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Australia: Kurds fear persecution if PKK
banned
15.3.2006
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Australia's Kurdish
community and legal groups say the proscription of
the Kurdistan Workers Party could lead to
persecution here.
The Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has listed the
group, also known as the PKK, as a terrorist
organisation, but that is being reviewed by a
parliamentary committee.
The group has already been proscribed in Britain,
the US, Canada and the European Union.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence
and Security is currently reviewing the matter, and
is expected to hand down its decision shortly.
Zehra Yalcin, a Kurdish community member from
Melbourne, says while the community does not support
violence, the PKK has broad emotional ties both here
and in Turkey.
"By this law, we as Australian Kurds can be
persecuted at any time for supporting our family in
Turkey," she said.
The Federation of Community Legal Centres says it is
already an offence to plan, prepare or engage in
terrorism in Australia, so the proscription of the
PKK is unnecessary.
www.abc.net.au
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