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Kurds march on EU over Turkish treatment
15.4.2006
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BRUSSELS, April
15 (Reuters) - Thousands of Kurds marched through
Brussels on Saturday, calling on the European Union
to put pressure on Turkey to improve its treatment
of Kurds.
Kurds came from around Europe, carrying flags and
holding up pictures they said showed victims of
street clashes with Turkish police that occurred two
weeks ago in southeast Turkey.
Ankara began negotiations with the EU to join the
rich 25-member bloc last year. But its conflict with
the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought
for 20 years to carve out a Kurdish homeland in the
region, has been one of several sticking points in
the talks. "We want the European Union to talk to
Turkey, to say that there is a problem, there is no
democratisation in the country, and to push for
dialogue between Turkey and the Kurds," a march
organiser, Sidan Dogan, said.
Local media said there were about 10,000 protesters
and that the march appeared to be peaceful. The
police were not immediately available to say whether
there were any incidents.
In late March, 16 people died in street battles
between Kurds and Turkish police, which were sparked
by the funerals of 14 PKK rebels killed by troops.
The EU then voiced concern over the violence, and
called for Turkey to grant more economic and
cultural rights to the Kurds. It also noted that the
PKK was on the EU list of terrorist organisations.
Reuters
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