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Medical expedition Turkey Kurdistan 13.9.2006
By Vladimir van Wilgenburg
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The Kurdish doctor Güven
Yildiz has decided to go to her homeland to organise
a medical expedition. Güven Yildiz lives in Belgium
and after finishing her study, decided to do
something back for the Kurdish region. It is her
dream to set up a development project for
Turkish-Kurdistan and after hard work she finally
set it up this year.
Yildiz realized that we have to be happy “with our
health care system here”[Belgium]. Her project was
supported by a lot of doctors and politicians. The
only negative reaction came from a Turkish doctor,
that said that Kurdistan doesn’t exist and that the
doctor’s magazine shouldn’t be used for politics.
“The tour from Antwerp to Diyarbakir [Amed] is about
4381 kilometres. It’s my goal to collect the same
amount of money to support the expedition”, she
said.
Even before she jumped in the car to Amed, she
already collected 4000 euro. “Not only doctors, but
also patients gave a spontaneous contribution!”
But she is not going alone. Also her Kurdish
parents, the Belgian doctor Dirk Avonts and a
political science student have joined the club. Dirk
Avonts will collect data for his research, but will
also try to set up an exchange program between the
universities of Antwerp and Diyarbakir.
The student is writing his thesis. Later on two
Belgium doctors who supported the expedition will
visit them in Diyarbakir.
The Protection Committee of Expedition Kurdistan
consists of dozens of professors and doctors. Also
senator Lionel Vandenberghe (Spirit) and the
European MP (Groen!) have offered their support. The
Expedition also receives support from a Belgian
university.
The delegation first travelled to Istanbul before
going to Diyarbakir. They did some medical shopping
in Istanbul, but they will also buy products in
Diyarbakir to support the local economy. Güven
Yildiz called this a “win-win situation”.
Already two Kurdish newspapers reported about the
expedition. But because of the recent bomb attacks
and the military operations, Yildiz says they will
act cautiously. |
Photo: expeditie-koerdistan.blogspot.com
Photo: expeditie-koerdistan.blogspot.com |
Yesterday they arrived in Diyarbakir, where they set
up their first contacts with the only surgeon in
town, Kurdish patients and the university. Dirk
Avonts will now also have to learn some Kurdish
words. Her own blog provides more information about
the expedition in Dutch.
More:
Expedition Kurdistan (Also pictures - In Dutch
Language)
The use of the term "Kurdistan" is vigorously
rejected due to its alleged political implications
by the Republic of Turkey, which does not recognize
the existence of a "Turkish Kurdistan".
Others estimate as many as 40 million Kurds live in
Big Kurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Armenia),
which covers an area as big as France, about half of
all Kurds which estimate to 20 million live in
Turkey
The Kurdish flag flown in Iraqi Kurdistan but
unofficially flown by Kurds in Armenia. The flag is
banned in Iran, Syria, and Turkey where flying it is
a criminal offence"
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey) wikipedia
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