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Conference to discuss Kurdish
self-determination in Turkey
25.9.2006 |
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GREEN LEFT, Margarita
Windisch, -- Discussions will focus on the struggle
in Turkey, since it joined the European Union, and
the Australian government's listing of the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) as a terrorist organisation.
Keynote speakers will include Kerim Yildiz from the
Kurdish Human Rights Project in London, Mark Muller
from the Human Rights Committee of England and
Wales, Aysel Tugluk from the Democratic Society
Party in Turkey and NSW Greens Senator Kerry Nettle.
Human rights abuses against Kurdish people will be
another central theme.
"Kurds are still being oppressed by Turkey, Iran and
Syria.
For centuries hundreds of thousands of Kurds have
been killed by the governments of these countries,
who insist on trying to assimilate and humiliate
Kurds", Kahraman said.
He described how Kurds in Turkey have been denied
the possibility of being educated in their language
and are being prevented from freely practicing their
culture.
"The Turkish government is against any Kurdish
movement, including legal and pro-Kurdish political
parties."
The majority of Kurds support a peaceful solution to
the Kurdish issue.
The gathering will also discuss the implications of
the Howard government listing the PKK, the largest
Kurdish party in Northern Kurdistan, as a terrorist
organisation. "The PKK has been advocating
democratic, peaceful solutions.
It has called for a unilateral cease-fire at least
four times since 1993, all of which have been
rejected by the Turkish government", explained
Kahraman. "Still, the majority of Kurds support the
broad aims of the PKK, and a peaceful solution to
the Kurdish question."
The Australian Kurdish community is now fearful of
being labelled terrorist and prosecuted, Kahraman
said. "Many Kurds had to flee torture and
persecution because of their support for Kurdish
rights.
Now they are coming under pressure for defending
their rights.
" Kahraman admits that attaining an independent
Kurdish homeland will be hard and cites jailed PKK
leader Abdullah Ocalan who said that history shows
that nation states have often created, rather than
solved, problems. Still, he added, "the Kurdish
people must have the opportunity to decide on this
themselves".
Peyamner com
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 officially 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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