Press Release. Kurds Protest

Kurdish Protest in Dublin on Monday EU Parliament

Kurds in Ireland will stage coordinative demonstrations outside EU parliament on Monday 08/ 03 at 1;30 pm. We invite all supporters and interested parties to attend these demonstrations, and in particular members of the media. We ask the Irish people and government to be more sensitive to the oppressive nature of Turkish, EU States and to the lack of democracy and accountability of EU.
For more information contact Latif Serhildan, Coordinator of Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland.

Press Release:
Kurdish Protest in Dublin outside European Parliament Against Belgium Arrests.
On Thursday (04/03/10) 5am the offices of ROJ TV were raided by the Belgium police along with several other addresses in Belgium. 30 people were arrested including Mr Remzi Kartal, Mr Zubeyir Aydar and Mr Eyep Duru. ROJ TV is the mouthpiece of the Kurdish community in Europe and is seen as a beacon of hope for all those who seek the resolution of the Kurdish Question.

Remzi Kartal is particularly well known and respected across Europe and in Ireland for his diplomatic activities on behalf of his people. Like many Kurds, Mr Kartal regarded Europe as a safe haven when he had to flee repression in his homeland. Mr Kartal had been elected to the Turkish Parliament as a Democratic Party (DEP) member along with Mr Aydar. They were prevented from playing their part in the democratic political process and were quickly attacked and detained with Ms Leyla Zana later serving a long prison sentence. Fearing incarceration and torture, they fled to Europe where they were granted asylum.

Undeterred Mr Kartal started to campaign in exile for the Kurdish cause and became well known in diplomatic and government circles all over Ireland, and Europe for his lobbying work and advocacy of a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey.

All three men have been working constructively in the search for a peaceful settlement based on justice and respect for everyone’s rights inside Turkey. For their diplomatic efforts they should be honoured not incarcerated. Their vision of a just, free, peaceful and democratic Turkey is one that we all share and as such we demand that their freedom is returned to them to allow them to continue in their chosen and much valued roles.

Mr Kartal and Mr Duru were arrested in Spain in 2009 but subsequently released without charge. We fully expect the same to happen again and already many of those arrested have been released but these tactics of intimidation against those working peacefully to further the Kurdish cause are of great concern, particularly in the lead up to the International Women’s Day on 8 March and the Kurdish New Year, Newroz which is celebrated on 21 March.

Kurds in Ireland will stage coordinative demonstrations outside EU parliament on Monday 08/ 03 at 1;30 pm. We invite all supporters and interested parties to attend these demonstrations, and in particular members of the media. We ask the Irish people and government to be more sensitive to the oppressive nature of Turkish, EU States and to the lack of democracy and accountability of EU.
For more information contact Latif Serhildan, Coordinator of Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland.
Organisers;
Latif Serhildan, Co-ordinator, Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland. For further details: Tel: 086-8805826
Medya Aryan, Spokesperson on Eastern Kurdistan: Tel: 087-2992529
serhildantakak@eircom.net
Kardo Bokani a.kardonya@gmail.com