By DLBKHWIN DARA
05/09/2010
Rudaw news agency
STOCKHOLM, Sweden: As Turkey faced a coup d’état on Sep 12, 1980, Gulan Avci’s family left their predominately Kurdish city of Van to permanently live in Sweden. Back then; Avci was only 3 years old.
She is now one of the prominent women parliamentarians for the Liberal People’s Party in the Swedish Parliament.
Avci says her life and politics have always been two sides of the same coin since she was born into a political family and conflict environment. But her first political career started seven years ago.
“I spent most of my time here in this office. I want to work not only for Swedish people but also for my people in the four parts of Kurdistan,” said Avci referring the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Kurdish region of Syria, Iran and of Turkey.
“Not only the issues in Sweden but those in Kurdistan are also of my concern.”
Gulan Avci is the wife of the well-known Swedish parliamentarian Frederic Halm, who considers himself a friend
of the Kurds. They have a son named Kevin.
Avci, who has re-nominated herself to server another term in the parliament in the Swedish elections to take place in 10 days’ time, wrote in her website that she is “struggling against racism, intolerance, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and extremism.”
Her favorite book is “Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela,” by Nelson Mandela.
“Women can achieve any goal they target,” said Avci.
Though Avci has been raised up in Sweden, she still has a nationalist sentiment for her ancestors. She says she feels Kurdistan from inside.
“I very much like the mountains, the land, and the people of Kurdistan. It true I was brought up in Sweden but Kurdistan is a part of me.”
She says one of the things she has been proud of is her ongoing attempt to bring up Kurdish issue i
n the Swedish Parliament.
The Kurds are the largest stateless ethnic group of the world. They have been subjected to ethnic cleansing, chemical gassing, and genocide by the Arab, Turkish and Persian regimes.
“I think have done it to some extent,” said Avci.
Avci is also proud of the democratic system existing in Sweden. She says there is every channel available for a Swedish citizen to get to power in Sweden regardless of their ethnic, religious or any other origin.
Avci hopes to become the foreign minister rather than remaining as a member of parliament. She said she was interested in playing a more international role and in turn benefits her fellow Kurds from around the world.
