EUTCC statement, — Outrageous and unproven accusations and threats of persecution have been directed against five Kurdish politicians by the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The five Kurdish politicians are accused of being actively involved in drug trafficking being financed by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
These outrageous, unproven accusations are just a new way of trying to criminalise well known Kurdish personalities and limiting their legitimate political activities. Even though these are allegations only, the US acts as if they were all proven accusations and thus justify keeping the PKK on the US terrorist list.
The new name appearing on the list is Mr. Adem Uzun. Mr. Uzun has been working politically on the Kurdish question for years. His impressive diplomatic capability and the way he represents the Kurdish issue and the Kurds on an international level, and particularly within the EU sphere, has helped pave the way toward promoting peaceful Kurdish diplomacy in Europe.
It is obvious that the reason for the US officials’ accusations is not drug-trafficking but rather to inhibit the successful and effectual diplomatic representation of the Kurds in Europe, the US and elsewhere. Well-known Kurdish diplomats are being criminalised and efforts made to compel Interpol to hunt them. In this way the USA and Turkey are trying to stop the peace process in Turkey, to which Kurdish politicians in Turkey and Europe contribute the most.
The fanciful unproven accusations by the US OFAC are simply made to stop well-known and acknowledged Kurdish politicians and spokespersons from travelling abroad and thereby hinder their further contact with the international media and legal institutions, particularly within the Schengen area.
We call on political bodies, parliamentarian co-operation partners and NGOs in Europe – who work with these named Kurdish politicians (particularly Mr Adem Uzun) for a transparent political and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey – to send out a letter of confidence and support which takes a stand against these unproven accusations.
Kariane Westrheim, Chair of EUTCC, Norway – Hans Branscheidt – BOD EUTCC, Germany – Professor Michel Gunter, BOD EUTCC, USA
Contact: Kariane Westrheim – Menneskerettighetenes plass 1, 5007 Bergen, Norway, Telephone: +47 976 42 088 – (www.eutcc.org)