Latif Serhildan
This year the Kurds in Ireland celebrated Newroz in style. But at the same at the very points of many killings against the Kurds and the treatment against their leader Ocalan. It was the day of celebration also the day of uprising. Many Kurds attended the Newroz even in Cork has taking place more than 10 years now in An Spalpin Fanac place in Cork city. Amongst the Kurds were Irish and other nationalities. It is the day against racism. The Kurds made following statement in Newroz.
The Kurds in Ireland has demanded that Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan has been poisoned in jail in Turkey for 13 years now, and should be free now. Kurds are demanding the United Nations, Irish parliament dispatch a medical team to investigate his conditions in Imrali jail. Ocalan’s defence team showed reporters last year in the Italian capital the results of tests indicating the presence of what they said were toxic metals in the Kurdish leader’s hair. Italian lawyer Giuliano Pisapia said Ocalan was suffering a “progressive poisoning” and ruled out the possibility that the metals had entered his body naturally from the environment. “There are only two other possibilities — poisoning through his food or through his water. Lawyer Irfar Dundar said Ocalan was experiencing breathing and skin problems as well as severe pain which were interrupting his sleep.
The Kurds reminded Turkey it has an obligation under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights not to subject anyone to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected to medical or scientific experimentation. Abdullah Ocalan is recognized by millions of Kurds as their rightful political representative, yet he has been imprisoned in a Turkish Jail for 13 years.
This isolation of the Kurdish leader is seen by Kurds as the denial of their collective rights, their voice and their existence. During these 13 years the large Kurdish Diaspora in Europe has been on the streets, protesting the unjust and illegal treatment of their leader. Their voice has been ignored in Europe, and they have faced denial, provocation and annihilation in Turkey. Experience has shown that there can be no lasting peace without negotiation: Kurds accept that a military solution is impossible. Ocalan has put forward his plan for a peaceful democratic solution to the Kurdish question, and called a unilateral ceasefire.
These efforts were met by the Turkish State with denial, provocation and attack. A state that denies its citizens basic rights based on ethnic background has no place in the EU.
Why such silence about state terror in Turkey, the massacre of civilians by security forces and the denial of Kurdish rights? This stance from the international community worsens the feeling of isolation held by Kurds in Turkey, and does not argue well for Turkey or for the European Union should Turkey accede without a solution to this conflict. Those elements in Turkey who support democracy and seek an end to violence must be given every support by the international community, while the militaristic elements that are denying peace and stability must be countered. It has been great day for the Kurdish movement. We hope to see many more Irish friends next in our Newroz celebration. Not Nevruz as Turkey and Iran are calling it. The Newroz ended by the slogans such as Sehid namirin (martyrs won’t die). They had also a minute of silence in their memory.