EUTCC 8th International Conference* report
“A dying horse has a killing kick”
By Melanie Sirinathsingh, Peace in Kurdistan Campaign - The 8th International EUTCC conference, titled ‘The Quest for Democracy in Turkey – Universal Rights and Kurdish Self-Determination and the Struggles over the New Constitution’ and held at the European Parliament in Brussels on the 8th and 9th December, came at a critical time for Turkey’s Kurds. Six months on from the June general elections that saw 36 Kurdish politicians elected to the National Assembly, amidst promises of a new draft constitution in the autumn, it has been becoming increasingly clear that the struggle for Kurdish self-determination is far from over. Military campaigns in Southeast Turkey, suddenly renewed in August this year, have continued throughout the autumn and winter, resulting in the deaths of dozens of guerrilla fighters and displacing thousands of villagers.[1] A variety of independent investigations, not to mention the personal testimonies of the victim’s relatives, have shown that the Turkish military used chemical weapons on fighters on the 22nd October, in violation of international treaties prohibiting their use.
FULL TEXT REPORT: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN TURKEY – REPORT BIANET
BİA Media Monitoring Report 2011 – Third Quarter Full Text – Istanbul – BİA News Center30 December 2011, Friday – In July, August and September 2011, 66 journalists were in jail, 11 of whom because of their writings and utterances. 13 people are facing imprisonment of 334.5 years in total. Most of the trials are based on Articles 7/2 of the Anti Terror Law and 314 and 220 of the Criminal Law.
MURDERED JOURNALISTS
MODERN RASCISM: ARYAN’S OF ALL COUNTRIES UNITE – BY APPOINTEMENT OF ADOLF HITLER + HAMMA MIRWAISI
25.11.2011 – By Hamma Mirwaisi – Kurdish National Kongress (KNK) member - ekurd.net – Iran (Aryan) are Bleeding – Part I
United Aryan Nations are the key for peace in the Aryan land. My book and my work are dedicated to the revival of the old Aryan civilization by forming an alliance between Kurds, Persian and other branches of Aryan people in Middle East and Asia. My goal is the formation of an “Economic Union” for Aryan people and people who are living with us in Aryan land.
To understand Aryan Nation of Iran and the region one have to understand the true history of Aryan people of Europe, Middle East and Asia. The rise and fall of Aryan Nation goes back to the beginning of human race on earth.
Hamma Mirwaisi, representative of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) in America
‘Our future generations will not be ashamed’ – Leyla Zana at 1st World Kurdish Congress
World Kurdish Congress Press Release: The first World Kurdish Congress was held in Rotterdam October 7-9th with the participation of representatives from twenty countries. Leyla Zana, MP from the Turkish Parliament, opened the Congress with a speech that moved many in the audience to tears. She said: “Often when I think about the Kurdish situation, I ask myself which is better for a nation: to have their own country but oppress others or to be without a country and never oppress others.” Zana added, “It is true we have faced many difficulties but what the Kurds should be proud of is that 100 years from now, our future generations will not have to be ashamed or apologize for oppressing others.”
For the first time in history, Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists, businessmen, academicians and politicians – including the spokesperson on foreign affairs for the Socialist Party of the Netherlands, Harry von Bommel – attended the Congress. The Congress received financial support from participants and donations. Financial and moral support from Nechirvan Barzani was crucial for the organization and success of the Congress.
1. Kurdish World Congress 2011 – Summary
1. Kurdish World Congress 2011
Prepared by: Alan Dilani, Almas Heshmati, Carol Prunhuber
info@kudishcongress.org - www.kurdishcongress.org
October 16, 2011
Summary of the outcomes of the 1st World Kurdish Congress, WKC2011
Rotterdam 7-9 October 2011
1. Introduction
The first World Kurdish Congress took place at Rotterdam from October 7-9, 2011. This congress offered a unique opportunity to researchers interested in Kurdistan and Kurdish issues. For the first time in our history Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists, businessmen, academicians and members of the cultural community from twenty countries discussed the future of our nation through science and culture. The goal of the Congress was to share our research and to discuss the potential reshaping for the future of Kurdistan and to reinforce Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists‘ cooperative relationships.
Our mission is to come up with creative and scientific solutions to address the many possibilities for the Kurdish society and culture to step into the modern world as a contributing member and to strengthen the relationships with Kurdish and non-Kurdish organizations for international recognition.With WKC and utilization of our capacity, we wish to build a bridge between the Kurdish people from Kurdistan and those abroad through an independent source and channel to offer the leadership in Kurdistan scientificbased guidelines and a long-term strategy dealing with vital issues for all Kurds and Kurdistan as a whole (a ‗Think Tank‘ type organization).
SEE VIDEO ABOUT PREPARATION OF THE 1. KURDISH WORLD CONGRESS 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcsA4Cx1wuo
PERSPECTIVES OF A PERMANENT WORLD KURDISH CONGRESS
The overall goal of the first World Kurdish Congress 2011 (Rotterdam) is to establish a network among Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists, prominent businessmen and throughout the cultural community in order to bring global recognition to Kurdistan as a nation that want to progress and become an active part of the modern society. We want through multidisciplinary network among Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists participate actively in the formation of institutions and international relations.
More Infos & Registration: http://kurdishcongress.org/more.php?do=registration
PERSPECTIVES OF A PERMANENT WORLD KURDISH CONGRESS
The overall goal of the first World Kurdish Congress 2011 (Rotterdam) is to establish a network among Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists, prominent businessmen and throughout the cultural community in order to bring global recognition to Kurdistan as a nation that want to progress and become an active part of the modern society. We want through multidisciplinary network among Kurdish and non-Kurdish scientists participate actively in the formation of institutions and international relations.
One of the goal is advancing awareness about national and international relations among decision makers in different countries for Kurdish human rights and national identity. This will be achieved by networking and organizing world congress and symposium, workshop and presenting popular scientific seminars for the Kurdish and non Kurdish people worldwide. We want also to build a bridge between Kurdish people from Kurdistan and abroad by independent committee to provide the leadership in Kurdistan with a long-term strategy of studies for Kurds and Kurdistan (a ‘Think Tank’ type committee).
The congress will be open by the speech of Leyla Zana, the Kurdish member of Turkey Parliament and the European Parliament’s Sakharov human rights award winner with more than thirty speakers discussing in eight sessions.
Some of the speakers are Dr. Karianne Westrheim, Chair of the EU Turkey Civic Commission, Norway; Professor Peter Herrmann, University College of Cork, Ireland; Mrs Gissou Nia, International Criminal Court, The Hague; Mr. Mazhar Kaleghi, Kurdish Heritage Institute, Kurdistan; Dr. Saman Shali, Iraqi Telecom; Dr. Marianna Charountaki, University of Exeter, UK. Dr. Rang Noory Shawis, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, UK; Mr. Hemin Hawarmi, KDP Foreign Relations, Erbil and Mrs Kathryn Cameron, President of Leadership Council for Human Rights, Washington DC, Hans Branscheidt (MESOP/EUTCC) Frankfurt and Dr. Carol Prunhuber, Journalist and writer.
The scientific program has been developed by leading Kurdish scientists, USA – Academy Award winner 2010, Professor Alan Dilani and Professor Almas Heshmati, from Korea University.
Opening and Introduction to the 1st World Kurdish Congress by Leyla Zana
WORLD KURDISH CONGRESS 2011 – Amsterdam 7 – 9 Oct
09:00-11:00 Session 1:
Kurdistan in Progress: Scientific Perspectives on Health, Education, Economy and Politics
Chair: Peter Herrmann – (University College of Cork, Ireland)
Hans Branscheidt (Board of Directors of the EU Turkey Civic Commission- EUTCC- Germany) – The Rise and Fall of the Kurdish Initiative in Turkey
Serwan Baban (University of Kurdistan Hawler, Kurdistan) – The Role of KRG Higher Education Institutions in the Process of Nation-Building
Alan Dilani (International Academy for Design & Health, Sweden) – Promotion and Prevention Salutogenic Approach to Health Infrastructure
Almas Heshmati (Korea University, Korea) – Realities of Economic Development in the Kurdistan Region
Discussion
Click “weiterlesen” to continue:
W OR L D K U R D I S H C O N G R E S S Preliminary Program and Call for Registration – First World Kurdish Congress (WKC2011),
www.kurdishcongress.org info@kurdishcongress.org Fax: + 46 8 745 00 02 | Tel. +46 70 453 90 70 World Kurdish Congress | Box 7196 | SE-103 88 Stockholm – Sweden 1
Amsterdam 7-9 October 2011- Day 1: October 7th (Friday), 2011
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA : APPEAL IN SUPPORT OF KURDISH POLITICIANS
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned to learn of false allegations, repeatedly aired and recently revived, made against Kurdish politicians and diplomats. These baseless allegations are directed against an entire people and their representatives who should by rights be seen as indispensable to the achievement of a genuine peaceful resolution to Turkey’s conflict with the Kurds.
We refer to accusations against internationally known Kurdish politicians namely Cemil Bayik, Duran Kalkan, Remzi Kartal, Sabri Ok and Adem Uzun.
Basing its charges on fabricated evidence, the US-OFAC (Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control), a subdivision of the U. S. State Departement, is seeking to assert that they have sequestrated the bank accounts (“assets”) of the above-named individuals, whom they are slanderously alleging to be acting as drug-smugglers. In fact the persons named do not even possess bank accounts.
First of all, we are convinced that these individuals are not engaged, actively or in any other way, in the illegal trade of drugs, and indeed they have publicly denounced such activity. Nor does any European government know of even a single bank account possessed by them, such that the US government can claim to have “frozen” it. Nor do they have any bank accounts in the USA.
The official US findings are completely without foundation and, in fact, form part of a plan orchestrated to restrict the legitimate political activities of these Kurdish representatives who are to be tainted through a process of criminalisation. It is not really a matter of drugs at all, but about co-operation with the US’s partner Turkey to marginalize their highly effective Kurdish diplomatic activities (and foreign affairs work) which is putting across the convincing case for the Kurds. The intention is effectively to sabotage the peace process between the Turkish state and the Kurdish organizations.
To the same end, the US plans to impose travel restrictions to obstruct these Kurdish individuals from having contacts with the media and their political engagement with international civil society partners including members of Parliaments, particularly within Europe.
We the undersigned wish to put on record that it is our personal conviction that, having been familiar with or met one or more of these Kurdish politicians that it is our belief that they aim simply and solely to achieve a just, reasonable and peaceful resolution of the Kurdish question. We therefore intend despite all the pressures to continue our dialogue with them in search for a solution to this question.
Our appeal letter in defence and support of the Kurdish politicians should also be taken as an appeal for the opening up of a deep process of dialogue for reform and democratisation in Turkey, whose objective must be to treat all citizens equally.
15 June 2011
Noam Chomsky – Author, United States – Imre Kertesz, Nobelprice Laureat, Berlin/Budapest – Professor Kariane Westrheim – Chairperson EUTCC (Norway) – Hans Branscheidt, Author, EUTCC – (Germany) – Professor Michael Gunter Board EUTCC (USA) – Bob Russell MP, UK – Stan Newens, MP + MEP ret. – Mr. Erling Folkvord, Former member of Parliament & Member of City Council Oslo, (Norway) – Mr Arnljot Ask, International Viennnal Liaison Officer, Red Party, (Norway) – Professor Dr. Raimund Ruetten (Germany) – Kamal Chomani, LVIN Magazin, (Sulaimania) – Dr. Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Researcher, (Finland/Denmark) – Elke Krystufek, Artist, (Vienna/New York) – Roger Tompkins, International Lawyer and Humanist, Cyprus (New Zealander) – Karl Kerenyi, Scientist,( Budapest) – Juergen Brodwolf, Artist,( Germany) – Penelope Diamond – Actress /UK) – Moses Alison, Actor, (New Orleans) – Francois Lecointre-Drouet, Directeur Theate du Soleil, (Marseille) – John Wronoski, Antiquarian, (United States), Ethan F. Young, Councellor, (Cape Town RSA) -Dr. Robert Olson, Professor – Middle East Politics and History – (University of Kentucky) – Germaine de Chapeaurouge, Lawyer, (Paris) – Margret Owen, Barrister, (UK) – Dr. Felix Padel, Anthropologist + Author, (UK) – David Morgan, Peace in Kurdistan, (UK) – Estella Schmidt, Peace in Kurdistan, (UK) – Hugo Charlton, Barrister, (UK) – Hawar Abdulrazaq – Journalist – RUDAW Newspaper (Erbil) – Ihsan Efrini – Dentis – KNCNA Board of Directors (Canada) – Klaus Happel, Publisher – (Germany) – Eric Bisson-Millet – Journalist – Grenoble – (France) – Baqi Barzani – Journalist – (Erbil) – Vittorio Agnoletto MEP retired (Italy) – Nicholas Hildyard – Policy Adviser (UK) – John Tobisch-Haupt, Consultant – (Germany) – Dr. Kamal Mohanna, (Beirut, AMEL Medical Network) – Mike Mills – Filmproducer – (USA) – Jan Bojer Vindheim, International Committee Norwegian Green Party, (Norway) – Faiz Baloch Organiser of International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (UK) – Dr. Edel de Roos, Psychologist, Austria – Sarah Parker, Translator, (UK) – Kamran Fatah, Journalist, Sulaimania – (Kurdistan Iraq) – Professor Andreas Buro – Peace Researcher – (Germany) – Nic Rea (Lord Rea) – Member of the All Party Human Rights Group + the UK Branch of the Inter Parliamentary Union (UK) – Diarmuid O’Connuir – Journalist – (Belfast/Ireland) – Member of the All Party Human Rights Group and the UK Branch of the Inter-Parliamentary Union – Leszek Pichotka – Lector (Warszawa) – Jon Rud – Lawyer – (Spain) – Dr Vicki Sentas, research fellow, School of Law, Kings College London, UK – Matthew Esau – Lawyer – (South Africa RSA).
EUTCC BRUSSELS + MESOP GERMANY / Kariane Westrheim – Michael Gunter – Hans Branscheidt