Member of PJAK Assembly States “Iran to End the Slaughter of Kolbers in the Border Areas”

Each year the brutal killing of Kolbers and tradesmen by Iranian armed forces in the border zones of Kurdistan leads to dozens of annual human tragedies and mass murders. Amed Şaho, a member of PJAK (Free Life Party of Kurdistan) assembly objected to the silence of the international community in relation to this issue, and warned the Islamic Republic of Iran that it “shouldn’t think that these tradesmen have no protection.”

In an interview with ROJ NEWS, Şaho highlighted that to date the Islamic Republic of Iran has not stopped the repression, cultural cleansing, murder, arrest, and execution of Kurds. Further, the regime has not prevented the spread of poverty and unemployment, while at the same time disturbing the natural economy in the Kurdish dominated areas and producing policies of forced migration against the Kurds.

Trades such as Kolberi are a phenomenon resulting from the economic poverty in Kurdistan.
Kurds also choose to become Kolbers as a form of resistance against the deliberate economic policies of the Iranian regime, which aims to force Kurdish people into becoming paid hirelings of the regime. The people who become Kolber tradesmen are well aware of dangerous life that they choose, which includes daily shootings and murdering or imprisoning by the regime. Despite this, such tradespeople still wish to choose an honourable life over servitude within the Iranian economic system, and as a result the Iranian regime attempts to prevent all avenues towards a life lived with dignity.

Şaho also pointed to the silence of the international human rights organizations in relation to the murder of Kolbers and tradesman. Many human rights organizations in Iran and Kurdistan even use the term “illegal dealer” for Kolbers despite accepting the fact that economic necessity drives these tradesmen to support their family in this manner, a process which is harmless for the Iranian government. In this process extrajudicial murder and imprisonment is a normal government response. This active government position indicates to such tradesmen that they must stop this practice. Instead they force people to leave the only economic means available to them, and become a member of the government and secret services against their own people. Even foreign authorities who are normally against the Iranian regime have adopted a heavy silence in the face of such clear and persistent state terror.

Amed Şaho in the interview also warned the Iranian government that they should not view Kurdish tradesmen and Kolber as helpless and without protection, suggesting that the Kurdish resistance forces will not hesitate to resist this policy and protect its own people. Further, Şaho urged the Kurdish people to protest the regime’s continued attack on and policies toward these trades people.

Source: ROJ NEWS
Translated by: Rojhelat.info