Being aware that the letter may cause problems for me, I still decided to write it, because the issue I would like to cover is much more important than my personal comfort and my piece of mind. I was inspired by the story that one of my friends at work told me few weeks ago.
My friend, a Kurd, went to Kurdistan to visit his family, as he used to do many times before. On his way back, he was stopped by police at Birmingham Airport and asked a lot of questions about PKK (Kurdistan Worker’s Party – the organisation that is struggling for freedom and human rights of Kurdish Nation oppressed and persecuted by Turkish state). His luggage was searched. My friend has nothing to do with PKK, he is just a Kurd, who lives in UK, works here, has a family and kids.
What was the reason of this “investigation”? Why him - just because he is a Kurd? Is really being a Kurd the reason to be “suspected”, to be considered as potential criminal?
In European Union, on the territory where human rights are supposed to be respected, the passenger is stopped and investigated by police for no reason, without any evidence that may be the proof that he is suspected of doing anything illegal. The person is asked the question about the organisation which is NOT on the terrorist list in Europe (A European Union court in 2008 overturned a decision to place the Kurdish rebel group PKK and its political wing on the European Union's terror list) – which means, it is not illegal.
I am human rights Kurdish activist and because of that fact I can understand that police is coming to my house, asking me questions about PKK and Kurdistan – although being human right activist shouldn’t be consider as a crime. But I have absolutely no clue why my friend was stopped by police. Even if he was also Kurdish human right activist – would it be the reason to stop him and to do such an investigation?
PKK has a wide support among Kurdish people and this is my next question: is support for the people who scarifying their lives for the sake of their nation freedom and rights really illegal? Is it really considered as terrorism? So if I support PKK struggle for freedom – am I a terrorist then?
Police all over Europe comes to our houses, stops us on the airports, attacks and arrests us during our peaceful demonstrations. And the only one thing that I would like to know is – why? My question is directed to those who give the order to police officers to do so. And who are those who give the order? Are they British Police Chiefs? UK Government? Wait a minute – maybe it is Turkish government?
Well, probably nobody will ever answer my questions, but at the same time I think we all know the answer. So let me to have a humble request. This is very simple request. All of you, who are working in British Police, from top chiefs to ordinary officers serving on the streets – please, all of you use your best imagination and try to imagine yourselves in the situation where your beloved country is divided and occupied by other states (let’s say by Germany or France – as the example). Try to imagine that your beloved country doesn’t exists on the world’s map. Try to imagine that your native, mother language – English – is illegal and forbidden and you are forced to speak foreign tongue and consider it as your own. Try to imagine that you are no more Brits, no more English, Scottish, Welsh – but “Island Germans” or “Island French” (as Kurds are called “Mountain Turks”). Try to imagine that you are the second class citizens or even slaves on your own land, where you used to live for centuries. Now try to imagine that you are not allowed to give the names John, Jack or Betty to your kids, but you have to call them: Hans, Jacques or Helga. Try to imagine that any attempt to ask for your basic human rights is consider as crime and punished – resulted in thousands of you locked in prisons, including seniors, disabled and kids (who are sexually abused by prison’s guards). Try to imagine that Her Majesty The Queen has to live in exile or is kept in isolation without the possibility to contact with outside world, nor with the family or lawyers.
But it is not all. Try to imagine that you manage to escape from the oppression to other, democratic country, but the police in that country looks at you like at criminal, only because of your origin, only because of your human desire for freedom and inalienable basic rights.
If you are able to imagine all these things, you will have the taste of the life that millions of Kurds experience right now. Although I believe that human imagination is not huge enough to cover this reality.
Maybe some of you still have the parents who remember German bombs falling down on London during II World War. Ask them how they felt that time. If they will tell you, then you will know how thousands of Kurds feel when Turkish bombs are falling down on their villages up to now.
The II World War was the act of terrorism in which millions of civilians (and soldiers) suffered and lost their lives. Turkish war on Kurds is the act of terrorism in which millions of civilians suffer or lose their lives. The only difference between these two wars is that first one was official and the second one is hidden. The first one was commonly condemned, while the second one is approved and supported by entire Western World and International Community.
We didn’t started the war with Turks. We got involved in that. And till now we are subjected to the acts of terrorism that Turkish State is practising on daily basis. So even if our freedom fighters have to kill Turkish soldiers in that unfair, unequal war – it’s only because we have no other choice. Turks attack our civilians (women and kids as well) – even outside the official borders of Turkey. Turks kill our civilians; murder them with cold blood (also women and kids). But we, Kurds don’t do such things. Our freedom fighters don’t do such things. If it happens that civilians lose their lives in this war and it is us who are responsible for that – it always happen by accident or by mistake and PKK leaders always address the apologizes to the families of the victims. Have ever happened that any terrorist group apologizes for the death of innocent people? I don’t think so. But you should notice who for sure never apologize for such things. It’s Turkish state. Family of 7, torn into pieces by Turkish bomb last year on the territory of Kurdistan Autonomous Region, more than 30 teenagers massacred by Turkish jets at the end of last year in Roboski, dozens of Kurdish shepherds in the mountains and civilians (including kids) on peaceful demonstrations wounded or killed – there are a lot of such examples every year. Turkish state hasn’t apologized for anything, even one time. So how do you think now – who are terrorists?
A well-known Soviet dictator, Stalin said: “The death of one person is a tragedy. The death of millions is statistic.” Turks went further. For Turks the death of one Kurd is the achievement and the death of millions is the success. Their hatred is so huge that the common practise in Turkish army is to mutilate the death bodies of killed Kurds and taking pictures with them, which later on are shared on Facebook. We even can’t imagine behaving in such a way.
The flag with the picture of our leader Abdullah Ocalan is consider as illegal. Why – if in none of his many books there is no single word calls to kill others? There is no single word of hatred, but all of them telling about democracy, equality and human rights. Ocalan is kept in Turkish prison on Imrali Island for more than 12 years and in total isolation for more than 440 days now without the possibility to see his relatives or lawyers. And this fact should be the subject of international investigation. The illegal use of forbidden chemical weapon by Turkish army should be the subject of international investigation – not Kurdish activity on Facebook or on peaceful demonstrations.
These are only few of thousands stories that I could tell you, stories in which you would never believe, stories which you wouldn’t find in any books – such unbelievable.
So I appeal to you, who work in British Police, consider all these facts in your minds. Look at the reality, not as Turkish state is trying to show it, but as it really is. If you are looking for real terrorists – turn your eye on Turkey. Say “No” to their brutal acts of terror toward Kurds. You should protect us, you should support us in our legitimate struggle against the oppression and injustice. You should do that, because Great Britain was one of the countries that are responsible for the current situation by signing the shameful Lausanne Treaty that put Kurdistan under brutal regimes control. I think that Great Britain should rather apologize to us and say: “Sorry, our country did something very wrong to your nation”.
I appeal to you, the chiefs and officers of British Police, don’t let Turkish state to use you like a tool in their dirty war against Kurds.
And my last request to all of you – please share my words with everyone, spread the truth about us. Please think about all these facts and decide wisely if you want to support wrong or right. And if any of you – as a human – don’t agree with unfair policy toward Kurds – don’t hesitate and don’t be afraid to speak up in our favour.
As I said at the begging of my letter - I am ready to face any responsibility for my words, because I consider that to be my duty to inform the world what is the truth about Kurds.
We, Kurdish activists who live in Western countries, don’t fight with the weapon; we struggle with our pens and our words. But we struggle for the same things as our sisters and brothers who fight with the weapon in the mountains. We all struggle for the human rights of our nation and freedom of our country. If this struggle and defending human rights is consider as “terrorism” – then yes, I am a terrorist.
With respect and hope
Heval Kulka
Wolverhampton, 13.10.2012
Monday 15 October 2012
Tuesday 2 October 2012
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH FOR THE WORD THAT BEGINS WITH THE LETTER “K”
How huge is your wound, my Kurdistan,
So many times washed in the blood,
How long your suffering lasts?
Freedom is your only desire,
Sang in the blood, burnt in the fire…
Kulka Kurdayati
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH FOR THE WORD THAT BEGINS WITH THE LETTER “K”
There are many different kinds of oppression all over the world and through the history of humankind. Each dictator and regime has its own way to take the freedom out of people. Oppression and the lack of freedom can be in a form of pure slavery, occupation and colonialism, but also in a form of direct or indirect control over certain country, its politics, economy and culture, under the banner of “international friendship” and “brotherhood”. This kind of oppression, which was mentioned as the last, took place in the second half of XX century in Eastern Europe, where some of the countries remained under Soviet Union control.
Few days ago I watched the movie that tells the story of one of such countries – Poland. The movie contains the fragment of the speech that general Jaruzelski - who was the leader of the country that time – gave in the Parliament. That’s what he said:
“Even now two fingers are still being raised up. No Polish word begins with that letter” (letter V)
When I heard these words, straight away millions of Kurds appeared in front of my eyes, these people, who today – in XXI century – still have to rise up two fingers to express their desire for freedom and basic human rights.
Let me to introduce you the article wrote by polish journalist – Dawid Warszawski, who was inspired by these significant words and put them in a context of current Turkish policy toward Kurds. The article was published in one of the polish newspapers in 2009:
“No polish word begins with that letter” - that's what General Jaruzelski said about the polish Solidarity demonstrators, who show V with their fingers for “victory”, but he didn't have an idea to ban this incorrect letter.
In Lithuania it's not allowed to use such letters as ą or ś in polish names, cos they are not present in Lithuanian language. In Turkey it's not allowed to use the letters x, q and w in Kurdish names, cos they appear in Kurdish language, but not in Turkish, although at the same time in a Kurdish program on a public TV the forbidden letters appears with no prosecutions. That's the big step forward in a country, where until 2002 speaking Kurdish language in public was consider as crime (still it's like that in Syria, while in Iraq Kurdish language is an official one).
So generally the letters are free, although it is not the same if it comes to languages – but what about the words? And I don't mean that we can use the words to build up a statements which can be consider – sometimes right – as a crime. I mean single word itself. Could the use of a certain word be consider as a crime, even if the word comes from a legal language and consists of correct letters?
Sometimes yes, if it's swearing word and you shout it in public, even if it's not directed to anyone, you might end up in a court.
Generally forbidden words were the business of censorship, not criminal law. In Polish People's Republic it was not allowed to mention in printed papers some names forbidden by censorship, but anyway nobody went to prison for using them. After censorship was finished, there are no more forbidden words.
In Turkey there is also no censorship any longer, but more than 300 articles of law restrict the freedom of speech, among these the famous article 301 of criminal law which says about “insulting turkishness”. There is no censorship, but there are forbidden words. The writer Edip Polat, lawer Erin Keskin and actor Murat Batgi have already experienced that. The court in Diyarbakir sentenced them at the end of September (2009) from article 216 of criminal law for one year in prison, cos three years before, each of them use the word “Kurdistan” in public on Culture and Art Festival in Diyarbakir. When Polat gave the award to Keskin, he said about her: “Kurd with the Kurdish roots in Kurdistan”. Polat said that, Keskin didnt deny it and Batgi commented: “I wish you to see four Kurdistans” (it might be misunderstanding in translation; probably it refers to four parts of Kurdistan - Kulka K).
In Turkey, where few million Kurds, who live there, constitute the absolute majority around Diyarbakir, the word that begins with the letter “K” is still forbidden.
The actress Hulya Avsar was taken to court under the same article of criminal law (216). In an interview she said that “it would be difficult to convince the terrorists from separatist Kurdistan Workers Party to set up ceasefire”. The problem was not the content, but the use of forbidden word. If instead of full party name, she would have used the abbreviation - PKK, she would not be in trouble for what she said (which anyway was critical toward PKK). But if we would like to use that kind of logic – we would have to assume that Batgi would have to wish “to see four K” and Polat should have said about Keskin “K with K roots in K”.
In Polish People’s Republic the content that was censored, used to be marked with that sign: [---] and one could be in trouble if wearing that sign (attached to the clothes – Kulka K). Would it be the same in Turkey with the letter “K”? And if “Q” is also not allowed, so which [---] words we should use to describe such [---] situation?” (The author refers here to the polish swearing word – which begins with the letter “k”, sometimes for fun replaced by “q” – Kulka K).
Dawid Warszawski. 2009
What should I say to summarize this short story? Well, there was a time Poland was not on the world’s map, devided and occupied by three other neighbouring countries and Polish language was forbidden. Poland achieved an independence after 123 years of occupation to lose it again after II World War, when the country fell under Soviet Union control. But once again the freedom won and the red Soviet flag was defeated. That’s why I am telling you now – we shouldn’t lose the hope, we shouldn’t lose the faith. Kurds are the nation, Kurdistan is a country, even if divided, occupied and oppressed. But the truth and righteousness will win and the red Turkish flag will be defeated on Kurdistan territory, the same as red Soviet flag in Eastern Europe back in time. But we have to stand together for our rights and keep our two fingers raised high and proud. Keep them raised until the day of our Victory.
So many times washed in the blood,
How long your suffering lasts?
Freedom is your only desire,
Sang in the blood, burnt in the fire…
Kulka Kurdayati
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH FOR THE WORD THAT BEGINS WITH THE LETTER “K”
There are many different kinds of oppression all over the world and through the history of humankind. Each dictator and regime has its own way to take the freedom out of people. Oppression and the lack of freedom can be in a form of pure slavery, occupation and colonialism, but also in a form of direct or indirect control over certain country, its politics, economy and culture, under the banner of “international friendship” and “brotherhood”. This kind of oppression, which was mentioned as the last, took place in the second half of XX century in Eastern Europe, where some of the countries remained under Soviet Union control.
Few days ago I watched the movie that tells the story of one of such countries – Poland. The movie contains the fragment of the speech that general Jaruzelski - who was the leader of the country that time – gave in the Parliament. That’s what he said:
“Even now two fingers are still being raised up. No Polish word begins with that letter” (letter V)
When I heard these words, straight away millions of Kurds appeared in front of my eyes, these people, who today – in XXI century – still have to rise up two fingers to express their desire for freedom and basic human rights.
Let me to introduce you the article wrote by polish journalist – Dawid Warszawski, who was inspired by these significant words and put them in a context of current Turkish policy toward Kurds. The article was published in one of the polish newspapers in 2009:
“No polish word begins with that letter” - that's what General Jaruzelski said about the polish Solidarity demonstrators, who show V with their fingers for “victory”, but he didn't have an idea to ban this incorrect letter.
In Lithuania it's not allowed to use such letters as ą or ś in polish names, cos they are not present in Lithuanian language. In Turkey it's not allowed to use the letters x, q and w in Kurdish names, cos they appear in Kurdish language, but not in Turkish, although at the same time in a Kurdish program on a public TV the forbidden letters appears with no prosecutions. That's the big step forward in a country, where until 2002 speaking Kurdish language in public was consider as crime (still it's like that in Syria, while in Iraq Kurdish language is an official one).
So generally the letters are free, although it is not the same if it comes to languages – but what about the words? And I don't mean that we can use the words to build up a statements which can be consider – sometimes right – as a crime. I mean single word itself. Could the use of a certain word be consider as a crime, even if the word comes from a legal language and consists of correct letters?
Sometimes yes, if it's swearing word and you shout it in public, even if it's not directed to anyone, you might end up in a court.
Generally forbidden words were the business of censorship, not criminal law. In Polish People's Republic it was not allowed to mention in printed papers some names forbidden by censorship, but anyway nobody went to prison for using them. After censorship was finished, there are no more forbidden words.
In Turkey there is also no censorship any longer, but more than 300 articles of law restrict the freedom of speech, among these the famous article 301 of criminal law which says about “insulting turkishness”. There is no censorship, but there are forbidden words. The writer Edip Polat, lawer Erin Keskin and actor Murat Batgi have already experienced that. The court in Diyarbakir sentenced them at the end of September (2009) from article 216 of criminal law for one year in prison, cos three years before, each of them use the word “Kurdistan” in public on Culture and Art Festival in Diyarbakir. When Polat gave the award to Keskin, he said about her: “Kurd with the Kurdish roots in Kurdistan”. Polat said that, Keskin didnt deny it and Batgi commented: “I wish you to see four Kurdistans” (it might be misunderstanding in translation; probably it refers to four parts of Kurdistan - Kulka K).
In Turkey, where few million Kurds, who live there, constitute the absolute majority around Diyarbakir, the word that begins with the letter “K” is still forbidden.
The actress Hulya Avsar was taken to court under the same article of criminal law (216). In an interview she said that “it would be difficult to convince the terrorists from separatist Kurdistan Workers Party to set up ceasefire”. The problem was not the content, but the use of forbidden word. If instead of full party name, she would have used the abbreviation - PKK, she would not be in trouble for what she said (which anyway was critical toward PKK). But if we would like to use that kind of logic – we would have to assume that Batgi would have to wish “to see four K” and Polat should have said about Keskin “K with K roots in K”.
In Polish People’s Republic the content that was censored, used to be marked with that sign: [---] and one could be in trouble if wearing that sign (attached to the clothes – Kulka K). Would it be the same in Turkey with the letter “K”? And if “Q” is also not allowed, so which [---] words we should use to describe such [---] situation?” (The author refers here to the polish swearing word – which begins with the letter “k”, sometimes for fun replaced by “q” – Kulka K).
Dawid Warszawski. 2009
What should I say to summarize this short story? Well, there was a time Poland was not on the world’s map, devided and occupied by three other neighbouring countries and Polish language was forbidden. Poland achieved an independence after 123 years of occupation to lose it again after II World War, when the country fell under Soviet Union control. But once again the freedom won and the red Soviet flag was defeated. That’s why I am telling you now – we shouldn’t lose the hope, we shouldn’t lose the faith. Kurds are the nation, Kurdistan is a country, even if divided, occupied and oppressed. But the truth and righteousness will win and the red Turkish flag will be defeated on Kurdistan territory, the same as red Soviet flag in Eastern Europe back in time. But we have to stand together for our rights and keep our two fingers raised high and proud. Keep them raised until the day of our Victory.
Wednesday 18 July 2012
19. The letter to President B. Obama - Alley, Integrity and Terrorism
Mr President,
One more time I am writing a letter – this time inspired by the video, which I saw few days ago. During Your visit to Turkey, Mr President, You said that Turkey is Your “ally”, that You will protect its “integrity” and You will be supportive to “reduce terrorist activity of PKK”.
Mr President, let me to point out some basic mistakes in such kind of approach to this issue. And let me to start from the misunderstanding about so called “bad Kurds, good Kurds”. As much as I know, these terms apply to the people from the same nation, the same country, the same culture and the same origin. The terms describe the people from the same nation in relation to the territory on which they happen to live. According to this theory “good Kurds” are those who live in Kurdistan Autonomous Region – South Kurdistan, wrongly called “Iraqi Kurdistan”. The other term – “bad Kurds” applies to those members of Kurdish nation, who live in North Kurdistan, wrongly called “Turkish Kurdistan”. So “bad” ones are those who are described like that by Turkish propaganda. Of course I agree that in any nation, society or other group we can find good and bad individuals. And I agree we can find bad Kurds, the same as we can find good Turks. But it’s not the matter of territory, but the individual qualities of personality.
Mr President, do You know how many American soldiers lost their lives on the territory of South Kurdistan, during their military operations against Iraq? I think You know, that no American soldier has been killed in South Kurdistan. Is there any other place in the world, where American army hasn’t lost a single soldier during military operations? I don’t think so. American soldiers were safe coz they stayed with Kurds – those described as “good”. But American soldiers would be the same safe staying with any Kurds – also those considered as “bad”, simply because this word doesn’t reflect these people’s personality. The expression “bad Kurds” reflects Turkish hostility toward Kurds, nothing more.
Mr President, Your real ally is Kurdistan, not Turkey – the state which is overusing its power and its authority as a NATO member. The state which is breaking international law, using forbidden chemical weapon and attacking civilians. I am sure, Mr President, that You know what is Turkish policy toward Kurdish people. I am sure You know how brutal and unfair is this policy. You can’t ignore it only because Turkey is a member of this or that alliance. What would You do then, Mr President, if history would repeat itself and Germany would decide to follow Nazi patterns again? If Germany would genocide other nations again, would it be still Your ally? Would you support them, Mr President?
Genocide is taking place today. Genocide of Kurdish people is taking place now. Why you ignore this fact, Mr President? Don’t You think that the values of human rights and humanity should be above any alliance? Shouldn’t human rights be more important than money, business and political correctness? Mr President, You was talking about "freedom of expression" for Kurds, but let me to say that it is very big simplification of this complex issue. We will enjoy the right of expression, but our identity will be still denied and our land still occupied. We still will remain slaves in our own home.
Mr President – the other misunderstanding refers to “integrity”. We are not interested to violate Turkish state integrity. In contrary – it is Turkey that grabbed the part of our territory and put it within Turkish boarders. It is Turkey that is currently residing on Kurdish territory, violating and destroying Kurdistan integrity. Mr President, you should rather protect us, coz we are the victims of integrity violations.
Mr President, You label the activity of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as “terrorism”. I wonder if it is because we carry on the armed struggle for our basic rights? If yes, so I am asking You now, Mr President – what other choice we have, if nobody cares about us, if there is nobody to help us, if the world is blind and silent when Turks oppress, persecute and kill us? What other choice we have, if peaceful negotiations doesn’t work with Turkey – except the fact that human rights shouldn’t be subjected to negotiations. Unfortunately there is no such a thing as negotiations or dialog with Turkey, simply because they just want to possess our land and keep us as slaves. Mr President, do You really think that if peaceful solution would be possible, we would prefer our beautiful girls and brave, young boys to put their lives in risk, to struggle and die for the rights of our nation? For sure not. But today we have no choice. Turkish state declared a war on us. A silent, hidden war.
It’s high time, Mr President, to face the fact that Turkish policy toward Kurds is pure terrorism. Few years in prison for speaking Kurdish language, wearing traditional Kurdish clothes, listening or performing Kurdish music – these are only few examples out of many – to illustrate Turkish policy toward Kurds. That’s the activity of Turkish state which is pure terrorism, not the activity of our freedom fighters from PKK and their civil supporters. Our struggle is not for some abstract idea. We don’t demand anything which is not ours, which doesn’t belong to us. Our struggle is for our basic human rights, including the right for our land, our country. We don’t demand anything more than our own independent country, where we could feel safe, where nobody would deny our identity and our human rights, where nobody would destroy our language and culture, where nobody would oppress and kill us.
Mr President, we don’t expect You, Your administration and Your country to send American soldiers to fight against Turks in our favour. We don’t expect USA to fight on our behalf. But we all would appreciate very much if USA will not support Turkey in their dirty war against Kurds. Mr President – if You and Your Country support Turkish policy toward Kurds, military actions against civilians and our freedom movement – You have to be aware that in fact You support terrorism. One more time I appeal to the United States of America – do not be a part of this dirty, unfair war.
Mr President I appeal to You and I encourage You to review Your opinion about us, Kurds, about our freedom movement, our struggle and about Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The fact that PKK is on the list of terrorist organisations is nothing else, but the excuse for Turkey to oppress us more. Please, answer Yourself, Mr President – does the definition of “terrorism” really apply to PKK? Does it apply to the people, who loves their country and their nation so much, that they sacrifice everything and decide to dedicate their entire lives for the heroic struggle against oppressors? The lonely struggle in front of the whole world’s eyes – the eyes which are blind. The lonely struggle in front of the world, which remains silent.
It’s hard to believe in justice. It’s double hard when someone is Kurd. Do I believe in justice? I don’t know. Do I believe that You will ever read this letter, Mr President? I don’t know. But I hope. However unreal it can be – yes, I hope that You can be the man, who will stop Turkey and change the face of the world.
With respect and with a big hope,
Heval Kulka
One more time I am writing a letter – this time inspired by the video, which I saw few days ago. During Your visit to Turkey, Mr President, You said that Turkey is Your “ally”, that You will protect its “integrity” and You will be supportive to “reduce terrorist activity of PKK”.
Mr President, let me to point out some basic mistakes in such kind of approach to this issue. And let me to start from the misunderstanding about so called “bad Kurds, good Kurds”. As much as I know, these terms apply to the people from the same nation, the same country, the same culture and the same origin. The terms describe the people from the same nation in relation to the territory on which they happen to live. According to this theory “good Kurds” are those who live in Kurdistan Autonomous Region – South Kurdistan, wrongly called “Iraqi Kurdistan”. The other term – “bad Kurds” applies to those members of Kurdish nation, who live in North Kurdistan, wrongly called “Turkish Kurdistan”. So “bad” ones are those who are described like that by Turkish propaganda. Of course I agree that in any nation, society or other group we can find good and bad individuals. And I agree we can find bad Kurds, the same as we can find good Turks. But it’s not the matter of territory, but the individual qualities of personality.
Mr President, do You know how many American soldiers lost their lives on the territory of South Kurdistan, during their military operations against Iraq? I think You know, that no American soldier has been killed in South Kurdistan. Is there any other place in the world, where American army hasn’t lost a single soldier during military operations? I don’t think so. American soldiers were safe coz they stayed with Kurds – those described as “good”. But American soldiers would be the same safe staying with any Kurds – also those considered as “bad”, simply because this word doesn’t reflect these people’s personality. The expression “bad Kurds” reflects Turkish hostility toward Kurds, nothing more.
Mr President, Your real ally is Kurdistan, not Turkey – the state which is overusing its power and its authority as a NATO member. The state which is breaking international law, using forbidden chemical weapon and attacking civilians. I am sure, Mr President, that You know what is Turkish policy toward Kurdish people. I am sure You know how brutal and unfair is this policy. You can’t ignore it only because Turkey is a member of this or that alliance. What would You do then, Mr President, if history would repeat itself and Germany would decide to follow Nazi patterns again? If Germany would genocide other nations again, would it be still Your ally? Would you support them, Mr President?
Genocide is taking place today. Genocide of Kurdish people is taking place now. Why you ignore this fact, Mr President? Don’t You think that the values of human rights and humanity should be above any alliance? Shouldn’t human rights be more important than money, business and political correctness? Mr President, You was talking about "freedom of expression" for Kurds, but let me to say that it is very big simplification of this complex issue. We will enjoy the right of expression, but our identity will be still denied and our land still occupied. We still will remain slaves in our own home.
Mr President – the other misunderstanding refers to “integrity”. We are not interested to violate Turkish state integrity. In contrary – it is Turkey that grabbed the part of our territory and put it within Turkish boarders. It is Turkey that is currently residing on Kurdish territory, violating and destroying Kurdistan integrity. Mr President, you should rather protect us, coz we are the victims of integrity violations.
Mr President, You label the activity of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as “terrorism”. I wonder if it is because we carry on the armed struggle for our basic rights? If yes, so I am asking You now, Mr President – what other choice we have, if nobody cares about us, if there is nobody to help us, if the world is blind and silent when Turks oppress, persecute and kill us? What other choice we have, if peaceful negotiations doesn’t work with Turkey – except the fact that human rights shouldn’t be subjected to negotiations. Unfortunately there is no such a thing as negotiations or dialog with Turkey, simply because they just want to possess our land and keep us as slaves. Mr President, do You really think that if peaceful solution would be possible, we would prefer our beautiful girls and brave, young boys to put their lives in risk, to struggle and die for the rights of our nation? For sure not. But today we have no choice. Turkish state declared a war on us. A silent, hidden war.
It’s high time, Mr President, to face the fact that Turkish policy toward Kurds is pure terrorism. Few years in prison for speaking Kurdish language, wearing traditional Kurdish clothes, listening or performing Kurdish music – these are only few examples out of many – to illustrate Turkish policy toward Kurds. That’s the activity of Turkish state which is pure terrorism, not the activity of our freedom fighters from PKK and their civil supporters. Our struggle is not for some abstract idea. We don’t demand anything which is not ours, which doesn’t belong to us. Our struggle is for our basic human rights, including the right for our land, our country. We don’t demand anything more than our own independent country, where we could feel safe, where nobody would deny our identity and our human rights, where nobody would destroy our language and culture, where nobody would oppress and kill us.
Mr President, we don’t expect You, Your administration and Your country to send American soldiers to fight against Turks in our favour. We don’t expect USA to fight on our behalf. But we all would appreciate very much if USA will not support Turkey in their dirty war against Kurds. Mr President – if You and Your Country support Turkish policy toward Kurds, military actions against civilians and our freedom movement – You have to be aware that in fact You support terrorism. One more time I appeal to the United States of America – do not be a part of this dirty, unfair war.
Mr President I appeal to You and I encourage You to review Your opinion about us, Kurds, about our freedom movement, our struggle and about Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The fact that PKK is on the list of terrorist organisations is nothing else, but the excuse for Turkey to oppress us more. Please, answer Yourself, Mr President – does the definition of “terrorism” really apply to PKK? Does it apply to the people, who loves their country and their nation so much, that they sacrifice everything and decide to dedicate their entire lives for the heroic struggle against oppressors? The lonely struggle in front of the whole world’s eyes – the eyes which are blind. The lonely struggle in front of the world, which remains silent.
It’s hard to believe in justice. It’s double hard when someone is Kurd. Do I believe in justice? I don’t know. Do I believe that You will ever read this letter, Mr President? I don’t know. But I hope. However unreal it can be – yes, I hope that You can be the man, who will stop Turkey and change the face of the world.
With respect and with a big hope,
Heval Kulka
Monday 30 January 2012
18. WHAT ALL WORLD SHOULD KNOW ABOUT KURDISTAN
KURDISTAN - the land that belongs to Kurdish Nation, to Kurds. The country that was divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria as a result of the Lousanne Treaty, that deprived Kurdish Nation the chance for the own state, breaking all the promises given three years earlier in Sevres. The country that doesn't exist on the world's map, but exists on the map of nearly 50 million Kurdish hearts, in which in spite of all the hope for freedom and independence is still burning.
The red lines on the map above shows the artificial borders, that divided Kurdistan into 4 parts that were given under 4 states control. The biggest part of the country is what we call Bakuri Kurdistan (North Kurdistan) – this part is under Turkish control and we estimate the population of Kurds living there to be about 20 to 25 million people. Next part, which is now within the Iranian border is called Rojhalati Kurdistan (East Kurdistan), where up to 10 million Kurds live. Rojawai Kurdistan (West Kurdistan) is the part controlled by Syria and we have about 3 million Kurds living on that territory. The last part is called Bashuri Kurdistan (South Kurdistan) – its Kurdistan Autonomous Region, that in the past used to be under Iraqi control, but finally gained the right to self-determination and became an autonomous region, where about 5 million Kurds live.
LANGUAGES – that are used by Kurdish people are Kurmandji, on North and West territory, which is written with Latin script (so called Hawar script) and Sorani in the rest of the country, written in so called Arabic script (although some letters of Sorani alphabet are different from Arabic ones, that's why it’s called Sorani script). We also have few local dialects, as Badhini, Hawrami, Zazaki, Kelurhi, Leki...
KURDISTAN - Kurds, who became a national minorities within the borders of Syria, Iran, Iraq and Turkey, for many years used to be a subject of brutal policy of that states, which purpose was to destroy Kurds as a nation, deprive them their identity and national culture and in the result – assimilated them completely. Kurdish Nation experienced enormous oppressions, discriminations, humiliations as well as exterminations. To make this issue more clear let’s take a closer look at the particular parts of Kurdistan and the policy of each of the four states that occupy these parts.
IRAQ
After many years of oppression and heroic struggle to retain the existence of Kurdish nation and Kurdish culture, one part of Kurdish land finally gained autonomy and the right to self-determination. This part, called by Kurdish people Bashuri Kurdistan (South Kurdistan) once being freed from Iraqi dominance, established its own authority – the President, the Government, the Parliament and the law. But not so many years ago, just back to 80's XX century this part of the country used to be regularly destroyed and people murdered every day by the regime of Ba'ath party under the leadership of Saddam Hussain. The Anfal Campaign carried on in 80's is the best known period during which more than 182 000 Kurds were killed, up to 4000 villages destroyed as well as more than 1750 schools, 270 hospitals, 2450 mosques, 27 churches and the city of Qaladze with the population of 70 thousand was razed. Ba'ath regime also displaced more than 200 000 Kurds (according to some sources this number could reach even up to 1 million people). As the Iraqi army entered the territory of Kurdistan, mass migration of Kurdish people to North took place in 1991, in which more than 20 000 lost their lives as a result of cold, hunger and difficult conditions of life. The most significant point in Anfal Campaign were a series of chemical attack, that the best known took place on 16th March 1988 in the city of Halabja, where more than 5000 people were killed within one day and thousands others lost their health. Altogether up to 250 town and villages were attacked by chemical weapon.
IRAN
The most common method of oppressing Kurds, who live under Iranian regime occupation, is imprisonment and executions. Although the population of Kurds, who live within Iranian borders constitutes up to 15% of total, still half of all executed prisoners are Kurdish. According to the researches Iran takes the second place in the world (after China) in the number of executions – and we can suspect that this number may be much higher than given in official sources.
For many years Kurdish political and human rights activists are arrested and sentenced to many years in prison and very often to death. Prisoners are tortured, often they are not given fair trials nor did they have access to their lawyers, moreover they are forced to confess and testify the things which they didn't commit. In many cases nobody is informed about the execution – the lawyers or the family, also in some cases families have difficulties to get the body of their executed relatives.
Very often the victims of Iranian regime are young Kurds, among them women are not the exceptions. The example can be the case of Roya Toloui, who was tortured and forced to make confessions, which she signed only because her oppressors threatened to burn her two children to death in front of her.
Today we still have a number of Kurds in Iranian prisons, that a lot of them are sentenced to death.
Although in the past Kurds living within the borders of Iran suffered from different forms of oppressions, such as destroying of number of Kurdish town and villages, many arrests and death sentences and around 10 000 killed (in the end of 70's last century).
SYRIA
The same like in other parts of Kurdistan, also in a Western territory Kurdish people experienced a lot of persecutions and oppressions, including arrests, tortures, and killings. Until today Kurdish activists, politicians, human rights defenders, writers, journalists are being arrested and sentenced for many years in prison. In the past a lot of times Kurdish activists, who were arrested, remain in a jail with no trial for many years, a lot of them were secretly murdered or considered as mental – ill.
The significant act of oppression toward Kurds took place on 23 August 1962, when the government conducted a special population census, which deprived Kurds their citizenship and caused around 120,000 Kurds to be arbitrarily categorized as aliens. Today still hundreds of thousands Kurds within the border of Syria remain “stateless”. As a result these Kurds don't have the option of legally relocating to another country because they lack passports or other internationally recognized travel documents, they also may not legally marry Syrian citizens, they don't have the right to vote in elections or run for public office, and when they attend universities they are often persecuted and cannot be awarded with university degrees.
Another step to persecute Kurdish population on that territory was in 1965, when the Syrian government decided to create an Arab cordon - 300 kilometers long and 10-15 kilometers wide area, alongside the artificial borders with Turkey and Iraq. Some 140,000 Kurds were deported and Arabs were brought in and resettled there, also Kurdish names of the places located on that territory were changed to Arabic ones.
One of the most brutal events in Syrian policy against Kurds were on 13th November 1960 in Amuda, where up to 380 Kurdish children were burnt to death while watching the movie in a cinema and on 23rd March 1993, when 72 Kurdish prisoners were also burnt to death in prison of Al-Hasaka city.
Young Kurds (often in the age between 18-22) who served in the army are assassinated and their families get the information that they lost their lives as a result of accident. Also a lot of Kurds were killed in the past years – not only secretly by assassination, but also on the streets, while taking part in protests or demonstrations – these things still happen in Western Kurdistan.
Kurdish language is forbidden, as well as Kurdish clothes, Kurdish names and celebrating traditional Kurdish festivals, such as Newroz, which is considered as Kurdish New Year.
TURKEY
Turkish state since the times of dictator Kemal Mustafa Ataturk used to excel in oppressing Kurdish people in many different ways. Any attempts to keep Kurdish identity, practice Kurdish culture and tradition resulted in more persecutions and repressions from Turkish authorities. Anything that was connected with Kurdish Nation and its culture was forbidden and annihilated. Kurdish children have no right to use their mother language, as well as to have the names in that language. And if these children protest against breaking their law to use their mother language – are arrested and put in Turkish prison, sentenced for many years, accused of being “members of illegal organisation”, which means just terrorists. By the way – so called “Anti-Terror Law” is the most often tool used by Turkish authorities in their operations against Kurdish people. Anyone who tries to defend Kurdish minority rights – and I would like to remind that this minority calculates about 25 million people – is accused of being terrorist and put in prison for many years.
Kurdish people under Turkish occupation don't even have the right to be Kurds – they are called “mountain Turks” and they national identity, as well as the existence of Kurdistan and Kurdish culture are denied. Even Kurdish language – the language of millions of people – are considered to be “unknown” language and the letters from Kurdish alphabet – X,Q,W – are banned, as they don't occur in Turkish language.
In 1991 the first Kurdish lady was elected to Turkish Parliament. Her name was Leyla Zana. At the time when she took her oath she was dressed in black and had red-yellow-green ribbon in her hair, the colours that symbolise Kurdistan. This ribbon caused the big outrage and objections from the Turkish MPs, who started to shout. Leyla Zana managed to take her oath in that noisy chamber, but according to the Turkish law she committed a crime, when at the end of her oath she added: "I take this oath for the brotherhood between the Turkish people and the Kurdish people.” She said that in her mother language, in Kurdish language. Leyla Zana was sentenced for 12 years and spent 10 years in prison.
Back to 30's last century, we can mention one of the most brutal act of genocide of Kurdish people. The Dersim Massacre took place in 1937 and 1938 in Dersim. In 1934, Turkey passed a Resettlement Law, aimed at assimilating ethnic minority communities within the country and the forced relocation of around 3,000 people, who were forcibly deported from Dersim. As a result of that was a letter of protest against that law and after the emissaries of the letter were arrested and executed, the rebellion in Dersim started. The numbers of people killed during the events in Dersim is estimated even up to 40 000 and 50,000–80,000 were killed in the aftermath of the Dersim rebellion.
And today we are still the witness of the acts of genocide, although on the smaller scale, but with the use of modern tools, such as war jets and helicopters (Drones and Cobra), illegal and forbidden by the international law chemical weapon. Two examples from just the end of the last year is murder with the chemical weapon 36 Kurdish freedom fighters in the mountains, which left their bodies in a condition which makes them impossible to recognize by the members of the family.
This act of terror took place on 22nd October 2011 and just two months later on 28th December 2011 in Uludere, Roboski Village another 35 Kurds were massacred by Turkish war plane, that most of them was very young people, teenagers and kids (the youngest was 12 years old).
The territory of South Kurdistan, which is outside the official Turkish border is regularly bombed by Turkish jets, also leaving the victims among the civilians, as well as their livestock. In such a way the family of 7 with little kids were torn into pieces on 12st August 2011, when travelling in their car.
At the same time Turkish agents carry on the coordinated action on Kurdish territory in order to arrest politicians, intellectuals, lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders and activists of Kurdish origin. There about 8000 Kurdish activists in Turkish prisons today. Regardless the immunity the houses of Kurdish BDP party are raided and searched.
Kurds who are living within the artificial Turkish borders are mistreated on every day basis – by police, in offices and even in hospitals (the case of Kurdish woman, whose fingers were broken by the medical personnel during giving the birth).
Any attempt to defend the basic human rights of Kurds are qualified as “terrorism” and results in arresting and sentence of prison – it applies also to Kurdish kids, who are put in jail under Turkey’s anti-terrorist laws. In 2010 the number of Kurdish children in Turkish prisons was estimated that about 2700 - most of them were arrested during demonstrations – and approximately another 7000 children were awaiting trial.
The oppressive Turkish policy toward Kurds can be very easy described as genocide of Kurdish Nation in all aspects of life – including cultural and political genocide. This fact should be taken under the consideration of entire Western World and International Community, specially in a situation when Turkey is trying to portrait itself as a model of democracy. Even if we agree that Turkey economy is developing and growing pretty good, it doesn't mean that human rights are respected on that territory. Human rights of Kurdish Nation that lives within the artificial borders of Turkish state are being broken for nearly entire century.
***
The modern world can't be blind any longer. Kurds need world's attention and support of civilized world. We appeal to all the people, who agree that human rights are the highest value in our life, who are willing to defend that rights – we appeal to these people – don't be blind any longer, we need your support.
In the entire history, Kurds never attacked any country, state or territory, never started the war with any nation. Even in the last years of American soldiers presence on the territory of Iraq and Kurdistan Autonomous Region there was no single case in which Coalition's soldier would lose his life on the Kurdish territory. Today the land where Kurds have the right to self-determination – South Kurdistan – Kurdistan Autonomous Region is considered to be the safest place in Middle East. Kurds are peaceful, friendly people, who only want to live safe, have the right for self-determination, freedom and independence, who expect their human rights to be respected.
The red lines on the map above shows the artificial borders, that divided Kurdistan into 4 parts that were given under 4 states control. The biggest part of the country is what we call Bakuri Kurdistan (North Kurdistan) – this part is under Turkish control and we estimate the population of Kurds living there to be about 20 to 25 million people. Next part, which is now within the Iranian border is called Rojhalati Kurdistan (East Kurdistan), where up to 10 million Kurds live. Rojawai Kurdistan (West Kurdistan) is the part controlled by Syria and we have about 3 million Kurds living on that territory. The last part is called Bashuri Kurdistan (South Kurdistan) – its Kurdistan Autonomous Region, that in the past used to be under Iraqi control, but finally gained the right to self-determination and became an autonomous region, where about 5 million Kurds live.
LANGUAGES – that are used by Kurdish people are Kurmandji, on North and West territory, which is written with Latin script (so called Hawar script) and Sorani in the rest of the country, written in so called Arabic script (although some letters of Sorani alphabet are different from Arabic ones, that's why it’s called Sorani script). We also have few local dialects, as Badhini, Hawrami, Zazaki, Kelurhi, Leki...
KURDISTAN - Kurds, who became a national minorities within the borders of Syria, Iran, Iraq and Turkey, for many years used to be a subject of brutal policy of that states, which purpose was to destroy Kurds as a nation, deprive them their identity and national culture and in the result – assimilated them completely. Kurdish Nation experienced enormous oppressions, discriminations, humiliations as well as exterminations. To make this issue more clear let’s take a closer look at the particular parts of Kurdistan and the policy of each of the four states that occupy these parts.
IRAQ
After many years of oppression and heroic struggle to retain the existence of Kurdish nation and Kurdish culture, one part of Kurdish land finally gained autonomy and the right to self-determination. This part, called by Kurdish people Bashuri Kurdistan (South Kurdistan) once being freed from Iraqi dominance, established its own authority – the President, the Government, the Parliament and the law. But not so many years ago, just back to 80's XX century this part of the country used to be regularly destroyed and people murdered every day by the regime of Ba'ath party under the leadership of Saddam Hussain. The Anfal Campaign carried on in 80's is the best known period during which more than 182 000 Kurds were killed, up to 4000 villages destroyed as well as more than 1750 schools, 270 hospitals, 2450 mosques, 27 churches and the city of Qaladze with the population of 70 thousand was razed. Ba'ath regime also displaced more than 200 000 Kurds (according to some sources this number could reach even up to 1 million people). As the Iraqi army entered the territory of Kurdistan, mass migration of Kurdish people to North took place in 1991, in which more than 20 000 lost their lives as a result of cold, hunger and difficult conditions of life. The most significant point in Anfal Campaign were a series of chemical attack, that the best known took place on 16th March 1988 in the city of Halabja, where more than 5000 people were killed within one day and thousands others lost their health. Altogether up to 250 town and villages were attacked by chemical weapon.
IRAN
The most common method of oppressing Kurds, who live under Iranian regime occupation, is imprisonment and executions. Although the population of Kurds, who live within Iranian borders constitutes up to 15% of total, still half of all executed prisoners are Kurdish. According to the researches Iran takes the second place in the world (after China) in the number of executions – and we can suspect that this number may be much higher than given in official sources.
For many years Kurdish political and human rights activists are arrested and sentenced to many years in prison and very often to death. Prisoners are tortured, often they are not given fair trials nor did they have access to their lawyers, moreover they are forced to confess and testify the things which they didn't commit. In many cases nobody is informed about the execution – the lawyers or the family, also in some cases families have difficulties to get the body of their executed relatives.
Very often the victims of Iranian regime are young Kurds, among them women are not the exceptions. The example can be the case of Roya Toloui, who was tortured and forced to make confessions, which she signed only because her oppressors threatened to burn her two children to death in front of her.
Today we still have a number of Kurds in Iranian prisons, that a lot of them are sentenced to death.
Although in the past Kurds living within the borders of Iran suffered from different forms of oppressions, such as destroying of number of Kurdish town and villages, many arrests and death sentences and around 10 000 killed (in the end of 70's last century).
SYRIA
The same like in other parts of Kurdistan, also in a Western territory Kurdish people experienced a lot of persecutions and oppressions, including arrests, tortures, and killings. Until today Kurdish activists, politicians, human rights defenders, writers, journalists are being arrested and sentenced for many years in prison. In the past a lot of times Kurdish activists, who were arrested, remain in a jail with no trial for many years, a lot of them were secretly murdered or considered as mental – ill.
The significant act of oppression toward Kurds took place on 23 August 1962, when the government conducted a special population census, which deprived Kurds their citizenship and caused around 120,000 Kurds to be arbitrarily categorized as aliens. Today still hundreds of thousands Kurds within the border of Syria remain “stateless”. As a result these Kurds don't have the option of legally relocating to another country because they lack passports or other internationally recognized travel documents, they also may not legally marry Syrian citizens, they don't have the right to vote in elections or run for public office, and when they attend universities they are often persecuted and cannot be awarded with university degrees.
Another step to persecute Kurdish population on that territory was in 1965, when the Syrian government decided to create an Arab cordon - 300 kilometers long and 10-15 kilometers wide area, alongside the artificial borders with Turkey and Iraq. Some 140,000 Kurds were deported and Arabs were brought in and resettled there, also Kurdish names of the places located on that territory were changed to Arabic ones.
One of the most brutal events in Syrian policy against Kurds were on 13th November 1960 in Amuda, where up to 380 Kurdish children were burnt to death while watching the movie in a cinema and on 23rd March 1993, when 72 Kurdish prisoners were also burnt to death in prison of Al-Hasaka city.
Young Kurds (often in the age between 18-22) who served in the army are assassinated and their families get the information that they lost their lives as a result of accident. Also a lot of Kurds were killed in the past years – not only secretly by assassination, but also on the streets, while taking part in protests or demonstrations – these things still happen in Western Kurdistan.
Kurdish language is forbidden, as well as Kurdish clothes, Kurdish names and celebrating traditional Kurdish festivals, such as Newroz, which is considered as Kurdish New Year.
TURKEY
Turkish state since the times of dictator Kemal Mustafa Ataturk used to excel in oppressing Kurdish people in many different ways. Any attempts to keep Kurdish identity, practice Kurdish culture and tradition resulted in more persecutions and repressions from Turkish authorities. Anything that was connected with Kurdish Nation and its culture was forbidden and annihilated. Kurdish children have no right to use their mother language, as well as to have the names in that language. And if these children protest against breaking their law to use their mother language – are arrested and put in Turkish prison, sentenced for many years, accused of being “members of illegal organisation”, which means just terrorists. By the way – so called “Anti-Terror Law” is the most often tool used by Turkish authorities in their operations against Kurdish people. Anyone who tries to defend Kurdish minority rights – and I would like to remind that this minority calculates about 25 million people – is accused of being terrorist and put in prison for many years.
Kurdish people under Turkish occupation don't even have the right to be Kurds – they are called “mountain Turks” and they national identity, as well as the existence of Kurdistan and Kurdish culture are denied. Even Kurdish language – the language of millions of people – are considered to be “unknown” language and the letters from Kurdish alphabet – X,Q,W – are banned, as they don't occur in Turkish language.
In 1991 the first Kurdish lady was elected to Turkish Parliament. Her name was Leyla Zana. At the time when she took her oath she was dressed in black and had red-yellow-green ribbon in her hair, the colours that symbolise Kurdistan. This ribbon caused the big outrage and objections from the Turkish MPs, who started to shout. Leyla Zana managed to take her oath in that noisy chamber, but according to the Turkish law she committed a crime, when at the end of her oath she added: "I take this oath for the brotherhood between the Turkish people and the Kurdish people.” She said that in her mother language, in Kurdish language. Leyla Zana was sentenced for 12 years and spent 10 years in prison.
Back to 30's last century, we can mention one of the most brutal act of genocide of Kurdish people. The Dersim Massacre took place in 1937 and 1938 in Dersim. In 1934, Turkey passed a Resettlement Law, aimed at assimilating ethnic minority communities within the country and the forced relocation of around 3,000 people, who were forcibly deported from Dersim. As a result of that was a letter of protest against that law and after the emissaries of the letter were arrested and executed, the rebellion in Dersim started. The numbers of people killed during the events in Dersim is estimated even up to 40 000 and 50,000–80,000 were killed in the aftermath of the Dersim rebellion.
And today we are still the witness of the acts of genocide, although on the smaller scale, but with the use of modern tools, such as war jets and helicopters (Drones and Cobra), illegal and forbidden by the international law chemical weapon. Two examples from just the end of the last year is murder with the chemical weapon 36 Kurdish freedom fighters in the mountains, which left their bodies in a condition which makes them impossible to recognize by the members of the family.
This act of terror took place on 22nd October 2011 and just two months later on 28th December 2011 in Uludere, Roboski Village another 35 Kurds were massacred by Turkish war plane, that most of them was very young people, teenagers and kids (the youngest was 12 years old).
The territory of South Kurdistan, which is outside the official Turkish border is regularly bombed by Turkish jets, also leaving the victims among the civilians, as well as their livestock. In such a way the family of 7 with little kids were torn into pieces on 12st August 2011, when travelling in their car.
At the same time Turkish agents carry on the coordinated action on Kurdish territory in order to arrest politicians, intellectuals, lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders and activists of Kurdish origin. There about 8000 Kurdish activists in Turkish prisons today. Regardless the immunity the houses of Kurdish BDP party are raided and searched.
Kurds who are living within the artificial Turkish borders are mistreated on every day basis – by police, in offices and even in hospitals (the case of Kurdish woman, whose fingers were broken by the medical personnel during giving the birth).
Any attempt to defend the basic human rights of Kurds are qualified as “terrorism” and results in arresting and sentence of prison – it applies also to Kurdish kids, who are put in jail under Turkey’s anti-terrorist laws. In 2010 the number of Kurdish children in Turkish prisons was estimated that about 2700 - most of them were arrested during demonstrations – and approximately another 7000 children were awaiting trial.
The oppressive Turkish policy toward Kurds can be very easy described as genocide of Kurdish Nation in all aspects of life – including cultural and political genocide. This fact should be taken under the consideration of entire Western World and International Community, specially in a situation when Turkey is trying to portrait itself as a model of democracy. Even if we agree that Turkey economy is developing and growing pretty good, it doesn't mean that human rights are respected on that territory. Human rights of Kurdish Nation that lives within the artificial borders of Turkish state are being broken for nearly entire century.
***
The modern world can't be blind any longer. Kurds need world's attention and support of civilized world. We appeal to all the people, who agree that human rights are the highest value in our life, who are willing to defend that rights – we appeal to these people – don't be blind any longer, we need your support.
In the entire history, Kurds never attacked any country, state or territory, never started the war with any nation. Even in the last years of American soldiers presence on the territory of Iraq and Kurdistan Autonomous Region there was no single case in which Coalition's soldier would lose his life on the Kurdish territory. Today the land where Kurds have the right to self-determination – South Kurdistan – Kurdistan Autonomous Region is considered to be the safest place in Middle East. Kurds are peaceful, friendly people, who only want to live safe, have the right for self-determination, freedom and independence, who expect their human rights to be respected.
Tuesday 24 January 2012
17. I HAVE A DREAM - the letter to President B.Obama
Mr President,
For sure You know what is the situation of Kurdish people who have to live under Turkish state occupation since 1926, when Lousanne Treaty divided Kurdistan and gave its territory, together with the people who were living there, under four states control. So once again I am writing the letter to You about that issue and I will keep writing until You will change Your attitude and the policy of Your country regarding Kurdish - Turkish conflict.
Mr President - You a leader of powerful country, which almost since its creation aspired to be the model of democracy and the defender of human rights. But even in the glorious history of the United States there are some dark pages of shameful times, which anyway in a result didn't have a chance to endure and prevail over universal values of humanity. The dark times of slavery in XVIII and XIX century and the Civil War between Confederate States of South and the United States of North already belong to the history. But despite the fact that victory of human rights over the slavery brought freedom to thousands of people - not long time ago, just in the middle of XX century in the cradle of democracy and human rights, we witnessed the echoes of those dark times of slavery and oppression. If we get back in time to just only one generation - we can observe how the large part of American nation used to be discriminated and oppressed.
Afro-Americans, the people whose skin happened to be dark or black in colour, experienced very similar atrocities as those which are still a part of everyday life of Kurdish people. How many American citizens of African origin were secretly murdered (mainly by the members of Ku-Klux-Klan)? How many lost their lives openly, just in front of other people's eyes? These people, who couldn't do anything, coz they were helpless and those people, who didn't want to do anything, coz they lived with hatred in their hearts. That was 50-60 years ago in the USA. But today things like that are still happening to Kurdish people, who have to live within artificial borders of Turkish state.
Mr President - did You ever think, that if You were born in different times, if You lived in 50's or 60's last century - You wouldn't even dare to dream of being President. Do You realize that in those dark years You wouldn't be even allowed to travel in the same deck with your "white" fellow citizens in the bus? And if You would say "Hello" to "white" girl on the street, You could be beaten or - who knows - maybe even killed by the members of this "better" part of the society - those whose skin colour was "correct".
That kind of things still happens today. The only one difference is that oppressors use more advanced and modern means and tools to persecute and genocide Kurds - like war planes, bombs, illegal and forbidden by international law chemical weapon and - as some people suspect - also the modern technology that makes possible to cause human-made earthquakes.
No matter what the base of discrimination and oppression is - skin colour or nationality - the fact is that human rights are being broken today - in XXI century, at the doorstep of Europe. Maybe there is no more activity of Ku-Klux-Klan in the USA, but there is still activity of AKP Party in Turkey. And today being a Kurd under Turkish control is very similar to being "black" in the middle of the last century in the USA.
The situation of Afro-Americans changed broadly within the last 50 years. The situation of Kurds living under Turkish occupation didn't change at all for nearly entire century. It is heart breaking that You, Mr President, support this brutal, oppressive and in fact outlawed Turkish policy toward Kurds. Your country supplies Turkish state with the most modern weapon, which is used in many acts of terror against Kurdish people. Of course I know that "business is business" and money speaks lauder than any value in the modern world. But it doesn't have to be like that. It shouldn't be like that. We can justify the existence of the weapon only if it serves for self-defence. The modern weapon that your country sells to Turkey doesn't serve for self-defence. It serves to genocide Kurdish nation, to kill in a very brutal way young Kurdish people, like those 35 in Uludere, Roboski village, who were massacred by Turkish war planes on 28th December 2011. These young people, Kurdish teenagers and kids (the youngest was only 12 years old), didn't dream of being the President of the powerful country. They dreamed to have safe life and freedom. How many more dreams like that will be brutally destroyed by American weapon in Turkish hands?
Mr President, if for any reason You don't want or You can't help us - at least, please, don't support Turkey in oppressing and killing us. Don't support this modern kind of hidden terrorism. Just consider in Your mind if Dr Martin L. King would be proud of You, Mr President. This man was one of those who sacrificed his life in struggle for Your rights - and now You are using these rights against helpless people, against Kurds, who didn't commit any crime, except being Kurds and keeping the everlasting desire for safe life, self-determination, freedom and independence.
Mr President - I am sure You know these words, which I know by heart, although I am not American:
"We hold this truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "
These great words from American Declaration of Independence apply also to Kurdish people.
And as once upon a time, in 1963, one of Your great countryman, Dr Martin L. King said: "I have a dream..." - today I dare to repeat His words. I also have a dream.
I have a dream that my people, Kurdish people, will live safe on their own land and this land - Kurdistan, will be free and independent.
I have a dream that one day little Kurdish boy will speak his own native Kurdish language at school and he will not be accused of terrorism.
I have a dream that one day Kurdish kids will no more need to pick up stones against the tanks to defend their right to be Kurds.
I have a dream that one day these Kurdish kids will not be judged by their origin and nationality but by their content of character.
I have a dream that one day Kurdish woman will not be sentenced to prison for celebrating birthday of Abdulla Ocalan, the man, who is her only hope for freedom and who was illegally kidnapped and is kept in isolation in Turkish prison on Imrali Island for many years now.
I have a dream that one day Kurdistan will not only be the land of hope, but also the land of liberty, with freedom rings from every mountain, from Zagros, Qandil and Ararat, from the waters of River Tigris and Euphrates, from the surface of Lakes Urmia, Dukan and Wan, from the Caves of Shanadar and Bestoon, from the palm trees of Khanaqin and ancient walls of Amed city.
I have a dream that the day of liberty will come as soon as possible, coz the longer current situation persists, the more Kurds are oppressed, tortured and murdered.
I have a dream, but I wish it would no longer be a dream, but reality. You can fulfil this dream, Mr President. You can make this dream to come true very easy.
This letter wasn't written by well-known activist or politician, by famous artist or by anyone important. This letter was written by me - and I am nobody. You can ignore me, Mr President. But You shouldn't ignore millions of Kurdish people, whose life and health is in danger every day. And for sure You can't ignore the great values of human rights, for which so many people all over the world sacrificed and still scarifying their lives.
Sometimes once in a lifetime we have the unique chance to do something important.
Mr President - today You have a chance and possibility to fulfil very important dream, not only my dream, but the dream of millions of Kurdish people.
Don't waste this chance - it's only once in a lifetime.
With respect, with hope, with trust
Heval Kulka
For sure You know what is the situation of Kurdish people who have to live under Turkish state occupation since 1926, when Lousanne Treaty divided Kurdistan and gave its territory, together with the people who were living there, under four states control. So once again I am writing the letter to You about that issue and I will keep writing until You will change Your attitude and the policy of Your country regarding Kurdish - Turkish conflict.
Mr President - You a leader of powerful country, which almost since its creation aspired to be the model of democracy and the defender of human rights. But even in the glorious history of the United States there are some dark pages of shameful times, which anyway in a result didn't have a chance to endure and prevail over universal values of humanity. The dark times of slavery in XVIII and XIX century and the Civil War between Confederate States of South and the United States of North already belong to the history. But despite the fact that victory of human rights over the slavery brought freedom to thousands of people - not long time ago, just in the middle of XX century in the cradle of democracy and human rights, we witnessed the echoes of those dark times of slavery and oppression. If we get back in time to just only one generation - we can observe how the large part of American nation used to be discriminated and oppressed.
Afro-Americans, the people whose skin happened to be dark or black in colour, experienced very similar atrocities as those which are still a part of everyday life of Kurdish people. How many American citizens of African origin were secretly murdered (mainly by the members of Ku-Klux-Klan)? How many lost their lives openly, just in front of other people's eyes? These people, who couldn't do anything, coz they were helpless and those people, who didn't want to do anything, coz they lived with hatred in their hearts. That was 50-60 years ago in the USA. But today things like that are still happening to Kurdish people, who have to live within artificial borders of Turkish state.
Mr President - did You ever think, that if You were born in different times, if You lived in 50's or 60's last century - You wouldn't even dare to dream of being President. Do You realize that in those dark years You wouldn't be even allowed to travel in the same deck with your "white" fellow citizens in the bus? And if You would say "Hello" to "white" girl on the street, You could be beaten or - who knows - maybe even killed by the members of this "better" part of the society - those whose skin colour was "correct".
That kind of things still happens today. The only one difference is that oppressors use more advanced and modern means and tools to persecute and genocide Kurds - like war planes, bombs, illegal and forbidden by international law chemical weapon and - as some people suspect - also the modern technology that makes possible to cause human-made earthquakes.
No matter what the base of discrimination and oppression is - skin colour or nationality - the fact is that human rights are being broken today - in XXI century, at the doorstep of Europe. Maybe there is no more activity of Ku-Klux-Klan in the USA, but there is still activity of AKP Party in Turkey. And today being a Kurd under Turkish control is very similar to being "black" in the middle of the last century in the USA.
The situation of Afro-Americans changed broadly within the last 50 years. The situation of Kurds living under Turkish occupation didn't change at all for nearly entire century. It is heart breaking that You, Mr President, support this brutal, oppressive and in fact outlawed Turkish policy toward Kurds. Your country supplies Turkish state with the most modern weapon, which is used in many acts of terror against Kurdish people. Of course I know that "business is business" and money speaks lauder than any value in the modern world. But it doesn't have to be like that. It shouldn't be like that. We can justify the existence of the weapon only if it serves for self-defence. The modern weapon that your country sells to Turkey doesn't serve for self-defence. It serves to genocide Kurdish nation, to kill in a very brutal way young Kurdish people, like those 35 in Uludere, Roboski village, who were massacred by Turkish war planes on 28th December 2011. These young people, Kurdish teenagers and kids (the youngest was only 12 years old), didn't dream of being the President of the powerful country. They dreamed to have safe life and freedom. How many more dreams like that will be brutally destroyed by American weapon in Turkish hands?
Mr President, if for any reason You don't want or You can't help us - at least, please, don't support Turkey in oppressing and killing us. Don't support this modern kind of hidden terrorism. Just consider in Your mind if Dr Martin L. King would be proud of You, Mr President. This man was one of those who sacrificed his life in struggle for Your rights - and now You are using these rights against helpless people, against Kurds, who didn't commit any crime, except being Kurds and keeping the everlasting desire for safe life, self-determination, freedom and independence.
Mr President - I am sure You know these words, which I know by heart, although I am not American:
"We hold this truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "
These great words from American Declaration of Independence apply also to Kurdish people.
And as once upon a time, in 1963, one of Your great countryman, Dr Martin L. King said: "I have a dream..." - today I dare to repeat His words. I also have a dream.
I have a dream that my people, Kurdish people, will live safe on their own land and this land - Kurdistan, will be free and independent.
I have a dream that one day little Kurdish boy will speak his own native Kurdish language at school and he will not be accused of terrorism.
I have a dream that one day Kurdish kids will no more need to pick up stones against the tanks to defend their right to be Kurds.
I have a dream that one day these Kurdish kids will not be judged by their origin and nationality but by their content of character.
I have a dream that one day Kurdish woman will not be sentenced to prison for celebrating birthday of Abdulla Ocalan, the man, who is her only hope for freedom and who was illegally kidnapped and is kept in isolation in Turkish prison on Imrali Island for many years now.
I have a dream that one day Kurdistan will not only be the land of hope, but also the land of liberty, with freedom rings from every mountain, from Zagros, Qandil and Ararat, from the waters of River Tigris and Euphrates, from the surface of Lakes Urmia, Dukan and Wan, from the Caves of Shanadar and Bestoon, from the palm trees of Khanaqin and ancient walls of Amed city.
I have a dream that the day of liberty will come as soon as possible, coz the longer current situation persists, the more Kurds are oppressed, tortured and murdered.
I have a dream, but I wish it would no longer be a dream, but reality. You can fulfil this dream, Mr President. You can make this dream to come true very easy.
This letter wasn't written by well-known activist or politician, by famous artist or by anyone important. This letter was written by me - and I am nobody. You can ignore me, Mr President. But You shouldn't ignore millions of Kurdish people, whose life and health is in danger every day. And for sure You can't ignore the great values of human rights, for which so many people all over the world sacrificed and still scarifying their lives.
Sometimes once in a lifetime we have the unique chance to do something important.
Mr President - today You have a chance and possibility to fulfil very important dream, not only my dream, but the dream of millions of Kurdish people.
Don't waste this chance - it's only once in a lifetime.
With respect, with hope, with trust
Heval Kulka
Wednesday 28 December 2011
16. BOYCOTT TOURISM IN TURKEY
For sure a lot of people around the world don't know anything about Kurdistan and Kurdish Nation, as well as about the horrible reality in which Kurds have to live every day in North Kurdistan - the part of the Kurdish land which is within official Turkish boarders and under Turkish government control. A lot of people, specially European citizens, choose Turkey as their holiday destination. These people usually are not aware what is really going on up there. All that they know is the natural beauty of Turkish summer resorts and tourists sites. But we, Kurdish People, know that it's not the real face of Turkey. We, Kurdish People, know better than anyone else that brilliant image of Turkish holiday resorts is nothing but the mask which hide the real face of terrorist Turkish state.
If any of those tourists would go to Kurdish area, to such Kurdish cities as Wan (Van), Amed (Diyarbakir), Elih (Batman), Colemerg (Hakkari) - they would have a chance to see the reality, to see the policy of Turkish authorities toward Kurdish People - oppression, persecution, arresting, torturing and killings on everyday bases.
Thousands of tourists have great time on their holiday in Turkey every season - at the same time, not so far from summer resorts, thousands Kurds have hard time to live their every day life under Turkish terror. A lot of Kurds have hard time trying to survive as Kurds under Turkish occupation. A lot of Kurds are losing their lives for being Kurds, while in the neighbourhood the summer party is ongoing.
Would all those tourists still choose Turkey for the holiday if they knew all the truth about Turkey? Would they reach into their pockets and spend money in Turkey if they knew that in fact they are sponsoring Turkish policy of oppression toward Kurds?
How can we make people aware then? Well, one of my idea, which came to my head few weeks ago, was to make a kind of leaflet which would tell about that issue. As a result of that idea I made a project and created a picture, which can be used as a leaflet or as a poster in bigger size. My idea is also to print some copies of that picture and distribute them into people's houses in my city. I would like other people who care about oppressed Kurds to do the same - make copies of the leaflet and distribute them in the area where they live.
Lets all join our effort to make people aware that there a lot of places all over the world to go for holiday, but if they will choose Turkey - their choice will mean more death sentences to Kurds and the money that they will spend on their holiday will be used by Turkish government to oppress and genocide Kurdish Nation.
Do you go for holiday to Turkey? Do you buy Turkish goods? So you have to know that your money means more bloodshed of Kurdish People. Only you can decide where your money will go to. Only you can decide if you want to take part in constant genocide of Kurds in North Kurdistan territory under Turkish control. Ask yourself if you really want to support terrorism of Turkish authority toward Kurds. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.
The article published for ekurd.net
http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2011/12/turkey3637.htm
Sunday 18 December 2011
15. Long March For Freedom
Last weekend of November the group of 6 Kurds who lives in United Kingdom, as a representation of Kurdish Community, decided to march from the city of Leeds to the City of London. By taking this action, we would like to turn the attention of media and public opinion to the incident that took place on 22nd October 2011, when Turkish war planes bombarded the mountain area using illegal chemical weapon, which is forbidden by International Law, and causing the death of 36 Kurds, the members of Kurdistan Workers Party, young brave people, who dedicated their lives to the struggle for Kurdish rights and the dignity of Kurdish people, permanently persecuted and discriminated by the Turkish authorities.
The kind of illegal chemical weapon used by Turkey caused the huge damages of the freedom fighters bodies, that could be hardly recognized by the members of their families. The march from Leeds to London was the expression of our disapproval for breaking the law by Turkey, as well as the expression of our concern about the situation of Kurds in Turkey.
We also would like to point out the fact that our leader Mr Abdulla Ocalan, imprisoned on Imrali Island by Turkish state, has been isolated from the outside world for nearly 4 months, without the chance to see even his lawyers, which we consider as very inhuman. Our delegation marching to London, had two letters to provide to the British Parliament and Mr David Cameron regarding the matter.
This great and meaningful activity was organized and sponsored by Heval Rebwar, Kurdish activists from Leeds and wouldn't be possible without his participation. We named this action - "Long March For Freedom".
We started our march on early morning, on Saturday, 26th November and e were walking on local roads for 4 days, from town to town, where we were greeted by the representatives of Kurdish communities. We carried Kurdish flags with us and we talked to a number of people on our way, explaining them in brief the situation of Kurds in Turkish state. Our march ended in the center of London, where we participated in a demonstration in front of 10 Downing street on Tuesday afternoon, 29th November.
Kurdistan - our country that does not exists on the world's map, but exists on the map of our hearts - needs to be noticed by the International Community and not be ignored any longer. We, the People of Kurdistan, the members of Kurdish Nation, are doing our best to make the world to hear our voice - the voice of stateless and oppressed.
We cherish the deep hope that our action was noticed and will caused the involvement of the Western World in Kurdish Question.
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