. In London, he has contributed to building dialogue between Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, and the Kurdish people. A close friend of the Kurdish people, Yaşar Ismailoğlu currently serves as the Coordinator of the Kurdish and Turkish Community Centre in London.
In 2018, a tribute night was held in his honor in London, and in 2019, he was nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Turkish Cypriot Community Awards.
Source: ANF News
