Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
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REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RNISTA STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSA-BASIN ÖZETi<br />
Kurdish refugees still on hunger strike<br />
Turkish Daily News<br />
ANKARA- The Kurds who have crossed into northern<br />
Iraq to seek refuge .from the alleged torching and. bombing<br />
of their villages in Turkey,' are carry~ng on their h~nger<br />
strike that began almost two weeks ago In the Zaho region.<br />
Two hundred male and female Kurdish refugees imtiated<br />
their rrotest action on June 10 to draw Turkish and internationa<br />
attention to their plight. According to the hunger<br />
strikers, they are frus.tratedthat the world has turned.a.blInd<br />
eye to what thèy claim are pressure and torture polICies of<br />
the Turkish government. . .. . .<br />
The aim of the hunger stnke, which gams more particIpants<br />
every day, is to ~rp.eal to the world's <strong>de</strong>mocratic<br />
nations to take responsibility for the thousands of Kurds<br />
who have escaped to Iraq.' ,<br />
The group of strike~ was initially relu.ctantto talk t~ representatives<br />
of the prIVately-run Turkish Human Rlgh.ts<br />
Association (HRA) and the members of the press who VISited<br />
the region to investigate' the problems and conditions of<br />
the original 200 strikers. However, the protesters eventually<br />
conce<strong>de</strong>d to holding a me<strong>et</strong>ing with HRA Chairman AkIn<br />
Birdal, who promised them that the HRA woul~ "convey<br />
the <strong>de</strong>tails of their rightful action and express their requests<br />
to the international community." .<br />
Hüseyin, the spokesman for the ~unger stnker~ who<br />
'chose to remain anonymous for secunty re~sons, s~ld that<br />
the migration from Ulu<strong>de</strong>re in Tur~e'yto their camP.In Zabo<br />
was caused by the oppressive polICies of the Turkish g?Vernment.<br />
He claimed that the government has been applYIng<br />
systematic pressure on the villagers for years .and has<br />
recently been targ<strong>et</strong>ing their ~illag~s in la~d and aIr bo~bings<br />
by security forces. Making VI~tOrysigns and wavmg<br />
"lIving is resistance" slogans, the stnker~ saw ~e HRA <strong>de</strong>legation<br />
off. The group, wrapped ~p In white .garments<br />
resembling shrouds, stressed that their protest actIOnwould<br />
continue until their problems were resolved. .<br />
The group stated their pro~lems an~ reques!s In a ~ommunique<br />
that was s~nt to vanous Turkish and ~nte~~tI?nal<br />
institutions promotIng <strong>de</strong>moc~acy: T~e bull<strong>et</strong>In ~ntlC1led<br />
the United Nations and other 'Instltutlons for .thelr lack of<br />
concern for the Kurds in Turkey and also <strong>de</strong>scnbed the conditions<br />
un<strong>de</strong>r which the villagers were liying before t~ey<br />
fled to northern Iraq. "Despite the <strong>de</strong>struction and.genocl<strong>de</strong><br />
committed by the Tur~sh governme~t, tens of thousa~ds of<br />
villagers continued to lIve In the regIOn.Howe~er, With the<br />
lalest massacres hy government forces. our VIllages were<br />
turned into ghost towns and every day h?,~dred~of our pe(.<br />
pie were eliminated by mystery mU~fers\lt c~aImed.<br />
According to the commumque, the Inhabitants of these<br />
villages are being killed by hundreds of tho~sands. of<br />
Turkish soldiers who have for years been mvadmg<br />
Kurdistan through the use of sxstematic. <strong>de</strong>struction ~nd a<br />
policy of genOCi<strong>de</strong>."The bull<strong>et</strong>In - which ~as published<br />
on June 10, the same day that the hunger stnke began -<br />
also inclu<strong>de</strong>d various requests from the refugees. These<br />
inclu<strong>de</strong>d:<br />
"Granting political' refugee status to current refugees a~d<br />
to newcomers; pressuring the Turkish govern~~nt to en~ ItS<br />
use of war planes in the occupied region; prOVidIngmedical,<br />
financial and logistical assistance to the refugees, who were<br />
forced to leave all their possessions behind; providing shelter<br />
against ha~h wea~herc?nditions; ~~ndinga U.N. <strong>de</strong>~egation<br />
to the region to Inve~t}g.ateconditions !here; secunng a<br />
cease-fire b<strong>et</strong>ween the PK)