Monday, 30 August 2010
SELMAS, Eastern Kurdistan--In respond to Iranian regimes aggressive military operations against the Kurdish movement, democratic liberation union forces “guerrillas” engaged in clashes with the Iranian revolutionary guards in Selmas region, which resulted in death of 7 Iranian revolutionary guards.
According to the press release by the democratic liberation union force “guerrillas” on 29th August 2010 in respond to the regimes aggressive military operation against their forces and civilians in the region and in self defence under Article (51 UN Charter) guerrillas ambushed revolutionary guards base in Talkan, destroyed military vehicle completely and killed 7 revolutionary guards.
According to the DLU statement two of the dead revolutionary guards are high rank officers in the region. 3 more revolutionary guards also injured.
Although the democratic confederation of Kurdistan on 15th August declared a ceasefire in respect of Muslims holy month Ramadan, Iranian regime disregarded ceasefire and insists on its anti-Kurdish policies and since August 15th the Iranian regimes military operation has increased dramatically.
Monday, August 30, 2010
A Kurdish man shot died by revolutionary guards
Sunday, 29 August 2010
MARIWAN, Eastern Kurdistan--According to local sources a Kurdish man in Mariwan city was shot died by the Iranian revolutionary guards. Mr Jabar Bostam who was working in created boarders between Eastern Kurdistan boarders and Southern Kurdistan as a result of regimes systematic and deliberate shooting announced dead.
It is worth noting that since the beginning of August 2010 6 Kurdish men have been shot died by the Iranian revolutionary guards.
Same killing policies were implemented by the Turkish governments in 1990, and today the policies are adopted by the Iranian regime and killing Kurds have been ordered by the Iranian presidential office and national security department.
It is not regrettable to stay that Human Rights organizations and EU states are too reluctant to reflect what is going on in Eastern Kurdistan because of their national interest and their economic and diplomatic relationship with the barbaric regime of Iran.
MARIWAN, Eastern Kurdistan--According to local sources a Kurdish man in Mariwan city was shot died by the Iranian revolutionary guards. Mr Jabar Bostam who was working in created boarders between Eastern Kurdistan boarders and Southern Kurdistan as a result of regimes systematic and deliberate shooting announced dead.
It is worth noting that since the beginning of August 2010 6 Kurdish men have been shot died by the Iranian revolutionary guards.
Same killing policies were implemented by the Turkish governments in 1990, and today the policies are adopted by the Iranian regime and killing Kurds have been ordered by the Iranian presidential office and national security department.
It is not regrettable to stay that Human Rights organizations and EU states are too reluctant to reflect what is going on in Eastern Kurdistan because of their national interest and their economic and diplomatic relationship with the barbaric regime of Iran.
Disappeared 16 Years Old Kurdish Woman Allegedly Shot in Honor Killing
By SORAN BAHADIN
ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan: After she was accused of sleeping with a man, the 16-yeard old Payman Khalil was threatened with death by his father and other family members about three months ago. Since then the woman has controversially become disappeared.
Her father Khalil Jalal says that Payman escaped the house as soon as she had received the threats.
The police of the Dibaga, a town disputed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Central Government of Baghdad, has yet to make any investigation into the case.
Some people including Erbil’s police have said that Payman was killed by her father and thrown into a ditch in a nearby village near the volatile city of Mosul.
“Payman’s father-in-law and I agreed to kill Payman. But she escaped and we did not kill her”, said Jalal, father.
Two years ago, when she was just 14 years old, Payman became married to one of her cousins. She had no children with her labor husband living her in a nearby village, Shmamik.
Dibaga is about 38 kilometers away from Erbil. It belongs to the Makhmour District and is populated by about 8000 people under the control of the Iraqi Central government.
The region is highly conservative where violence against women is relatively high.
The Makhmour police stated that they were not even aware about the case. They said they would not investigate anything if someone does not file a complaint.
But after few days of the disappearance of Payman, KRG’s Erbil-based Center to Combat Violence against Women (CCVAW) asked the Erbil’s Police Station to make its own invesitagtion.
“Payman was shot dead by his father in a village nearby Dibaga and then thrown into a ditch. Payman was killed over alleged marriage betrayal. The families of both sides have reconciled,” said a report by the police of Erbil.
Nabaz Omar, the mayor of Dibaga, said that he had heard the news of Payman’s death about three weeks ago and informed the police.
“Investigations are ongoing. Police has not reached a conclusion yet. The dossier has been sent to the court. The lady’s family has kept the incident secret. We do not have adequate evidence about her possible death,” said Omar.
“But we will continue the investigations until we will find adequate evidences. Then the lady’s close relatives will be arrested for ‘not reporting her missing to the police’.”
Jalal, Payman’s father, said that his brother who is Payman’s father-in-law as well had told him that he had seen a guy with Payman in her house.
“My brother said he had seen them together with his own eyes. That is why he and I decided to kill her. He was insisting on the killing and I agreed,” said Jalal.
“But Payman’s husband told me that he knows his wife that she never cheats on him. He was defending his wife. I told him I would kill you both.”
Payman’s father says her daughter must be alive. He said he had made unsuccessful attempts to find her.
“If Payman come back, I will investigate the subject comprehensively. If she had betrayed, then I will turn her to the government. If not, then I will not forgive my brother”.
Payman’s father says the incident has damaged his personality.
“We are looked down by the people. People do not respect us as they used to,” said Jalal.
“Before I was happy to be among others and visit those whom I know. But I do not go out now.”
ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan: After she was accused of sleeping with a man, the 16-yeard old Payman Khalil was threatened with death by his father and other family members about three months ago. Since then the woman has controversially become disappeared.
Her father Khalil Jalal says that Payman escaped the house as soon as she had received the threats.
The police of the Dibaga, a town disputed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Central Government of Baghdad, has yet to make any investigation into the case.
Some people including Erbil’s police have said that Payman was killed by her father and thrown into a ditch in a nearby village near the volatile city of Mosul.
“Payman’s father-in-law and I agreed to kill Payman. But she escaped and we did not kill her”, said Jalal, father.
Two years ago, when she was just 14 years old, Payman became married to one of her cousins. She had no children with her labor husband living her in a nearby village, Shmamik.
Dibaga is about 38 kilometers away from Erbil. It belongs to the Makhmour District and is populated by about 8000 people under the control of the Iraqi Central government.
The region is highly conservative where violence against women is relatively high.
The Makhmour police stated that they were not even aware about the case. They said they would not investigate anything if someone does not file a complaint.
But after few days of the disappearance of Payman, KRG’s Erbil-based Center to Combat Violence against Women (CCVAW) asked the Erbil’s Police Station to make its own invesitagtion.
“Payman was shot dead by his father in a village nearby Dibaga and then thrown into a ditch. Payman was killed over alleged marriage betrayal. The families of both sides have reconciled,” said a report by the police of Erbil.
Nabaz Omar, the mayor of Dibaga, said that he had heard the news of Payman’s death about three weeks ago and informed the police.
“Investigations are ongoing. Police has not reached a conclusion yet. The dossier has been sent to the court. The lady’s family has kept the incident secret. We do not have adequate evidence about her possible death,” said Omar.
“But we will continue the investigations until we will find adequate evidences. Then the lady’s close relatives will be arrested for ‘not reporting her missing to the police’.”
Jalal, Payman’s father, said that his brother who is Payman’s father-in-law as well had told him that he had seen a guy with Payman in her house.
“My brother said he had seen them together with his own eyes. That is why he and I decided to kill her. He was insisting on the killing and I agreed,” said Jalal.
“But Payman’s husband told me that he knows his wife that she never cheats on him. He was defending his wife. I told him I would kill you both.”
Payman’s father says her daughter must be alive. He said he had made unsuccessful attempts to find her.
“If Payman come back, I will investigate the subject comprehensively. If she had betrayed, then I will turn her to the government. If not, then I will not forgive my brother”.
Payman’s father says the incident has damaged his personality.
“We are looked down by the people. People do not respect us as they used to,” said Jalal.
“Before I was happy to be among others and visit those whom I know. But I do not go out now.”
Efraz Mohammed Amin Yousef in court in Syria
August 28, 2010 by sks
The Military Criminal Court in Aleppo heard the case of Efraz Mohammed Amin Yousef on 25 August 2010, in case no. 598 of 2010. He was imprisoned for three years, on charges of weakening national sentiment, according to Article 285 of the General Penal Code. The sentence was commuted to one year.
Efraz Mohammed Amin Yousef was arrested by security forces on 12 December 2009 in the city of Derek in Hassaka province.
Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD expresses concern over the increase in these harsh judgments, and calls on the authorities to exercise judicial independence and impartiality in resolving claims relating to public affairs. They also call upon the Syrian authorities to release all political prisoners and prisoners of opinion, and in particular the attorney Mustafa Ismail from Kobani, who has been detained for nearly nine months due to his interest in public affairs and human rights. They appeal to all national democratic forces to intervene for his release after he was referred to the Court of Military Commissions in Aleppo.
26 August 2010
Previous reports:
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-on-trial-in-a-military-court-in-syria/
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-appears-in-court-in-syria/
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-still-detained/
http://supportkurds.org/news/amnesty-international-syria-kurdish-lawyer-detained-risks-torture
http://supportkurds.org/news/trial-of-kurdish-youths-adjourned-to-29-december-2009
http://supportkurds.org/news/syria-di-member-mr-mustafa-ismail-arrested
The Military Criminal Court in Aleppo heard the case of Efraz Mohammed Amin Yousef on 25 August 2010, in case no. 598 of 2010. He was imprisoned for three years, on charges of weakening national sentiment, according to Article 285 of the General Penal Code. The sentence was commuted to one year.
Efraz Mohammed Amin Yousef was arrested by security forces on 12 December 2009 in the city of Derek in Hassaka province.
Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD expresses concern over the increase in these harsh judgments, and calls on the authorities to exercise judicial independence and impartiality in resolving claims relating to public affairs. They also call upon the Syrian authorities to release all political prisoners and prisoners of opinion, and in particular the attorney Mustafa Ismail from Kobani, who has been detained for nearly nine months due to his interest in public affairs and human rights. They appeal to all national democratic forces to intervene for his release after he was referred to the Court of Military Commissions in Aleppo.
26 August 2010
Previous reports:
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-on-trial-in-a-military-court-in-syria/
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-appears-in-court-in-syria/
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-still-detained/
http://supportkurds.org/news/amnesty-international-syria-kurdish-lawyer-detained-risks-torture
http://supportkurds.org/news/trial-of-kurdish-youths-adjourned-to-29-december-2009
http://supportkurds.org/news/syria-di-member-mr-mustafa-ismail-arrested
Another arbirtrary arrest of a Kurdish man in Syria
August 28, 2010 by sks
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria –DAD reports that a patrol of the State Security Branch in Qamishli arrested Emad Askan Ahmed at about 11pm on Friday 27 August 2010, without a warrant or court order. He was taken to an unknown destination, and his whereabouts remain unknown at the time of writing.
Emad Askan Ahmed born 1975, from the Qamishli area is married with six daughters. He is a contractor, and is suffering from kidney disease.
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria –DAD condemns and strongly denounces the arrest of Emad Askan Ahmed, and is deeply concerned about his fate. They call on the security forces to stop making arbitrary arrests that take place outside the law, and which constitute a flagrant violation of the rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Permanent Constitution of 1973, pursuant to a State of Emergency and martial law declared in the country since 8 March 1963.
28 August 2010
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria –DAD reports that a patrol of the State Security Branch in Qamishli arrested Emad Askan Ahmed at about 11pm on Friday 27 August 2010, without a warrant or court order. He was taken to an unknown destination, and his whereabouts remain unknown at the time of writing.
Emad Askan Ahmed born 1975, from the Qamishli area is married with six daughters. He is a contractor, and is suffering from kidney disease.
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria –DAD condemns and strongly denounces the arrest of Emad Askan Ahmed, and is deeply concerned about his fate. They call on the security forces to stop making arbitrary arrests that take place outside the law, and which constitute a flagrant violation of the rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Permanent Constitution of 1973, pursuant to a State of Emergency and martial law declared in the country since 8 March 1963.
28 August 2010
Protest action for imprisoned lymphoma patient
30 August 2010
Human Rights Association and other groups protest in front of Diyarbakir prison
A group of human rights organisations will hold a protest action for imprisoned lymphoma patient Nurettin Soysal in Diyarbakir.
Soysal's health condition detoriated dramatically for the last few months and Turkish authorities refused to release him.
Members of Human Rights Association (IHD) and Democratic Solidarity Association for Families of Detainees and Convicted (TUHAD-DER) will hold a protest action in front of Diyabakir D Type Prison where Soysal is imprisoned.
Both organisations called human rights organisations for solidarity with Soysal.
Soysal is reportedly in a serious condition while his doctors say he has only months to live.
He was sent back to prison from Dicle University Hospital yesterday.
Although Turkish law says terminally ill patients should be freed Turkey denies to free Soysal on compassionate grounds.
Lymphoma is the cancer that grows in lypmh nodes. It is usually not fatal when diagnosed in early stages.
Soysal's lawyers say the lack of adequate health services in Turkish prisons caused a late diagnosis.
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Human Rights Association and other groups protest in front of Diyarbakir prison
A group of human rights organisations will hold a protest action for imprisoned lymphoma patient Nurettin Soysal in Diyarbakir.
Soysal's health condition detoriated dramatically for the last few months and Turkish authorities refused to release him.
Members of Human Rights Association (IHD) and Democratic Solidarity Association for Families of Detainees and Convicted (TUHAD-DER) will hold a protest action in front of Diyabakir D Type Prison where Soysal is imprisoned.
Both organisations called human rights organisations for solidarity with Soysal.
Soysal is reportedly in a serious condition while his doctors say he has only months to live.
He was sent back to prison from Dicle University Hospital yesterday.
Although Turkish law says terminally ill patients should be freed Turkey denies to free Soysal on compassionate grounds.
Lymphoma is the cancer that grows in lypmh nodes. It is usually not fatal when diagnosed in early stages.
Soysal's lawyers say the lack of adequate health services in Turkish prisons caused a late diagnosis.
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Prisoners suffering terminal disease go to ECHR
30 August 2010
Kurdish lawyers of Diyarbakir Bar Association take cases to the European Court of Human Rights
Kurdish lawyers of Diyarbakir Bar Association are taking the situation of the prisoners who are suffering terminal illnesses and not released despite the medical reports before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasburg.
Lawyer Reyhan Yalcindag stated that they will base their claims on the Article 13 (right to an effective remedy), Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) and Article 3 (prohibition of torture). “These people are left to die in prison merely because of their opposing political opinion.” added Yalcindag.
She also said they will take the cases of Rıdvan Kızgın who was not released in spite of his terminal illness and eventually died in prison. She further stated that Nurettin Sosyal and Halil Gunes who are currently suffering such an illness in prison will also apply the European Court.
Law is not applied to the political opponents
Speaking to ANF attorney Reyhan Yalcindag said although the laws are clear in terms of releasing the prisoners suffering terminal diseases the authorities are reluctant to apply them to the political opponents.
Medical reports are ignored
Yalcindag also stated that there are dozens of political prisoners like Nurettin Soysal and Halil Güneş who are still kept in prisons despite the medical reports issued by hospitals. “These patient prisoners cannot receive roper medical care in prisons and left to die in prisons which constitutes a violation of right to life in the meaning of the European Convention on Human Rights.” added Yalcindag.
Ergenekon prisoners receive favourable treatment
Reyhan Yalcindag further stated that the prisoners who are on trial within the scope of the Ergenekon case are easily granted such release whereas political opponents are left to die in prison. She said it is a clear discrimination and all the prisoners suffering such a situation should be treated equally and released.
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Kurdish lawyers of Diyarbakir Bar Association take cases to the European Court of Human Rights
Kurdish lawyers of Diyarbakir Bar Association are taking the situation of the prisoners who are suffering terminal illnesses and not released despite the medical reports before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasburg.
Lawyer Reyhan Yalcindag stated that they will base their claims on the Article 13 (right to an effective remedy), Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) and Article 3 (prohibition of torture). “These people are left to die in prison merely because of their opposing political opinion.” added Yalcindag.
She also said they will take the cases of Rıdvan Kızgın who was not released in spite of his terminal illness and eventually died in prison. She further stated that Nurettin Sosyal and Halil Gunes who are currently suffering such an illness in prison will also apply the European Court.
Law is not applied to the political opponents
Speaking to ANF attorney Reyhan Yalcindag said although the laws are clear in terms of releasing the prisoners suffering terminal diseases the authorities are reluctant to apply them to the political opponents.
Medical reports are ignored
Yalcindag also stated that there are dozens of political prisoners like Nurettin Soysal and Halil Güneş who are still kept in prisons despite the medical reports issued by hospitals. “These patient prisoners cannot receive roper medical care in prisons and left to die in prisons which constitutes a violation of right to life in the meaning of the European Convention on Human Rights.” added Yalcindag.
Ergenekon prisoners receive favourable treatment
Reyhan Yalcindag further stated that the prisoners who are on trial within the scope of the Ergenekon case are easily granted such release whereas political opponents are left to die in prison. She said it is a clear discrimination and all the prisoners suffering such a situation should be treated equally and released.
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
New Chief of General Staff outlines his plan of action
30 August 2010
General Işık Koşaner substantially in line with his predecessor
The new Chief of General Staff Gen. Işık Koşaner has outlined his plan of action at the weekend. During the handover ceremony he has spelled out four demands.
Without naming the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) nor the party’s call for autonomy, Koşaner stressed the need to take action in the face of demands for autonomy. These actions were summarized in the formula used by the new Chief of General Staff who talk about taking effective legal measures against any initiative to build a second structure in the country. The other three demands focused on ensuring the central Iraqi government and the regional Kurdish administration will take measures against the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) based in northern Iraq. A refrain this which has become a kind of mantra for the army chiefs. The third demand focused on the need for preventing the support provided to the PKK and its members by some European countries; and the fourth on continuing to give the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) authorization to launch military strikes at the terrorist bases in northern Iraq.
Koşaner said the TSK would continue to be in favor of protecting the nation-state, unitary and secular state structuring. “The unitary state represents the unity of the legislative, executive and judiciary within the country’s borders. The same laws are valid in any part of the country.” he said.
And he added that “the unitary state is the guarantee of protection of the principle of equality and of not being engaged regionalism or ethnic discrimination and not creating a minority.”
Koşaner also also added that “divisive and separatist movements threatening our country’s integrity, security and peace have entered in a new phase of realizing [their goal] in recent times.”
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
General Işık Koşaner substantially in line with his predecessor
The new Chief of General Staff Gen. Işık Koşaner has outlined his plan of action at the weekend. During the handover ceremony he has spelled out four demands.
Without naming the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) nor the party’s call for autonomy, Koşaner stressed the need to take action in the face of demands for autonomy. These actions were summarized in the formula used by the new Chief of General Staff who talk about taking effective legal measures against any initiative to build a second structure in the country. The other three demands focused on ensuring the central Iraqi government and the regional Kurdish administration will take measures against the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) based in northern Iraq. A refrain this which has become a kind of mantra for the army chiefs. The third demand focused on the need for preventing the support provided to the PKK and its members by some European countries; and the fourth on continuing to give the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) authorization to launch military strikes at the terrorist bases in northern Iraq.
Koşaner said the TSK would continue to be in favor of protecting the nation-state, unitary and secular state structuring. “The unitary state represents the unity of the legislative, executive and judiciary within the country’s borders. The same laws are valid in any part of the country.” he said.
And he added that “the unitary state is the guarantee of protection of the principle of equality and of not being engaged regionalism or ethnic discrimination and not creating a minority.”
Koşaner also also added that “divisive and separatist movements threatening our country’s integrity, security and peace have entered in a new phase of realizing [their goal] in recent times.”
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Assyrian genocide monument vandalized in Australia
30 August 2010
The monument had just been unveiled
The Assyrian Genocide Monument, which was installed on August 7 vandalized by Turkish nationalists in Fairfield, Australia.
The vandals painted a Turkish crescent and star on the monument's globe, which sits on a pedestal resembling a hand, as well as writing "f**k Assyrian dogs" and "f**k Assyria" on the left and forward sides of the base of the monument. The plaque at the front of the monument was removed.
According to the Fairfield City Champion, a local newspaper, a war memorial in Fairfield Park, dedicated to Australian and Assyrian soldiers who fought together, was also vandalized with a mixture of concrete and paint.
After the dedication of the monument, Assyrian community leaders had privately expressed concerns about the safety of the monument.
The monument is dedicated to the 750,000 Assyrians that were killed by Turkish state in World War One, between 1915 and 1918.
ANF / FAIRFIELD
ANF NEWS AGENCY
The monument had just been unveiled
The Assyrian Genocide Monument, which was installed on August 7 vandalized by Turkish nationalists in Fairfield, Australia.
The vandals painted a Turkish crescent and star on the monument's globe, which sits on a pedestal resembling a hand, as well as writing "f**k Assyrian dogs" and "f**k Assyria" on the left and forward sides of the base of the monument. The plaque at the front of the monument was removed.
According to the Fairfield City Champion, a local newspaper, a war memorial in Fairfield Park, dedicated to Australian and Assyrian soldiers who fought together, was also vandalized with a mixture of concrete and paint.
After the dedication of the monument, Assyrian community leaders had privately expressed concerns about the safety of the monument.
The monument is dedicated to the 750,000 Assyrians that were killed by Turkish state in World War One, between 1915 and 1918.
ANF / FAIRFIELD
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Economist Sonmez says Kurdish issue cannot be solved only with economy
Kurdish population who have migrated in the west Turkey should also be taken seriously and the Kurdish political movement should not be limited to Kurdish geography, said Economist Mustafa Sonmez.
Kurdish problem cannot be handled with economical development and investments.
Speaking to ANF economist and writer Mustafa Sonmez said it is a mistake to consider Kurdish problem as result of mere economical problems. Sonmez also stated that Kurdish problem cannot only be handled with economic precautions such as development and investment. “Kurdish demands for democratic rights and their struggle for these rights deserve to be respected.” added Sonmez.
Sonmez also stated that Kurdish struggle for democratic rights should not be limited to Kurdish cities because in our time Kurds are living not only in 21 Kurdish cities but all over Turkey. He said according to the address-based census of 2009 the number of the persons who were born in 21 Kurdish cities amounts to 18, 5 million which constitutes 25, 6 % of Turkey’s population.
He further added that 7, 5 million Kurds which constitute 40, 5 % of the 18, 5 million Kurdish population are not living in Kurdish cities but in western, central and southern Anatolia where they migrated to. In other words, 7 million of these 7, 5 million Kurds are actually living in 17 big cities in Turkey.
Sonmez also stated that it is significant that 3, 2 million of those 7, 5 million Kurds who are living out of Kurdish cities are based in Istanbul. Therefore, Sonmez agrees on the statement that says Istanbul is the biggest Kurdish city in the world.
After Istanbul, the Cukurova region on the east coast of Mediterranean where the cities Adana and Mersin are have 850 Kurdish population. Including the Kurds in Antep this number reaches 1 million 150 thousand which makes up 23 % of the total populations of these three cities.
750 thousand Kurdish population living in Izmir also makes up almost 20 % of the whole population in Izmir.
Kurdish political movement should not be limited to Kurdish cities
Reminding the population statistics Sonmez also said in many countries ethnic identities are living in a certain area, such as Basque and Catalans in Spain. He however thinks that this situation does not apply the Kurds living in Turkey and therefore the Kurdish struggle should be more widespread. “40 % of the Kurdish population is living in the West which is a fact that should not be ignored. Kurdish problem is not a regional problem. It is problem which interests not only the Kurds but also each part of Turkey, each one who defines himself as a democrat Turk.” added Sonmez.
CHP is denying the Kurdish identity by resorting economical problems
Mustafa Sonmez also says CHP and businessmen consider underdeveloped economy in Kurdish city as the main reason for the Kurdish problem. He also said that these groups think that the PKK is deceived the population suffering poverty and the youth are joining the guerrillas. However, this approach is a result of denying and undermining the Kurdish identity.
Giving Catalonia and Basque regions as example Sonmez said the struggle for ethnic identity does not develop only in poor regions, Catalonia is the richest region in Spain and they have conducted an identity struggle which resulted in autonomy.
He also said, if the Kurds were not originating under-developed South East but developed South Marmara region yet there would be a struggle for national identity which has nothing to do with economical problems.
Seasonal Kurdish workers are considered as potential criminals
Mustafa Sonmez also emphasized the discrimination faced by the seasonal Kurdish workers who are going to out of Kurdish regions to work in the fields and said the attacks and discrimination against the seasonal workers are reaching dangerous levels and getting organised around trade unions can be a solution. “Agricultural workers who are trying hard to earn their bread to are being abused. But what equally grave is that the officials are proposing camps like concentration camps in order to prevent such abuses. These workers are considered as potential criminals and threat. Such an approach is inhumane and is not compatible with brotherhood of the people. However, trade unions can represent these workers, irrespective of their ethnicity, and democratic NGO’s and political parties can also support these unions.” added Sonmez.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Kurdish problem cannot be handled with economical development and investments.
Speaking to ANF economist and writer Mustafa Sonmez said it is a mistake to consider Kurdish problem as result of mere economical problems. Sonmez also stated that Kurdish problem cannot only be handled with economic precautions such as development and investment. “Kurdish demands for democratic rights and their struggle for these rights deserve to be respected.” added Sonmez.
Sonmez also stated that Kurdish struggle for democratic rights should not be limited to Kurdish cities because in our time Kurds are living not only in 21 Kurdish cities but all over Turkey. He said according to the address-based census of 2009 the number of the persons who were born in 21 Kurdish cities amounts to 18, 5 million which constitutes 25, 6 % of Turkey’s population.
He further added that 7, 5 million Kurds which constitute 40, 5 % of the 18, 5 million Kurdish population are not living in Kurdish cities but in western, central and southern Anatolia where they migrated to. In other words, 7 million of these 7, 5 million Kurds are actually living in 17 big cities in Turkey.
Sonmez also stated that it is significant that 3, 2 million of those 7, 5 million Kurds who are living out of Kurdish cities are based in Istanbul. Therefore, Sonmez agrees on the statement that says Istanbul is the biggest Kurdish city in the world.
After Istanbul, the Cukurova region on the east coast of Mediterranean where the cities Adana and Mersin are have 850 Kurdish population. Including the Kurds in Antep this number reaches 1 million 150 thousand which makes up 23 % of the total populations of these three cities.
750 thousand Kurdish population living in Izmir also makes up almost 20 % of the whole population in Izmir.
Kurdish political movement should not be limited to Kurdish cities
Reminding the population statistics Sonmez also said in many countries ethnic identities are living in a certain area, such as Basque and Catalans in Spain. He however thinks that this situation does not apply the Kurds living in Turkey and therefore the Kurdish struggle should be more widespread. “40 % of the Kurdish population is living in the West which is a fact that should not be ignored. Kurdish problem is not a regional problem. It is problem which interests not only the Kurds but also each part of Turkey, each one who defines himself as a democrat Turk.” added Sonmez.
CHP is denying the Kurdish identity by resorting economical problems
Mustafa Sonmez also says CHP and businessmen consider underdeveloped economy in Kurdish city as the main reason for the Kurdish problem. He also said that these groups think that the PKK is deceived the population suffering poverty and the youth are joining the guerrillas. However, this approach is a result of denying and undermining the Kurdish identity.
Giving Catalonia and Basque regions as example Sonmez said the struggle for ethnic identity does not develop only in poor regions, Catalonia is the richest region in Spain and they have conducted an identity struggle which resulted in autonomy.
He also said, if the Kurds were not originating under-developed South East but developed South Marmara region yet there would be a struggle for national identity which has nothing to do with economical problems.
Seasonal Kurdish workers are considered as potential criminals
Mustafa Sonmez also emphasized the discrimination faced by the seasonal Kurdish workers who are going to out of Kurdish regions to work in the fields and said the attacks and discrimination against the seasonal workers are reaching dangerous levels and getting organised around trade unions can be a solution. “Agricultural workers who are trying hard to earn their bread to are being abused. But what equally grave is that the officials are proposing camps like concentration camps in order to prevent such abuses. These workers are considered as potential criminals and threat. Such an approach is inhumane and is not compatible with brotherhood of the people. However, trade unions can represent these workers, irrespective of their ethnicity, and democratic NGO’s and political parties can also support these unions.” added Sonmez.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
General amnesty not an issue before next elections
30 August 2010
Prime Minister Erdoğan rules out general amnesty talks before 2011
For Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the run-up to the constitutional referendum is the wrong time to discuss a possible general amnesty.
And yet he spoke about it even though to say that he would not speak about it.
Speaking on a program on the private TV channel Kanal 24, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: "For instance, the general amnesty issue. Is there any clause on general amnesty in the constitutional package? Why do they make statements on this issue?" Erdoğan said, recalling the recent suggestion of Republican People's Party, or CHP, leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for such a pardon.
"First of all, you do not have the right to declare a general amnesty in this country. Who gives you this authority?" the prime minister said, adding that Parliament would not approve such a proposal even if it made it to the voting stage.
"This can only be a promise for the period after the 2011 elections. It is something like bribery," Erdoğan said.
Commenting on the stance of several nongovernmental organizations in Turkey's southeast regarding the upcoming referendum, Erdoğan said these organizations intended to vote "yes" for the constitutional package.
"This is a very brave stance. I congratulate these NGOs for their attitude," Erdoğan said.
On remarks that the government had held talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, Erdoğan said they would never sit at a table with the organization, but that the state's intelligence agency could hold talks with anybody, anytime and anywhere.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Prime Minister Erdoğan rules out general amnesty talks before 2011
For Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the run-up to the constitutional referendum is the wrong time to discuss a possible general amnesty.
And yet he spoke about it even though to say that he would not speak about it.
Speaking on a program on the private TV channel Kanal 24, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: "For instance, the general amnesty issue. Is there any clause on general amnesty in the constitutional package? Why do they make statements on this issue?" Erdoğan said, recalling the recent suggestion of Republican People's Party, or CHP, leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for such a pardon.
"First of all, you do not have the right to declare a general amnesty in this country. Who gives you this authority?" the prime minister said, adding that Parliament would not approve such a proposal even if it made it to the voting stage.
"This can only be a promise for the period after the 2011 elections. It is something like bribery," Erdoğan said.
Commenting on the stance of several nongovernmental organizations in Turkey's southeast regarding the upcoming referendum, Erdoğan said these organizations intended to vote "yes" for the constitutional package.
"This is a very brave stance. I congratulate these NGOs for their attitude," Erdoğan said.
On remarks that the government had held talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, Erdoğan said they would never sit at a table with the organization, but that the state's intelligence agency could hold talks with anybody, anytime and anywhere.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
DTK co-chairs to meet Kurdistan Regional Government over conference
30 August 2010
In the next days DTK co-chairs will go to South Kurdistan
DTK (Democratic Society Congress) co-chairs Ahmet Türk and Aysel Tuğluk will have talks with Federal Kurdistan President Mesut Barzani and Iraq President Celal Talabani about the democratic solution of the Kurdish problem and the preparations for the Kurdish National Conference.
Ahmet Türk and Tuğluk had previously met Barzani in Hewler in mid July this year. At the meeting in the following days, DTK co-chairs will convey the concrete proposals of DTK to Barzani and compare notes concerning the workouts of the national conferenc. Türk and Tuğluk will also be welcomed by Iraq President Celal Talabani during their visit.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
In the next days DTK co-chairs will go to South Kurdistan
DTK (Democratic Society Congress) co-chairs Ahmet Türk and Aysel Tuğluk will have talks with Federal Kurdistan President Mesut Barzani and Iraq President Celal Talabani about the democratic solution of the Kurdish problem and the preparations for the Kurdish National Conference.
Ahmet Türk and Tuğluk had previously met Barzani in Hewler in mid July this year. At the meeting in the following days, DTK co-chairs will convey the concrete proposals of DTK to Barzani and compare notes concerning the workouts of the national conferenc. Türk and Tuğluk will also be welcomed by Iraq President Celal Talabani during their visit.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Iranian revolutionary guards increasing their military bases on Southern Kurdistan’s boarder (Iraq)
Saturday, 28 August 2010
EASTERN KURDISTAN--Iranian army reported to be deploying more soldiers on the border with South Kurdistan. It is also reported that Iran has built 3 more military outposts in the region which may cause further clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and the Iranian soldiers.
It should be noted that the increase in military bases and deployment of further revolutionary guards on boarders between Eastern Kurdistan and Southern Kurdistan could cover many sides, two of the key sides are fight Kurdish guerrillas and also to destabilize Southern Kurdistan by the time US soldiers are mostly withdrawn.
HPG sources reported that Iranian army is preparing for an attack on the guerrillas and deployed soldiers in Shino, Mergever and Urmiye. Iranian army has also placed tank and Katyusha rocket launchers in the region.
Iranian army is targeting Peoples’ Defense Forces HPG who is mainly active in Turkey rather than PJAK forces that are fighting against Iran. In the recent Iranian attacks on HPG, 3 guerrillas lost their lives on 16 August. In the operation of 17 August other 4 Kurdish also lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK) has warned the Iranian state and said it is “significant” that Iranian forces started targeting HPG forces just after the ceasefire declared by them on 13 August.
It is also reported that on 23-24 August East Kurdistan Forces (HRK) of PJAK clashed with Iranian army in Meriwan. HRK reported that while 11 revolutionary guards were killed 2 Kurdish guerrillas also lost their lives.
EASTERN KURDISTAN--Iranian army reported to be deploying more soldiers on the border with South Kurdistan. It is also reported that Iran has built 3 more military outposts in the region which may cause further clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and the Iranian soldiers.
It should be noted that the increase in military bases and deployment of further revolutionary guards on boarders between Eastern Kurdistan and Southern Kurdistan could cover many sides, two of the key sides are fight Kurdish guerrillas and also to destabilize Southern Kurdistan by the time US soldiers are mostly withdrawn.
HPG sources reported that Iranian army is preparing for an attack on the guerrillas and deployed soldiers in Shino, Mergever and Urmiye. Iranian army has also placed tank and Katyusha rocket launchers in the region.
Iranian army is targeting Peoples’ Defense Forces HPG who is mainly active in Turkey rather than PJAK forces that are fighting against Iran. In the recent Iranian attacks on HPG, 3 guerrillas lost their lives on 16 August. In the operation of 17 August other 4 Kurdish also lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK) has warned the Iranian state and said it is “significant” that Iranian forces started targeting HPG forces just after the ceasefire declared by them on 13 August.
It is also reported that on 23-24 August East Kurdistan Forces (HRK) of PJAK clashed with Iranian army in Meriwan. HRK reported that while 11 revolutionary guards were killed 2 Kurdish guerrillas also lost their lives.
Kurdish cities and towns still have no clean water
Saturday, 28 August 2010 17:37
PIRANSHAHER, Eastern Kurdistan--Ever since Islamic fanatics imposed their ideology and rules on Iranian nations following 1979 revolution against tyranny rules of Shah. Islamic regime claimed that it will provide all public services and facilities to the people equally through out the Iranian territory.
31 years after regimes ruling Kurdish cities and towns still have no clean waters and majority of the people are denied having an access to public services such as hospitals, universities, clean water, standard roads and etc.
Piranshaher is one of the Kurdish cities in Eastern Kurdistan where the people still have no access to clean water. Authorities and councillor are reluctant to respond to peoples demand, and because there is no neutral judicial system in Iran, the people of Piranshaher to whom they have to submit their compliance.
Deprivation of Kurds from the public services is part of regimes anti-Kurdish policies, and Eastern Kurdistan viewed as a colony by the Islamic regime, even the previous regimes in Iran, therefore, it is systematically and deliberately prevented by the regime from economic and social developments.
PIRANSHAHER, Eastern Kurdistan--Ever since Islamic fanatics imposed their ideology and rules on Iranian nations following 1979 revolution against tyranny rules of Shah. Islamic regime claimed that it will provide all public services and facilities to the people equally through out the Iranian territory.
31 years after regimes ruling Kurdish cities and towns still have no clean waters and majority of the people are denied having an access to public services such as hospitals, universities, clean water, standard roads and etc.
Piranshaher is one of the Kurdish cities in Eastern Kurdistan where the people still have no access to clean water. Authorities and councillor are reluctant to respond to peoples demand, and because there is no neutral judicial system in Iran, the people of Piranshaher to whom they have to submit their compliance.
Deprivation of Kurds from the public services is part of regimes anti-Kurdish policies, and Eastern Kurdistan viewed as a colony by the Islamic regime, even the previous regimes in Iran, therefore, it is systematically and deliberately prevented by the regime from economic and social developments.
Two Kurdish youth arrested by Iranian authorities
Saturday, 28 August 2010 17:12
SAQEZ, Eastern Kurdistan--As a part of Islamic regimes anti-Kurdish policies in Eastern Kurdistan, every day Kurds are being arrested arbitrary by the regimes authorities and revolutionary guards.
According to the local news source two Kurdish youth were arrested in Saqez city by the Iranian revolutionary guards and intelligence services. They have been arrested on allegations that they are supporting and cooperating with one of the Kurdish political party.
Two men known as Mr Hiwa Moatamedi and Kamal Illahy were arrested on Thursday and currently they being held in Saqez central prison: Said local source.
Every day Kurds being shot died, killed, murdered, arrested and tortured by the regimes authorities as part of elimination process and wiping out Kurdish identity on the face of earth.
Despite the concerns of International community and Human Rights organizations in regards of Human Rights violation in Iran by the regimes authorities, unfortunately little attention is paid to the Kurdish situation in Eastern Kurdistan, although Kurds greatly affected by the regimes policies and it could be said that Kurds suffered more than any other nations in Iran.
SAQEZ, Eastern Kurdistan--As a part of Islamic regimes anti-Kurdish policies in Eastern Kurdistan, every day Kurds are being arrested arbitrary by the regimes authorities and revolutionary guards.
According to the local news source two Kurdish youth were arrested in Saqez city by the Iranian revolutionary guards and intelligence services. They have been arrested on allegations that they are supporting and cooperating with one of the Kurdish political party.
Two men known as Mr Hiwa Moatamedi and Kamal Illahy were arrested on Thursday and currently they being held in Saqez central prison: Said local source.
Every day Kurds being shot died, killed, murdered, arrested and tortured by the regimes authorities as part of elimination process and wiping out Kurdish identity on the face of earth.
Despite the concerns of International community and Human Rights organizations in regards of Human Rights violation in Iran by the regimes authorities, unfortunately little attention is paid to the Kurdish situation in Eastern Kurdistan, although Kurds greatly affected by the regimes policies and it could be said that Kurds suffered more than any other nations in Iran.
Islamic Republic of Iran’s atrocities against civilian disobedience in Kurdistan
KurdishMedia.com - By Ahmad Eskandari
27/08/2010
Islamic Republic of Iran’s aatrocities against civilian disobedience in Kurdistan
The memories of 19 August 1979 are still alive
The execution of five Human Rights activists, among them the brave and intellectual young Kurdish teacher, Farzad Kamangar on the 9th of May 2010, that was highlighted by the international mass media, was followed by mass demonstrations and protest actions by Iranians and Kurds in Iran and around the World. To protest against this atrocious act in Kurdistan itself, the whole population responded positively to the appeal of political parties in opposition to the Iranian Regime and participated in a one day general strike on May 23rd. This general strike made it clear that the situation was not exactly the same in Kurdistan, as in the rest of Iran.
Since the very beginning of the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, the tone and mode of opposition has been different in Kurdistan.
31 years ago, on August 19th, 1979, the Iranian radio and television stopped its ordinary programs abruptly and read time and again the Jihad Decree of Ayatollah Khomeini against the Kurdish people in which he called on “all the armed forces (air, ground and marine) of the country to move immediately towards Kurdistan . . . Any delay, even one hour will be regarded as contravention of duties and wrongdoers will be punished severely and accordingly.” Despite the fact that there is no sea connection to Kurdistan, the formulation of the Fatwa demonstrates to what extent the armed forces were involved in the operations and the situation there on that ‘bloody Sunday of August 19th, 1979’.
The whole action was based on the false news, cabled the same day to Khomeini’s headquarters. It alleged that the armed Kurds in the capital city of Sanandaj had kidnapped wives and daughters of officers in the army and other police forces and held them as hostages in the city’s Friday Mosque. The news of the kidnapping was totally fabricated, of course. Neither on that day nor the days before or after, any women or girls had ever been kidnapped or taken hostage in Kurdistan.
Besides, on that same day, there was not a single armed Kurd in that big and famous mosque. At the time and due to the “revolutionary fervour of radical pro-Khomeini militants”, nobody within the Iranian administration dared to defy this false news item. Later on, the very Governor of Kurdistan Province, designated by the Interior ministry, who at the time was in fact in the same city of Sanandaj, denied the news through his lines of communications with the Interior Ministry in Tehran. He indicated in an interview, some months later, that he had tried to convince the authorities in Tehran on the falseness of the news, but it was in vain.
This was the beginning stage of a process of three months of atrocities, summary executions (officially for having “endangered national security and territorial integrity”) and massacre of some villagers in Kurdistan and an unprecedented oppression towards the civilian population. The political parties, who did not expect such a reaction and were not prepared at all, were completely surprised; however, they managed to organise, after a couple of weeks, an armed resistance from scratch.
The Kurdish people, who had boycotted the referendum for the establishment of an Islamic Republic in Iran, earlier in April of the same year-1979, resisted and were mobilised in supporting the Kurdish political organisations thoroughly. This resulted two months later, in dispatching of a “Governmental Delegation of Good Offices” to meet with Kurdish leaders in the mountainous area on the border with Iraq. The same Khomeini, who had ordered the Fatwa for Jihad three months earlier, agreed to negotiations and issued “a historical message for reconciliation” and praised the Kurds and their political leaders!
After several meetings with a ministerial delegation (I participated in a couple of the meetings in September 1979), a Kurdish delegation was formed. The “Delegation of Representatives of the Kurdish People”(DRKP) was presented to the people of Kurdistan and they supported it with massive demonstrations throughout the whole of Kurdistan in Iran. The president of DRKP was Sheikh Ezzedin Hosseini,and its spokesperson was Dr Abdulrahman Ghassemlou. The delegation was comprised of representatives of Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, Revolutionary Toilers Organisation of Iraninan Kurdistan or Komala and People’s Fedayeen Guerrillas Organisation.
There was only a short meeting with the official delegation of the government which received huge media coverage at that time. It became clear from the very beginning that the Iranian regime was gaining time to prepare itself for yet another series of offensives, mass executions and atrocities in Kurdistan in the Spring of 1980. About 23 years later, this assertion is supported by some of the same figures, former ministers and members of the official delegation at that time, who confess in interviews with a monthly magazine in Tehran named “Cheshmandaze Iran” dated March 2003. (I have commented on this issue in details in an article in Farsi in 2004).
The Kurds asked for their national rights, democracy, freedom, equal rights for women and men in a secular society. But the new leaders of Iran challenged it and refused to accept them..
Sheikh Ezzedin Hosseini who is a Kurdish cleric and a prominent political figure that has been an advocate of separation of state and religion from the very beginning of the Iranian revolution, had already met with Khomeini himself, the prime minister and responsible ministers in Tehran and Qom discussing at length the autonomy for Kurdistan. At the age of almost 90, though living in exile in Sweden, he remains defiant to the Islamic Republic of Iran and is an active advocate of the democratic movement in Kurdistan and in Iran.
Even a delegation of KDPI headed by its general secretary Dr Ghassemlou had made the same journey to Tehran and Qom. However, later on as it is a common knowledge now, Dr Ghassemlou and three of his companions were assassinated in an apartment in Vienna on 13 of July 1989, on the “negotiating table” with so called diplomats from Tehran.
Many other political assassinations have followed. The victims come from all political parties in Kurdistan, some prominent members of KDPI and Komala, as well as many more Iranian prominent opposition figures.
But more than 30 years of acts of violence have not made Kurdistan a “quiet island” for the Iranian authorities. Civilian disobedience has characterised the situation in Kurdistan for many years now. The general strike of the Kurdish people on 23 of May this year and following the executions of freedom fighters is a very good indication of that.
The democratic movement of the Iranian people throughout the country following the presidential elections of June 2009 and up to now became an event in which many scenes from the early years of Iranian rule in Kurdistan were played and replayed. Shooting on peaceful demonstrations, beating and torturing prisoners to death, forcing them to appear on TV “making confessions”, raping young girls before execution for not letting them to die as virgins, refusing giving back corpses of the executed men and women to their families and forcing families of the victims not to have any remembrance ceremonies for their beloved ones and so on, were all known actions of the security forces in Kurdistan for almost thirty years. But these were unknown for public opinion in Iran due to a hard censorship and the fact that all news agencies and broadcast media were State-owned and tightly controlled especially on news from Kurdistan.
That notorious “Holy War” of Khomeini and the Iranian Regime’s aggression against the Kurdish people is remembered by Human Rights activists and freedom fighters and democratic campaigners every year.
Farzad Kamangar, the Kurdish 35-year-old teacher executed in May 2010, was accused for the same reason as those innocents in 1979 and later, i.e. For "endangering national security" and "enmity against God". In his letters from prison, Farzad wrote among others:
“Is it possible to carry the heavy burden of being a teacher and be responsible for spreading the seeds of knowledge and still be silent? Is it possible to see the lumps in the throats of the students and witness their thin and malnourished faces and keep quiet? . . .
I breathe a sigh of relief after hearing the news of the imprisonment of my cellmates Nader and Arash, who have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison, that fortunately they were not also sentenced to execution, but when I think about Nader’s little Mehdi and Arash’s mother, tears fill my eyes and again I don’t know whether to be sad or happy.”
KurdishMedia.com - By Ahmad Eskandari27/08/2010 00:00:00
27/08/2010
Islamic Republic of Iran’s aatrocities against civilian disobedience in Kurdistan
The memories of 19 August 1979 are still alive
The execution of five Human Rights activists, among them the brave and intellectual young Kurdish teacher, Farzad Kamangar on the 9th of May 2010, that was highlighted by the international mass media, was followed by mass demonstrations and protest actions by Iranians and Kurds in Iran and around the World. To protest against this atrocious act in Kurdistan itself, the whole population responded positively to the appeal of political parties in opposition to the Iranian Regime and participated in a one day general strike on May 23rd. This general strike made it clear that the situation was not exactly the same in Kurdistan, as in the rest of Iran.
Since the very beginning of the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, the tone and mode of opposition has been different in Kurdistan.
31 years ago, on August 19th, 1979, the Iranian radio and television stopped its ordinary programs abruptly and read time and again the Jihad Decree of Ayatollah Khomeini against the Kurdish people in which he called on “all the armed forces (air, ground and marine) of the country to move immediately towards Kurdistan . . . Any delay, even one hour will be regarded as contravention of duties and wrongdoers will be punished severely and accordingly.” Despite the fact that there is no sea connection to Kurdistan, the formulation of the Fatwa demonstrates to what extent the armed forces were involved in the operations and the situation there on that ‘bloody Sunday of August 19th, 1979’.
The whole action was based on the false news, cabled the same day to Khomeini’s headquarters. It alleged that the armed Kurds in the capital city of Sanandaj had kidnapped wives and daughters of officers in the army and other police forces and held them as hostages in the city’s Friday Mosque. The news of the kidnapping was totally fabricated, of course. Neither on that day nor the days before or after, any women or girls had ever been kidnapped or taken hostage in Kurdistan.
Besides, on that same day, there was not a single armed Kurd in that big and famous mosque. At the time and due to the “revolutionary fervour of radical pro-Khomeini militants”, nobody within the Iranian administration dared to defy this false news item. Later on, the very Governor of Kurdistan Province, designated by the Interior ministry, who at the time was in fact in the same city of Sanandaj, denied the news through his lines of communications with the Interior Ministry in Tehran. He indicated in an interview, some months later, that he had tried to convince the authorities in Tehran on the falseness of the news, but it was in vain.
This was the beginning stage of a process of three months of atrocities, summary executions (officially for having “endangered national security and territorial integrity”) and massacre of some villagers in Kurdistan and an unprecedented oppression towards the civilian population. The political parties, who did not expect such a reaction and were not prepared at all, were completely surprised; however, they managed to organise, after a couple of weeks, an armed resistance from scratch.
The Kurdish people, who had boycotted the referendum for the establishment of an Islamic Republic in Iran, earlier in April of the same year-1979, resisted and were mobilised in supporting the Kurdish political organisations thoroughly. This resulted two months later, in dispatching of a “Governmental Delegation of Good Offices” to meet with Kurdish leaders in the mountainous area on the border with Iraq. The same Khomeini, who had ordered the Fatwa for Jihad three months earlier, agreed to negotiations and issued “a historical message for reconciliation” and praised the Kurds and their political leaders!
After several meetings with a ministerial delegation (I participated in a couple of the meetings in September 1979), a Kurdish delegation was formed. The “Delegation of Representatives of the Kurdish People”(DRKP) was presented to the people of Kurdistan and they supported it with massive demonstrations throughout the whole of Kurdistan in Iran. The president of DRKP was Sheikh Ezzedin Hosseini,and its spokesperson was Dr Abdulrahman Ghassemlou. The delegation was comprised of representatives of Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, Revolutionary Toilers Organisation of Iraninan Kurdistan or Komala and People’s Fedayeen Guerrillas Organisation.
There was only a short meeting with the official delegation of the government which received huge media coverage at that time. It became clear from the very beginning that the Iranian regime was gaining time to prepare itself for yet another series of offensives, mass executions and atrocities in Kurdistan in the Spring of 1980. About 23 years later, this assertion is supported by some of the same figures, former ministers and members of the official delegation at that time, who confess in interviews with a monthly magazine in Tehran named “Cheshmandaze Iran” dated March 2003. (I have commented on this issue in details in an article in Farsi in 2004).
The Kurds asked for their national rights, democracy, freedom, equal rights for women and men in a secular society. But the new leaders of Iran challenged it and refused to accept them..
Sheikh Ezzedin Hosseini who is a Kurdish cleric and a prominent political figure that has been an advocate of separation of state and religion from the very beginning of the Iranian revolution, had already met with Khomeini himself, the prime minister and responsible ministers in Tehran and Qom discussing at length the autonomy for Kurdistan. At the age of almost 90, though living in exile in Sweden, he remains defiant to the Islamic Republic of Iran and is an active advocate of the democratic movement in Kurdistan and in Iran.
Even a delegation of KDPI headed by its general secretary Dr Ghassemlou had made the same journey to Tehran and Qom. However, later on as it is a common knowledge now, Dr Ghassemlou and three of his companions were assassinated in an apartment in Vienna on 13 of July 1989, on the “negotiating table” with so called diplomats from Tehran.
Many other political assassinations have followed. The victims come from all political parties in Kurdistan, some prominent members of KDPI and Komala, as well as many more Iranian prominent opposition figures.
But more than 30 years of acts of violence have not made Kurdistan a “quiet island” for the Iranian authorities. Civilian disobedience has characterised the situation in Kurdistan for many years now. The general strike of the Kurdish people on 23 of May this year and following the executions of freedom fighters is a very good indication of that.
The democratic movement of the Iranian people throughout the country following the presidential elections of June 2009 and up to now became an event in which many scenes from the early years of Iranian rule in Kurdistan were played and replayed. Shooting on peaceful demonstrations, beating and torturing prisoners to death, forcing them to appear on TV “making confessions”, raping young girls before execution for not letting them to die as virgins, refusing giving back corpses of the executed men and women to their families and forcing families of the victims not to have any remembrance ceremonies for their beloved ones and so on, were all known actions of the security forces in Kurdistan for almost thirty years. But these were unknown for public opinion in Iran due to a hard censorship and the fact that all news agencies and broadcast media were State-owned and tightly controlled especially on news from Kurdistan.
That notorious “Holy War” of Khomeini and the Iranian Regime’s aggression against the Kurdish people is remembered by Human Rights activists and freedom fighters and democratic campaigners every year.
Farzad Kamangar, the Kurdish 35-year-old teacher executed in May 2010, was accused for the same reason as those innocents in 1979 and later, i.e. For "endangering national security" and "enmity against God". In his letters from prison, Farzad wrote among others:
“Is it possible to carry the heavy burden of being a teacher and be responsible for spreading the seeds of knowledge and still be silent? Is it possible to see the lumps in the throats of the students and witness their thin and malnourished faces and keep quiet? . . .
I breathe a sigh of relief after hearing the news of the imprisonment of my cellmates Nader and Arash, who have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison, that fortunately they were not also sentenced to execution, but when I think about Nader’s little Mehdi and Arash’s mother, tears fill my eyes and again I don’t know whether to be sad or happy.”
KurdishMedia.com - By Ahmad Eskandari27/08/2010 00:00:00
Violence against women killed 27 in 27 days
28 August 2010
New demonstration organized by women' platform
Marching every week against woman decimates from Taksim to Galatasaray Square, woman members of the Platform “We will stop the women murders” pointed out that 27 women died only in the last 27 days due to the precautions not taken.
The members of the platform, which was founded by democratic mass organizations in İstanbul, one more time drew attention to woman murders.
Making a statement in the name of platform members, who chanted slogans like “Our body is our identity, our labor is ours”, Özüm Arslanoğlu told the stories of Gülbeyaz Arslan, whose throat was cut by her mate Ferdi Sevim in Bahçelievler/İstanbul, and the story of Ayten Kıvılcım, who disappeared almost one month ago and and then found stabbed in the forested land 500 meters close to her house.
Arslanoğlu emphasized that the reasons of woman murders, which are backed up by the all government branches, are expressed as decency, jealousness and unemployment.
Stating that 27 women died in the last 27 days, “On the basis of so-called isolated reasons, arrested murderers make advantage of “unjust provocation reduction”law , which was enacted by the 29. Article of TCK (Turkish Penal Code)” recorded Arslanoğlu.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / ISTANBUL
ANF NEWS AGENCY
New demonstration organized by women' platform
Marching every week against woman decimates from Taksim to Galatasaray Square, woman members of the Platform “We will stop the women murders” pointed out that 27 women died only in the last 27 days due to the precautions not taken.
The members of the platform, which was founded by democratic mass organizations in İstanbul, one more time drew attention to woman murders.
Making a statement in the name of platform members, who chanted slogans like “Our body is our identity, our labor is ours”, Özüm Arslanoğlu told the stories of Gülbeyaz Arslan, whose throat was cut by her mate Ferdi Sevim in Bahçelievler/İstanbul, and the story of Ayten Kıvılcım, who disappeared almost one month ago and and then found stabbed in the forested land 500 meters close to her house.
Arslanoğlu emphasized that the reasons of woman murders, which are backed up by the all government branches, are expressed as decency, jealousness and unemployment.
Stating that 27 women died in the last 27 days, “On the basis of so-called isolated reasons, arrested murderers make advantage of “unjust provocation reduction”law , which was enacted by the 29. Article of TCK (Turkish Penal Code)” recorded Arslanoğlu.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / ISTANBUL
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Israeli radars for Kurdistan?
28 August 2010
Business as usual with Israel
Turkey is preparing to purchase high technology vision system from Israel to use in Kurdistan, especially in Iraq border, Israeli media reported.
A government-owned Turkish company has approached an Israeli company that develops radars systems aimed at defending nuclear reactors and border fences, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Wednesday.
The Turkish company has looked into the possibility of purchasing BiScopic Protection system, a high performance stereoscopic vision sensory system for the detection of perimeter intrusion, from Dimona-based Magna BSP Ltd. to boost security along Turkey's border with Iraq.
The system, which was was developed by Magna in cooperation with the Nuclear Research Center and the Ministry of Defense, is used by the IDF.
Magna CEO Haim Siboni confirmed that the Turks approached his company.
Magna's system is currently installed in nuclear reactors in Japan and India. In Israel, the system is used by security personnel at Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem's Temple Mount complex.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Business as usual with Israel
Turkey is preparing to purchase high technology vision system from Israel to use in Kurdistan, especially in Iraq border, Israeli media reported.
A government-owned Turkish company has approached an Israeli company that develops radars systems aimed at defending nuclear reactors and border fences, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Wednesday.
The Turkish company has looked into the possibility of purchasing BiScopic Protection system, a high performance stereoscopic vision sensory system for the detection of perimeter intrusion, from Dimona-based Magna BSP Ltd. to boost security along Turkey's border with Iraq.
The system, which was was developed by Magna in cooperation with the Nuclear Research Center and the Ministry of Defense, is used by the IDF.
Magna CEO Haim Siboni confirmed that the Turks approached his company.
Magna's system is currently installed in nuclear reactors in Japan and India. In Israel, the system is used by security personnel at Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem's Temple Mount complex.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
One wounded in boycott meeting
28 August 2010
One boy wounded and 17 people detained at meeting on Friday
One person was wounded during the police assault on the march, which was organized yesterday evening in Sur/Diyarbakır after the boycott demonstration of BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) District Organization.
While young demonstrators threw molotov cocktails to a post office and a police car during the clashes, 17 people were detained by police.
There was a police assault and terrorizing in Sur county of Diyarbakır yesterday. It was stated that plainclothes policemen used real bullets against young demonstrators in Dörtayaklı Minare. A passerby named Cembeli Kaya was shot on his back and was critically injured.
Young demonstrators responded police with molotov cocktails, fireworks and blast bombs. Following the battle, which ended when demonstrators dispersed in side streets, 17 people were detained by police.
And seriously wounded Kaya was taken under treatment in intensive care unit of Dicle University Research Hospital.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
One boy wounded and 17 people detained at meeting on Friday
One person was wounded during the police assault on the march, which was organized yesterday evening in Sur/Diyarbakır after the boycott demonstration of BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) District Organization.
While young demonstrators threw molotov cocktails to a post office and a police car during the clashes, 17 people were detained by police.
There was a police assault and terrorizing in Sur county of Diyarbakır yesterday. It was stated that plainclothes policemen used real bullets against young demonstrators in Dörtayaklı Minare. A passerby named Cembeli Kaya was shot on his back and was critically injured.
Young demonstrators responded police with molotov cocktails, fireworks and blast bombs. Following the battle, which ended when demonstrators dispersed in side streets, 17 people were detained by police.
And seriously wounded Kaya was taken under treatment in intensive care unit of Dicle University Research Hospital.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Iranian military shot Kurdish man dead on Turkish border
28 August 2010
Iranian military killed a Kurd for alleged illegal crossing of Iran-Turkey border.
Iranian military killed a Kurd yesterday for alleged illegal crossing of Iran-Turkey border. Witnesses said Iranian soldiers opened fire without warning.
Twenty-six year old Sheraffaddin Guleryuz from village of Sirimli near Saray, a disrict of Van province, was killed by Iranian soldiers on Iran-Turkey border.
He was returning from Belasor village on the other side of the border his relatives said. Iranian soldiers opened fire without any warning on the border which is very close to Sirimli village.
Five more survived from the shooting but villagers refused to name them, fearing they would be arrested for illegal border crossing.
Raif Acar, a relative of a survivor told the Iranian soldiers in Nezerbeg outpost is responsible for the killing.
He also said there were reports that Turkish soldiers in Cemil Cicek outpost also opened fire on the villagers.
Guleryuz's body was sent to his village after an autopsy in Van State Hospital.
Illegal border crossings are fairly usual in Iran-Turkey border. Villagers on the Turkish side cross the border to buy goods which are cheaper on Iranian side.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Iranian military killed a Kurd for alleged illegal crossing of Iran-Turkey border.
Iranian military killed a Kurd yesterday for alleged illegal crossing of Iran-Turkey border. Witnesses said Iranian soldiers opened fire without warning.
Twenty-six year old Sheraffaddin Guleryuz from village of Sirimli near Saray, a disrict of Van province, was killed by Iranian soldiers on Iran-Turkey border.
He was returning from Belasor village on the other side of the border his relatives said. Iranian soldiers opened fire without any warning on the border which is very close to Sirimli village.
Five more survived from the shooting but villagers refused to name them, fearing they would be arrested for illegal border crossing.
Raif Acar, a relative of a survivor told the Iranian soldiers in Nezerbeg outpost is responsible for the killing.
He also said there were reports that Turkish soldiers in Cemil Cicek outpost also opened fire on the villagers.
Guleryuz's body was sent to his village after an autopsy in Van State Hospital.
Illegal border crossings are fairly usual in Iran-Turkey border. Villagers on the Turkish side cross the border to buy goods which are cheaper on Iranian side.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Kidnapped Assyrian killed despite ranson paid
28 August 2010
A kidnapped Assyrian's bullet riddled body was found yesterday in a field in Nimrud.
A kidnapped Assyrian's bullet riddled body was found yesterday after his family had paid the kidnappers 15,000 dollars as ransom for his release.
Luay Bahram al-Malik's body was found in a field in Nimrud, a town of Nineveh province.
Thirty-five year old Assyrian Christian was kidnapped a week ago. His family negotiated with the kidnappers and paid the ransom.
He was shot several times in the head, the police reports say.
Violence against non-Muslims is wide spread in Nineveh.
Last February, eight Christians were killed over nine days in and around Mosul.
According to AFP 40 Christians were killed and 12,000 others fled Mosul in result of the violence against Christian minority.
Shabak, Turkmen and Yazidi minorities usualy targeted by Sunni Arabs in the region.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
A kidnapped Assyrian's bullet riddled body was found yesterday in a field in Nimrud.
A kidnapped Assyrian's bullet riddled body was found yesterday after his family had paid the kidnappers 15,000 dollars as ransom for his release.
Luay Bahram al-Malik's body was found in a field in Nimrud, a town of Nineveh province.
Thirty-five year old Assyrian Christian was kidnapped a week ago. His family negotiated with the kidnappers and paid the ransom.
He was shot several times in the head, the police reports say.
Violence against non-Muslims is wide spread in Nineveh.
Last February, eight Christians were killed over nine days in and around Mosul.
According to AFP 40 Christians were killed and 12,000 others fled Mosul in result of the violence against Christian minority.
Shabak, Turkmen and Yazidi minorities usualy targeted by Sunni Arabs in the region.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
More than 300 dead in Turkish prisons since 2002
28 August 2010
More than 300 chronically ill inmates died in prison in Turkey since 2002, human rights organisations say.
About 50 chronically ill prisoners pleas are ignored by the Islamist AKP government, Freedom Platform for Chronically Ill Prisoners said in a press statement.
“AKP is continuing isolation torture in prisons. They don't treat the ill prisoners. This is a silent mass murder” Servet Gocmen, represantative of the platorm says.
“They are kept in prison and watch them die. AKP is hypocritical about its human rights policy”
Gocmen and relatives of prisoners gathered today in Istanbul in protest of Turkish governments attitude against prisoners; especially political prisoners.
Gocmen critised current treatment procedures for the prisoners which sometimes results no adequate treatment.
He said AKP is responsible for death of more than 300 prisoners. All of their applications for release are rejected by Turkish Justice Ministry.
According to Amnesty International's reports allegations of ill-treatment on transfer to prison persisted and, in a number of cases, prisoners' access to appropriate medical treatment was denied in Turkey.
ANF /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
More than 300 chronically ill inmates died in prison in Turkey since 2002, human rights organisations say.
About 50 chronically ill prisoners pleas are ignored by the Islamist AKP government, Freedom Platform for Chronically Ill Prisoners said in a press statement.
“AKP is continuing isolation torture in prisons. They don't treat the ill prisoners. This is a silent mass murder” Servet Gocmen, represantative of the platorm says.
“They are kept in prison and watch them die. AKP is hypocritical about its human rights policy”
Gocmen and relatives of prisoners gathered today in Istanbul in protest of Turkish governments attitude against prisoners; especially political prisoners.
Gocmen critised current treatment procedures for the prisoners which sometimes results no adequate treatment.
He said AKP is responsible for death of more than 300 prisoners. All of their applications for release are rejected by Turkish Justice Ministry.
According to Amnesty International's reports allegations of ill-treatment on transfer to prison persisted and, in a number of cases, prisoners' access to appropriate medical treatment was denied in Turkey.
ANF /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Three soldiers killed in Van
28 August 2010
Three Turkish soldiers were killed in Van in a clash with the PKK.
Kurdish guerrillas laid an ambush on the Turkish soldiers who were running a military operation in Baskale district of Van which left 3 Turkish soldiers dead and two others injured.
It is reported that the ambush was a reprisal for the 6 guerrillas who lost their lives in the military operations conducted by the Turkish army despite the ceasefire declared by Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK) on 13 August.
People’s Defence Forces HPG reported that on 26 August Kurdish guerrillas targeted a military vehicle between Beblesin and Albayrak villages in Baskale district of Van and as a result 3 soldiers were killed and 2 soldiers injured.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Three Turkish soldiers were killed in Van in a clash with the PKK.
Kurdish guerrillas laid an ambush on the Turkish soldiers who were running a military operation in Baskale district of Van which left 3 Turkish soldiers dead and two others injured.
It is reported that the ambush was a reprisal for the 6 guerrillas who lost their lives in the military operations conducted by the Turkish army despite the ceasefire declared by Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK) on 13 August.
People’s Defence Forces HPG reported that on 26 August Kurdish guerrillas targeted a military vehicle between Beblesin and Albayrak villages in Baskale district of Van and as a result 3 soldiers were killed and 2 soldiers injured.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Second Kurdish language newspaper shut down by Turkey in four days
28 August 2010
A Kurdish language newspaper was shut down by a Turkish court.
Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court issued a shut down verdict today against Kurdish daily Rojev in grounds of making propaganda of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and KONGRA GEL.
The decision came after shut down of another Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat on Wednesday.
This is the fourt shut down verdict for Kurdish newspapers in 2010.
The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly challenged decisions by the Turkish courts.
EU officials say the prevailing culture among judges and prosecutors, and the severity of several articles in the criminal code, pose serious obstacles to Turkey's bid for EU membership.
But despite many promises, the government has so far made little progress in reforming the judiciary.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
A Kurdish language newspaper was shut down by a Turkish court.
Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court issued a shut down verdict today against Kurdish daily Rojev in grounds of making propaganda of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and KONGRA GEL.
The decision came after shut down of another Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat on Wednesday.
This is the fourt shut down verdict for Kurdish newspapers in 2010.
The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly challenged decisions by the Turkish courts.
EU officials say the prevailing culture among judges and prosecutors, and the severity of several articles in the criminal code, pose serious obstacles to Turkey's bid for EU membership.
But despite many promises, the government has so far made little progress in reforming the judiciary.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Kurdish guerrillas killed 10 suspected collabrators in Iran
28 August 2010
Kurdish guerillas attacked a village in Iran and killed 10 village guards.
Democratic Liberation Union (DKB) has reported that on 25 August guerrilla forces punished the village guards who collaborated with the Iranian army and played a role in the attack against the DKB on 17 August which left four guerrillas dead.
It is also reported that in the reprisal attack in Kalikan village in Kelaresh region at least 10 village guards were killed.
DKB also reported that the village guards took shelters in their houses therefore the guerrillas ended the attack in order to avoid civilian casualties.
DKB further warned the village guards to lay down their weapons not to work for the Iranian army.
ANF /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Kurdish guerillas attacked a village in Iran and killed 10 village guards.
Democratic Liberation Union (DKB) has reported that on 25 August guerrilla forces punished the village guards who collaborated with the Iranian army and played a role in the attack against the DKB on 17 August which left four guerrillas dead.
It is also reported that in the reprisal attack in Kalikan village in Kelaresh region at least 10 village guards were killed.
DKB also reported that the village guards took shelters in their houses therefore the guerrillas ended the attack in order to avoid civilian casualties.
DKB further warned the village guards to lay down their weapons not to work for the Iranian army.
ANF /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Iran deploys more soldiers on the border
28 August 2010
Iranian army reported to be deploying more soldiers on the border with South Kurdistan.
Iranian army reported to be deploying more soldiers on the border with South Kurdistan. It is also reported that Iran has built 3 more military outposts in the region which may cause further clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and the Iranian soldiers.
HPG sources reported that Iranian army is preparing for an attack on the guerrillas and deployed soldiers in Shino, Mergever and Urmiye. Iranian army has also placed tank and Katyusha rocket launchers in the region.
Iranian army is targeting Peoples’ Defence Forces HPG who is mainly active in Turkey rather than PJAK forces that are fighting against Iran. In the recent Iranian attacks on HPG, 3 guerrillas lost their lives on 16 August. In the operation of 17 August other 4 Kurdish also lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK) has warned the Iranian state and said it is “significant” that Iranian forces started targeting HPG forces just after the ceasefire declared by them on 13 August.
It is also reported that on 23-24 August East Kurdistan Forces (HRK) of PJAK clashed with Iranian army in Meriwan. HRK reported that while 11 revolutionary guards were killed 2 Kurdish guerrillas also lost their lives.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Iranian army reported to be deploying more soldiers on the border with South Kurdistan.
Iranian army reported to be deploying more soldiers on the border with South Kurdistan. It is also reported that Iran has built 3 more military outposts in the region which may cause further clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and the Iranian soldiers.
HPG sources reported that Iranian army is preparing for an attack on the guerrillas and deployed soldiers in Shino, Mergever and Urmiye. Iranian army has also placed tank and Katyusha rocket launchers in the region.
Iranian army is targeting Peoples’ Defence Forces HPG who is mainly active in Turkey rather than PJAK forces that are fighting against Iran. In the recent Iranian attacks on HPG, 3 guerrillas lost their lives on 16 August. In the operation of 17 August other 4 Kurdish also lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK) has warned the Iranian state and said it is “significant” that Iranian forces started targeting HPG forces just after the ceasefire declared by them on 13 August.
It is also reported that on 23-24 August East Kurdistan Forces (HRK) of PJAK clashed with Iranian army in Meriwan. HRK reported that while 11 revolutionary guards were killed 2 Kurdish guerrillas also lost their lives.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Friday, August 27, 2010
Kurdistani community in London demand indicting those involved in 31 August 1996 conflict
KurdishMedia.com
27/08/2010
Members of the Kurdistani community in the UK have organised an event in front of the Iraqi Embassy in London to protest against the individuals and groups who took part in the 31 August 1996 conflict between the PUK and KDP/Iraqi authorities. On this day the KDP, led by Massuad Barzani, with the help of Saddam Hussein’s army occupied Kurdistan’s regional capital, Arbil, and pushed the PUK, led by Jalal Talabani, forces outside the Iraqi Kurdistan border, hundreds of people were killed and many more were displaced, disappeared and wounded, the fate of many still not known despite having a strategic agreement between these two forces, PUK and KDP.
The objectives of the protest were outlined in a communiqué which KurdishMedia.com has received a copy. The group calling themselves “Chatri Azadi” or “The Freedom Umbrella”, demand legislating a special law, presumably by the Kurdistan Parliament, to bring those who were involved into justices; compensate those who lost out as the result; and investigating the fate of those who disappeared.
The group also demand the KRG authorities stop, what they term as, “attacks on free media and the rights of citizens of Kurdistan”.
One of the organisers of the event Mr M. Ali told KurdishMedia.com that no political organisation backs the event, albeit everyone welcomes to join. We wanted the event to coincide with its anniversary which is 31 August, he added. “The perpetrators are still at large and some enjoy high positions in the KRG authorities,” Mr Ali elaborated.
Where: Embassy of Republic Of Iraq, 3 Elvaston Place, London SW7 5QH
nearst tube station: Gloucester Road
When: Tuesday, 31st August 2010 from 12:00 noon to 14:00 pm
27/08/2010
Members of the Kurdistani community in the UK have organised an event in front of the Iraqi Embassy in London to protest against the individuals and groups who took part in the 31 August 1996 conflict between the PUK and KDP/Iraqi authorities. On this day the KDP, led by Massuad Barzani, with the help of Saddam Hussein’s army occupied Kurdistan’s regional capital, Arbil, and pushed the PUK, led by Jalal Talabani, forces outside the Iraqi Kurdistan border, hundreds of people were killed and many more were displaced, disappeared and wounded, the fate of many still not known despite having a strategic agreement between these two forces, PUK and KDP.
The objectives of the protest were outlined in a communiqué which KurdishMedia.com has received a copy. The group calling themselves “Chatri Azadi” or “The Freedom Umbrella”, demand legislating a special law, presumably by the Kurdistan Parliament, to bring those who were involved into justices; compensate those who lost out as the result; and investigating the fate of those who disappeared.
The group also demand the KRG authorities stop, what they term as, “attacks on free media and the rights of citizens of Kurdistan”.
One of the organisers of the event Mr M. Ali told KurdishMedia.com that no political organisation backs the event, albeit everyone welcomes to join. We wanted the event to coincide with its anniversary which is 31 August, he added. “The perpetrators are still at large and some enjoy high positions in the KRG authorities,” Mr Ali elaborated.
Where: Embassy of Republic Of Iraq, 3 Elvaston Place, London SW7 5QH
nearst tube station: Gloucester Road
When: Tuesday, 31st August 2010 from 12:00 noon to 14:00 pm
PKK militant's last wish followed 28 years later
27 August 2010
Ali Ciçek had wished to be buried in Diyarbakir. After 28 years his last wish has been finally granted
A leading Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) militant's last wish became reality 28 years after his death during the legendary hunger strike in Diyarbakir prison in 1982.
According to witnesses Ali Cicek's last wish was to be buried in Diyarbakir. He told about his last will to his friends just hours before his death. His body was taken to Osmaniye by Turkish soldiers and buried there after his death on September 17th 1982.
28 years later Cicek's family decided to appeal to Turkish authorities to follow his last will. After approval officials opened Cicek's grave and the remains are now transferred to Diyarbakir.
His body is reburried in Yenikoy cemetery, Diyarbakir with a simple ceremony in presence of his family and friends.
Ali Cicek was arrested by Turkish military when he was 16. He was a very close friend of PKK's legendary figure Kemal Pir. He joined the 14 July Death Fast Resistance and died on September 17th 1982.
Despite his age he showed enormous courage against torture campaign in Diyarbakir Prison. Therefore he is considered a symbol of resistance for Kurdish people.
He was nicknamed “Our Red Star” by Mehmet Hayri Durmus, one of the leading founders of the PKK. The same nickname was used for him by Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Ali Ciçek had wished to be buried in Diyarbakir. After 28 years his last wish has been finally granted
A leading Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) militant's last wish became reality 28 years after his death during the legendary hunger strike in Diyarbakir prison in 1982.
According to witnesses Ali Cicek's last wish was to be buried in Diyarbakir. He told about his last will to his friends just hours before his death. His body was taken to Osmaniye by Turkish soldiers and buried there after his death on September 17th 1982.
28 years later Cicek's family decided to appeal to Turkish authorities to follow his last will. After approval officials opened Cicek's grave and the remains are now transferred to Diyarbakir.
His body is reburried in Yenikoy cemetery, Diyarbakir with a simple ceremony in presence of his family and friends.
Ali Cicek was arrested by Turkish military when he was 16. He was a very close friend of PKK's legendary figure Kemal Pir. He joined the 14 July Death Fast Resistance and died on September 17th 1982.
Despite his age he showed enormous courage against torture campaign in Diyarbakir Prison. Therefore he is considered a symbol of resistance for Kurdish people.
He was nicknamed “Our Red Star” by Mehmet Hayri Durmus, one of the leading founders of the PKK. The same nickname was used for him by Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
UN panel calls on Iran to act on Kurdish minority
27 August 2010
UN anti-racism panel calls on Iran to counter hatred against Kurdish minority
United Nation's anti-racism panel Friday called on Iran to counter racism and ethnic discrimination against Kurdish minority and women from minorities.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern at the exclusion of Arab, Azeri, Balochi, Kurdish and Bahai communities in areas such as housing, education, health, jobs and "from public life".
Eighteen experts from the panel said they were concerned at "the reports of discrimination in everyday life and statements of racial discrimination and incitement to hatred by government officials."
"While commending efforts undertaken by the state party to empower women, the committee is concerned that women of minority origin may be at risk of facing double discrimination," the panel statement said.
"The committee recommends that (Iran) take appropriate steps to combat manifestations in the media, as well as in everyday life, of racial prejudice that could lead to discrimination."
The panel's conclusions on Friday followed a regular review of Iran's application of international standards in a hearing earlier this month.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
UN anti-racism panel calls on Iran to counter hatred against Kurdish minority
United Nation's anti-racism panel Friday called on Iran to counter racism and ethnic discrimination against Kurdish minority and women from minorities.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern at the exclusion of Arab, Azeri, Balochi, Kurdish and Bahai communities in areas such as housing, education, health, jobs and "from public life".
Eighteen experts from the panel said they were concerned at "the reports of discrimination in everyday life and statements of racial discrimination and incitement to hatred by government officials."
"While commending efforts undertaken by the state party to empower women, the committee is concerned that women of minority origin may be at risk of facing double discrimination," the panel statement said.
"The committee recommends that (Iran) take appropriate steps to combat manifestations in the media, as well as in everyday life, of racial prejudice that could lead to discrimination."
The panel's conclusions on Friday followed a regular review of Iran's application of international standards in a hearing earlier this month.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
German energy company signs cooperation agreement with Kurdish government
27 August 2010
Deal between German RWE and Kurdistan Regional Government
Germany's leading energy company signed a cooperation agreement with Federal Kurdistan Government.
RWE, Germany's second largest company in energy production, will provide assistance in building regions gas disturbution network as well as training local citizens.
“This is a major step forward in our planning,” said Kurdish Prime Minister Barham Salih. “RWE will bring the know- how and insights of one of Europe’s most important gas- distribution companies to Kurdistan.”
Gas from the region is expected to be exported via the Nabucco pipeline to European consumer markets, the statement said.
The government expects Kurdistan’s gas reserves to be between 100 trillion and 200 trillion standard cubic feet, according to the region’s Ministry of Natural Resources data.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Deal between German RWE and Kurdistan Regional Government
Germany's leading energy company signed a cooperation agreement with Federal Kurdistan Government.
RWE, Germany's second largest company in energy production, will provide assistance in building regions gas disturbution network as well as training local citizens.
“This is a major step forward in our planning,” said Kurdish Prime Minister Barham Salih. “RWE will bring the know- how and insights of one of Europe’s most important gas- distribution companies to Kurdistan.”
Gas from the region is expected to be exported via the Nabucco pipeline to European consumer markets, the statement said.
The government expects Kurdistan’s gas reserves to be between 100 trillion and 200 trillion standard cubic feet, according to the region’s Ministry of Natural Resources data.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Military operations in Dersim
27 August 2010
Bombing going on in Dersim areas
Turkish army conducts large scale military operations in Dersim province despite the ceasefire declaration of Kurdistan Worker's Party.
Turkish military operations targeted PKK fighters near Ovacik, Pulumur and Nazimiye districts of Dersim province.
Turkish special forces are deployed near Kirmizikopru, a small town near Nazimiye, Dicle News Agency reported. Zel Mountain, Buyar Baba Mountains were bombarded by Turkish cobra helicopters, various reports say.
A forest fire broke near Ovacık as a result of Turkish artillery fire, locals said. A huge smoke cloud blanketed Ovacik town center and the forest fire is still continuing. Residents gathered in town center and preparing to move to the fire-zone in an effort to extinguish the forest fire.
There are no visible efforts of the Turkish authorities to extinguish the fire as of Friday noon.
ANF / DERSIM
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Bombing going on in Dersim areas
Turkish army conducts large scale military operations in Dersim province despite the ceasefire declaration of Kurdistan Worker's Party.
Turkish military operations targeted PKK fighters near Ovacik, Pulumur and Nazimiye districts of Dersim province.
Turkish special forces are deployed near Kirmizikopru, a small town near Nazimiye, Dicle News Agency reported. Zel Mountain, Buyar Baba Mountains were bombarded by Turkish cobra helicopters, various reports say.
A forest fire broke near Ovacık as a result of Turkish artillery fire, locals said. A huge smoke cloud blanketed Ovacik town center and the forest fire is still continuing. Residents gathered in town center and preparing to move to the fire-zone in an effort to extinguish the forest fire.
There are no visible efforts of the Turkish authorities to extinguish the fire as of Friday noon.
ANF / DERSIM
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Prominent Kurdish politician calls for release of Ocalan
27 August 2010
Jawher Namiq Salim says keeping Ocalan in prison is another crime by the Turkish state
A prominent Kurdish politician from South Kurdistan called for release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Jawher Namiq Salim, the first speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament that was established in 1992, said Turkey should release Ocalan after the unilateral ceasefire declaration by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in an interview on Rudaw.net website.
“Keeping Ocalan like this in jail is another crime of the Turkish state,” Salim said.
“Any serious attempt to solve the Kurdish question excluding the PKK and BDP will be doubtful and failing.”
Salim also said that it would be a duty of the Kurdish parties here in Iraq to help release Ocalan and solve the problem of the Kurds in Turkey as well.
“In my opinion, it is time if not late for the Kurds within the Kurdistan region and other countries of the world to work in that direction,” said Salim.
Salim is now an independent politician after he resigned from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Jawher Namiq Salim says keeping Ocalan in prison is another crime by the Turkish state
A prominent Kurdish politician from South Kurdistan called for release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Jawher Namiq Salim, the first speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament that was established in 1992, said Turkey should release Ocalan after the unilateral ceasefire declaration by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in an interview on Rudaw.net website.
“Keeping Ocalan like this in jail is another crime of the Turkish state,” Salim said.
“Any serious attempt to solve the Kurdish question excluding the PKK and BDP will be doubtful and failing.”
Salim also said that it would be a duty of the Kurdish parties here in Iraq to help release Ocalan and solve the problem of the Kurds in Turkey as well.
“In my opinion, it is time if not late for the Kurds within the Kurdistan region and other countries of the world to work in that direction,” said Salim.
Salim is now an independent politician after he resigned from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Iranian army still bombing Kandil
27 August 2010
Bombings have been reported yesterday
The Iranian regime is proceeding with the bombardment on villages of Kandil during the month of Ramadan.
According to the news received; Iranian army dropped bombs on the villages of Kandil for 2 hours yesterday. There was no information about any injured but a fire was reported to have started in some areas due to the shootings.
Following a silence for over a month, Iranian army has been bombing the villages along the border since 13 August, when KCK (Kurdistan Democratic Confederation) announced a new unilateral ceasefire. Following the bombing of 7 villages of Pişder on 23 August, 18 families left their homes and migrated to Jarawe and Sengeser townships.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Bombings have been reported yesterday
The Iranian regime is proceeding with the bombardment on villages of Kandil during the month of Ramadan.
According to the news received; Iranian army dropped bombs on the villages of Kandil for 2 hours yesterday. There was no information about any injured but a fire was reported to have started in some areas due to the shootings.
Following a silence for over a month, Iranian army has been bombing the villages along the border since 13 August, when KCK (Kurdistan Democratic Confederation) announced a new unilateral ceasefire. Following the bombing of 7 villages of Pişder on 23 August, 18 families left their homes and migrated to Jarawe and Sengeser townships.
Translator: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Factbox: Turkish military operations between 21-26 August
Turkish military operations and bombings against the Kurdish guerrillas increase rather than decreasing despite the unilateral ceasefire declared by the Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK).
Armed wing of the PKK, People’s Defence Forces (HPG) unveiled the recent Turkish aggression on the Kurdish guerrillas.
21 August
Turkish Cobra helicopters have bombed Seter region of Nazimiye district of Dersim province since 21 August. The attacks reported to continue.
22 August
Turkish army launched a military operation Segira, Ciyaye Bicuk, Ciyaye Mezin and Kani Tuye regions in Sason district of Batman province which ended in 24 August, no clashes have reported.
23 August
Turkish army launched a military operation in Nazimiye district of Dersim province, and the area of Yayladere district of Bingol province. The operations were reported to continue.
24 August
Turkish army launched another military operation by air-landed soldiers on Hill of Kordine, between the districts of Nazimiye and Pulumur in Dersim province.
Turkish state army launched a military operation against the villages of Tatan, Gundmiro and Inali in Varto district of Mus province where they are laying ambushes.
Turkish army also carried out a mortar shell attack on Cilo and Zap regions in the Medya Defence Territories between 15:00-16:00.
Turkish army launched another military operation in Kizilagac in Karliova district of Bingol province in which Sikorsky and Cobra helicopters also took part.
25 August
Turkish army carried out mortar shell and howitzer attacks on Vereguz and Carcela regions in Zagros Mountains in the Medya Defence Territories between 05:00-08:00.
Similarly another mortar shell attack was carried out on the Valley of Alanis in Haftanin region in the Medya Defence Territories between 20:00-21:30.
26 August
Turkish army continued attacking Kebra Zahir and the Hill of Koordine in Xakurke region in the Medya Defence Territories between 02:00-05:00.
It is also reported that Turkish army have carried out mortar shell attack Kela Xizir, Mergami, Hingirvan, Obis, Dagdek and Cakirkaya regions in Pulumur regions of Dersim province between 14- 23 August in order to scare civilians to keep them away from the area.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Armed wing of the PKK, People’s Defence Forces (HPG) unveiled the recent Turkish aggression on the Kurdish guerrillas.
21 August
Turkish Cobra helicopters have bombed Seter region of Nazimiye district of Dersim province since 21 August. The attacks reported to continue.
22 August
Turkish army launched a military operation Segira, Ciyaye Bicuk, Ciyaye Mezin and Kani Tuye regions in Sason district of Batman province which ended in 24 August, no clashes have reported.
23 August
Turkish army launched a military operation in Nazimiye district of Dersim province, and the area of Yayladere district of Bingol province. The operations were reported to continue.
24 August
Turkish army launched another military operation by air-landed soldiers on Hill of Kordine, between the districts of Nazimiye and Pulumur in Dersim province.
Turkish state army launched a military operation against the villages of Tatan, Gundmiro and Inali in Varto district of Mus province where they are laying ambushes.
Turkish army also carried out a mortar shell attack on Cilo and Zap regions in the Medya Defence Territories between 15:00-16:00.
Turkish army launched another military operation in Kizilagac in Karliova district of Bingol province in which Sikorsky and Cobra helicopters also took part.
25 August
Turkish army carried out mortar shell and howitzer attacks on Vereguz and Carcela regions in Zagros Mountains in the Medya Defence Territories between 05:00-08:00.
Similarly another mortar shell attack was carried out on the Valley of Alanis in Haftanin region in the Medya Defence Territories between 20:00-21:30.
26 August
Turkish army continued attacking Kebra Zahir and the Hill of Koordine in Xakurke region in the Medya Defence Territories between 02:00-05:00.
It is also reported that Turkish army have carried out mortar shell attack Kela Xizir, Mergami, Hingirvan, Obis, Dagdek and Cakirkaya regions in Pulumur regions of Dersim province between 14- 23 August in order to scare civilians to keep them away from the area.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Ocalan: Kurdish people will decide about boycott
If the Kurdish people do not consider AKP genuine and sincere than they should take a stronger stand and launch an ‘active boycott’, said imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. “I leave the decision to the people and its organisations. They may even say no after discussing the situation thoroughly. I will not intervene but respect the decision taken by the Kurdish people.” added Ocalan.
In the course of his weekly lawyers visit leader of the PKK Abdullah Ocalan said AKP is aiming at Muslin-Turkish structure unlike Ottomans who were aiming Turkish-Muslim structure. He also stated that Sultan Abdulhamid was trying to realise its plan with village guards however AKP is realising it with contemporary Hamidiye Cavalry [Irregular Kurdish cavalry armed by the Ottoman authorities often used to harass and assault Armenians]. Ocalan also stated that if the AKP’s plan work out then the Kurdish movement will face the risk of going 100 years backward.
Ocalan further stated that pro-AKP statements from merchants-industrialists reminding him Sheikh Said rebellion of 1925 during which merchants in Diyarbakir were used against the rebellion by the state officials.
Self-defence is legitimate
Regarding the ongoing Turkish and Iranian military operations despite the ceasefire declared by KCK Ocalan said non-action decision does not abrogate right to self-defence and reprisal. Reminding 500 guerrillas lost their lives due to Turkish attacks during the withdrawal of the Kurdish guerrillas out of Turkish borders in 1999 Ocalan said self-defence is a natural right and nobody should use ceasefire as an excuse for guerilla loses.
Officials are acting on behalf of the Turkish state
He also stated that all the officials who visited him in Imrali Island were acting in their official capacity and speaking on behalf of the Turkish state, regardless if they are ministry or intelligence officers. “The statements from the government denying these contacts are aiming at saving the government.” added Ocalan.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
In the course of his weekly lawyers visit leader of the PKK Abdullah Ocalan said AKP is aiming at Muslin-Turkish structure unlike Ottomans who were aiming Turkish-Muslim structure. He also stated that Sultan Abdulhamid was trying to realise its plan with village guards however AKP is realising it with contemporary Hamidiye Cavalry [Irregular Kurdish cavalry armed by the Ottoman authorities often used to harass and assault Armenians]. Ocalan also stated that if the AKP’s plan work out then the Kurdish movement will face the risk of going 100 years backward.
Ocalan further stated that pro-AKP statements from merchants-industrialists reminding him Sheikh Said rebellion of 1925 during which merchants in Diyarbakir were used against the rebellion by the state officials.
Self-defence is legitimate
Regarding the ongoing Turkish and Iranian military operations despite the ceasefire declared by KCK Ocalan said non-action decision does not abrogate right to self-defence and reprisal. Reminding 500 guerrillas lost their lives due to Turkish attacks during the withdrawal of the Kurdish guerrillas out of Turkish borders in 1999 Ocalan said self-defence is a natural right and nobody should use ceasefire as an excuse for guerilla loses.
Officials are acting on behalf of the Turkish state
He also stated that all the officials who visited him in Imrali Island were acting in their official capacity and speaking on behalf of the Turkish state, regardless if they are ministry or intelligence officers. “The statements from the government denying these contacts are aiming at saving the government.” added Ocalan.
ANF NEWS DESK /
ANF NEWS AGENCY
EMP Klute: PKK cannot be excluded from talks - Interview
A couple of weeks ago a delegation from Europe went to Diyarbakir and was denied access to the prison. The delegation was principally constituted of Members from German left party, DIE LINKE, from European Parliament, Jürgen Klute, from the National Parliament (Bundestag), Ms. Ingrid Remmers and from Members of the regional Parliament of Nordrhein-Westphalen (biggest region in the North-West), Ms. Bärbel Beuermann (head of the parliamentary group), Mr. Rüdiger Sagel. Additionally, Mr. Martin Dolzer journalist and expert on the region and Michael Knapp, human right activist, also were part of the delegation.
ANF has spoken to European MP Jürgen Klute, who underlined how it is clearly impossibile for the Turkish government to envisage a solution to the Kurdish question without involving the Kurds and the representatives they will choose.
Let’s start from the recent statements by Turkish government ministers who admitted that indeed government officials are meeting and talking with Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Before the summer I had sent an open letter to Prime Minister Erdogan asking him to call for an halt to military operations and to indeed work for the commencement of some sort of dialogue with the Kurdish representatives. It is clear that the Turkish government cannot exclude the PKK or indeed Abdullah Ocalan from this dialogue, because they are both part of the conflict. And you really want to work for a solution you must talk to all the parties involved in the conflict, and you must let all of the parties involved to have the possibility to say what they think.
In this sense I think the fact that the Turkish government has admitted that they are indeed talking with Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan is a positive development.
The European Union and in general the European public I think should support the process of dialogue. European MPs should encourage this process.
On 12 September there will be a referendum to change the Constitution but the amendments do not tackle the Kurdish demands at all. What is your opinion on this?
Not long ago the Turkish Minister of Justice, Sadullah Ergin, came to the European parliament to explain at length what the Constitutional amendments will mean. I think that in principle it is a positive development the fact that the government has started to address the issue of the need for change in the Constitution. On the other hand we cannot avoid noticing that what is proposed is not a new Constitution. What the people are asked to vote for on the 12 September referendum are small changes. I specifically asked the minister about the Kurds, and the Kurdish demands. Because clearly the proposed amendments do not tackle the Kurdish issue at all, there is no mention of Kurdish people rights or recognition of the Kurdish people rights. And I think we should closely follow the developments after the referendum, because clearly the fact that there is no mention of the Kurdish people rights could be a way to avoid the issue altogether. On the other hand the government might think to address the Kurdish issue on a separate base.
The BDP is proposing the Democratic Autonomy model. In Europe also there are discussions going on, and I think in particular of the Basque country, about an alternative model for the society. Why is Europe, and the left in particularly so scared about addressing this issue?
I think that when we talk of autonomous model we have to keep in mind that the risk is to cross the border and ending up talking about nationalism There are reach regions, and I think of Italy for example, which are only talking about autonomy because they ultimately want to separate from the poorer regions. Regional autonomy sometimes can end up in nationalism.
Yes, but, should it not be the role of the left to avoid this risk indeed promoting autonomy as an alternative model of society, a model which goes beyond the defunct nation-state model, for example. Because it looks to me that avoiding to address and debate the autonomy models proposed hiding behind the fact that there is the risk of ending up mixing with right wing nationalism, is the easy way out. In other words, nationalism of the risk of it is the fig leaf for the left which does not probably have an idea about autonomous projects and proposals.
This is true, I agree with you. And I think it should be important for the left to debate these issues, but still I think is important to keep in mind the risks. Look at Belgium for example, the Flemish speaking community basically is saying that they don't want to pay for the French speaking community, but in the end is an economic question.
You went to Diyarbakir and were denied access to the prison.
We had meeting with several people, including Diyarbakir mayor, Osman Baydemir, and Sur mayor, Abdullah Demirbas. When we asked to visit the politicians and human rights members held in prison the authorities started a kind of game basically sending us from one person to the other, from one office to the other. In the end we understood that clearly the authorities did not want us to visit the prison.
What will you do now?
We will write out questions to present to the European Parliament on different issues, including the allegations about the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army. We could not have satisfactory evidence on this issue, but other MPs and groups claim they do or they are going to be able to proof that chemical weapons were indeed used.
Also we will underline to the parliament that the PKK has once again called a unilateral ceasefire until the 20 of September. We will ask the European Commission to act and do everything in its power to put pressure on the Turkish government which we think should grasp this opportunity. Finally we will be back in Diyarbakir on 18 of October as observers at the trial of the Kurdish politicians still in prison.
NUCAN CUDI - ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
ANF has spoken to European MP Jürgen Klute, who underlined how it is clearly impossibile for the Turkish government to envisage a solution to the Kurdish question without involving the Kurds and the representatives they will choose.
Let’s start from the recent statements by Turkish government ministers who admitted that indeed government officials are meeting and talking with Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Before the summer I had sent an open letter to Prime Minister Erdogan asking him to call for an halt to military operations and to indeed work for the commencement of some sort of dialogue with the Kurdish representatives. It is clear that the Turkish government cannot exclude the PKK or indeed Abdullah Ocalan from this dialogue, because they are both part of the conflict. And you really want to work for a solution you must talk to all the parties involved in the conflict, and you must let all of the parties involved to have the possibility to say what they think.
In this sense I think the fact that the Turkish government has admitted that they are indeed talking with Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan is a positive development.
The European Union and in general the European public I think should support the process of dialogue. European MPs should encourage this process.
On 12 September there will be a referendum to change the Constitution but the amendments do not tackle the Kurdish demands at all. What is your opinion on this?
Not long ago the Turkish Minister of Justice, Sadullah Ergin, came to the European parliament to explain at length what the Constitutional amendments will mean. I think that in principle it is a positive development the fact that the government has started to address the issue of the need for change in the Constitution. On the other hand we cannot avoid noticing that what is proposed is not a new Constitution. What the people are asked to vote for on the 12 September referendum are small changes. I specifically asked the minister about the Kurds, and the Kurdish demands. Because clearly the proposed amendments do not tackle the Kurdish issue at all, there is no mention of Kurdish people rights or recognition of the Kurdish people rights. And I think we should closely follow the developments after the referendum, because clearly the fact that there is no mention of the Kurdish people rights could be a way to avoid the issue altogether. On the other hand the government might think to address the Kurdish issue on a separate base.
The BDP is proposing the Democratic Autonomy model. In Europe also there are discussions going on, and I think in particular of the Basque country, about an alternative model for the society. Why is Europe, and the left in particularly so scared about addressing this issue?
I think that when we talk of autonomous model we have to keep in mind that the risk is to cross the border and ending up talking about nationalism There are reach regions, and I think of Italy for example, which are only talking about autonomy because they ultimately want to separate from the poorer regions. Regional autonomy sometimes can end up in nationalism.
Yes, but, should it not be the role of the left to avoid this risk indeed promoting autonomy as an alternative model of society, a model which goes beyond the defunct nation-state model, for example. Because it looks to me that avoiding to address and debate the autonomy models proposed hiding behind the fact that there is the risk of ending up mixing with right wing nationalism, is the easy way out. In other words, nationalism of the risk of it is the fig leaf for the left which does not probably have an idea about autonomous projects and proposals.
This is true, I agree with you. And I think it should be important for the left to debate these issues, but still I think is important to keep in mind the risks. Look at Belgium for example, the Flemish speaking community basically is saying that they don't want to pay for the French speaking community, but in the end is an economic question.
You went to Diyarbakir and were denied access to the prison.
We had meeting with several people, including Diyarbakir mayor, Osman Baydemir, and Sur mayor, Abdullah Demirbas. When we asked to visit the politicians and human rights members held in prison the authorities started a kind of game basically sending us from one person to the other, from one office to the other. In the end we understood that clearly the authorities did not want us to visit the prison.
What will you do now?
We will write out questions to present to the European Parliament on different issues, including the allegations about the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army. We could not have satisfactory evidence on this issue, but other MPs and groups claim they do or they are going to be able to proof that chemical weapons were indeed used.
Also we will underline to the parliament that the PKK has once again called a unilateral ceasefire until the 20 of September. We will ask the European Commission to act and do everything in its power to put pressure on the Turkish government which we think should grasp this opportunity. Finally we will be back in Diyarbakir on 18 of October as observers at the trial of the Kurdish politicians still in prison.
NUCAN CUDI - ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
Thursday, August 26, 2010
From Farzad Kamangar to Farzad Qobadi.
`HORAM`
cited from Helwist Website-periodical Kurdish publication
translated by: Rebwar Fakhri:
This text is an unpublished letter and originally is the mournful letter of the human right activist and executed teacher Farzad Kamangar. The letter was named the return of Swallows. He wrote this letter for his friend Farzad Qobadi. We have known each other through the internet from approximately 2004-2005. In that time his nickname was Siamand the same name that he had chosen for his literature writings.We had met each other only one time in Mahabad while he had come back from mountains of Salmas to see his brother Sherzad Kamangar who is guerilla. He had returned with knapsack of memoires and sweet words.
After he came back to Kirmashah, our relationship continued. He introduced to me some of his friends. As a member of Defending Kurdish Human Rights Organization he had sent a lot of news about violating human rights in Kamıyaran, Oraman and Kirmashah and other part of Kurdistan. After being captured our relation was made by phone.
The first letter which he read it to me and he wanted me to publish it in the internet with a secret name of “Rebin Mamo Zagros”, its name was the “Return of swallows”. Farzad wrote this letter to his friend Farzad Qobadi known with Horam Jiyan. Horam (born in Shahini one of the countryside of Kamayaran) was one of his friends which worked in a pastry in Kirmanshah . Before he joined to the Kurdish Geurilla organization he was under the pressure of Iranian intelligence service of Kirmanshah.
Thereafter Horam joined to Qandil and then he went to Shaho Mountains. He went from Shaho for clandestine political activity to Javanrood, Paveh, Kirmanshan and
Kamyaran. In his last activity at 5-1-2008 when he was going back to the Shaho, the security guards found out about his identity and in a Control security on the road of Kamyaran to Rawansar he falled in an ambush, and in the time of his armed defense, he injured, captured and immediately were taken to Kirmashan Intelligence Services. Farzad said that Horam was beaten very badly and even they captured his sister’s family and hit his nephew very badly. At that night in front of his sister
the injured Farzad was tortured and shot.
Farzad which was one of the best friends of Horams, told me that they promised to each other that each person should take the path in his own way to freedom and everyone in this path was killed, the other should continue the battle with a stronger will.
They promised to each other that everyone should welcome to his death with smile, and regard the death as a long journey and at that time they only should say this sentence: “Have a good trip my friend”.
Farzad read this text to me by phone from Rajaee Shahr prison. Because of his bad situation and the sensitivity of his case, he couldn’t publish it with his real name. So he wanted me to publish this letter with the nickname of “Rebin Mamo Zagros” in the websites. It is worth noting that “Rebin” was the nickname of “Nsir Qadirzade” one of the martyr of PKK guerilla which was born in Mahabad. And “Mamo” was the nickname of another martyr in the name of Akif Mamo Zagros. he was from Boukan. Farzad loved those two martyrs like other freedom fighters. Then from the mixture of these two nicknames he chose Rebin Mamo Zagros. Even he named his nephew Rebin.
This letter was published in Rojhilat and Halvest websites. At that time Khalil Gazali was manager of Halvest website and because I trusted him, i told him about this fact that Farzad Kamangar is the writer of this jeremiad and if it would be necessary, I will announce it one day. Unfortunately this day came after his execution.
The Return Of swallows:
For martyr Howram and all of his green ambitions, My brother, my blood, when you got to the moon write about the massacre of the flowers. You were simple and honest like your birthplace “Shahini”. You kept the years of hardships of being orphan and worker in yourself, those time that you were working in pastry in Kirmashan and in every celebration you give the smile and sweetness in the empty tables of the people. And you wished so much to bring bread to the empty tables of the people. You always had a smile on your face and restless to go. Always you were talking about moving, travelling.
I didn’t know as such that I should know, because you didn’t give me the opportunity to know you. You leave so early that yet the yearning of just one plenty visit of you remains in my heart. You wished to unite all fires for Newroz. And then you wished to see Swallows in the sky so eagerly that possibly it is the last fly of the swallows. Perhaps it is not any future for flying. Every spring you were waiting for their coming back and every autumn you were worried by their migration.
From swallows you had learned journey and movement, and from fire you had learned existence and generosity… and in day the autumn, with the migration of swallows, you also chose the way of mountain and “Free Life”
You knew that for reaching to the pick, to the summit, to the Qandil, should pass from Shahos.
Your mom, at that night that you left, had a dream of a swallow that left her hug and went to the mountain. She knew that her son, who was always in journey, is going to have a long journey, a journey with no way of coming back. From the evening of that autumn, your mother instead of stirring to the road and waiting to the person to pass the labyrinth ways of village, she stir to the snowy Shaho, and was waiting for the return of swallows.
You had the impeccability of your childhood, that you went through the white snow. You remained on the white snow the red trace of yourself to the foot of the mountain, the trace that no one can erase it. You still had the thousands of unsaid, that you sacrifice yourself for our land, completely unknown, like your land, that it is not painted in any map but exist…
The unknown soldier of our land, you still had thousands of potential smiles on your face, but you put the regret of seeing your smiley face on the heart of your mother and sisters. We still have thousands of words to say to each other. But you put all of them to the practice before saying any words.
Have a good journey my fellow traveler.
Have a good journey “Haval”.
--------------------------
* Shahini is one of the villages in Kamyaran which is the birthplace of Farzad Qobadi (Horam Zhiyan)
** this words means “Free Life” and meanwhile it means “PJAK”
***”Haval” means friend in Kurdish language and it is one of the idioms between Kurdish guerrillas.
Two PJAK guerrillas killed:
Thursday, 26 August 2010
QANDIL, Eastern Kurdistan--According to the Eastern Kurdistan defense forces press release two guerrillas were killed in confrontation with the regimes revolutionary guards.
It is noted that the Iranian regime within the scope of its psychological war against the Kurdish people claimed that five guerrillas have been killed. Eastern Kurdistan defense forces (HRK) assures people that the regimes statements in regards of the losses PJAK sustained are far from truth, HRK states that in respond to regimes propagandas we assure our people in Eastern Kurdistan that as a result of clashes that took place on 23 august 2010 in Hawraman region between our guerrillas and regimes revolutionary guards with support of Kurdish collaborators, two guerrillas lost their life.
HRK released the identities of two guerrillas who lost their lives as follow:
1- Ahmad Esh, place of Birth wan, Northern Kurdistan
2- Mahdi Farhadi, place of birth Sena, Eastern Kurdistan, 1984.
In most of its public statement, Eastern Kurdistan defence forces asked the Kurdish collaborators to give up their collaboration with the Iranian revolutionary guards and Basijis, otherwise they will be held accountable to the Kurdish people.
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