New York City Demonstration Against Turkish Invasion of Iraqi Kurdistan - November 5, 2007
Released on: November 3, 2007, 10:21 pm
Press Release Author: Newroz
Industry: Energy
Press Release Summary: Members of the local Kurdish-American Community from the New York, New Jersey, and New England will hold a peaceful demonstration on Monday, November 5, 2007 between the hours of 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM to call for peace in Kurdistan and condemn all terrorist attacks on civilians, the recent Turkish threats against Iraqi Kurdistan, the Turkish military\'s violations of Iraqi sovereignty in the Kurdish region, and Turkish restrictions on the expression of Kurdish identity.
Press Release Body:
PRESS RELEASE - New York City Demonstration Against Turkish Invasion of Iraqi Kurdistan - November 5, 2007
East Coast Kurdish-American Community
DEMONSTRATION
Contact Person: Newroz Samo
Phone Number: +1 (800) 716-9619
Email: NoTurkishInvasionNYC@gmail.com
Date: Monday, November 5, 2007
Time: 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Location:
Ralph Bunche Park at 42 nd Street and 1 st Avenue
Across the Street from the United Nations
New York, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Members of the local Kurdish-American Community from the New York, New Jersey, and New England will hold a peaceful demonstration on Monday, November 5, 2007 between the hours of 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM to call for peace in Kurdistan and condemn all terrorist attacks on civilians, the recent Turkish threats against Iraqi Kurdistan, the Turkish military\'s violations of Iraqi sovereignty in the Kurdish region, and Turkish restrictions on the expression of Kurdish identity.
For over a decade the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq has been administering Iraq\'s three most northern provinces and providing the residents of these areas, Sunni and Shi\'ite Muslims and Christians, Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens, Assyrians, and Chaldeans alike, with security that is unfortunately lacking in other parts of the troubled nation. Following the removal of the regime of Saddam Hussein, the KRG region has remained peaceful and has enjoyed economic prosperity, and not one American soldier has been killed in this region, where people routinely express their gratitude for being liberated from the genocidal threat of Saddam Hussein.
The Turkish government, in keeping with its historical record of forcing Turkish identity upon the diverse population of the country, now views the success of the Kurds of Iraq as a threat. Since the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923, the Kurds of Turkey (population of approximately 20 million), have been denied the simple freedom to identify themselves as Kurds and speak their language without restrictions. Even today some Kurds in Turkey face prosecution for daring to use the Kurdish language.
Tens of thousands of Turkish troops are stationed on the Turkey/Iraq border and Turkish military and political leaders made daily threats against Iraqi Kurdistan, all while refusing to recognize the existence and legitimacy of the KRG. Over the last few weeks, Turkey has increased its presence in Iraqi Kurdistan, firing weapons across the Turkey/Iraq border and sending soldiers into Iraq. Recent Turkish attacks have resulted in the burning of farmland and have forced poor villages to flee their homes near the border for the safety of cities far away from their homes.
We call upon the world to support the KRG and the people of Iraqi Kurdistan and condemn Turkish threats and aggression in Iraqi Kurdistan.
We call upon the Turkish government to recognize the KRG as a constitutionally-mandated neighboring entity and engage the KRG in peaceful and civil dialogue.
We call upon the world to urge the Turkish government to pursue a true dialogue with the Kurdish people and recognize the Kurdish identity to bring an end to one of the region\'s many deadly conflicts.
We call upon the United States, European Union, and democratic members of the United Nation to stand firm against the language of threats and intimidation and urge peace.
We call upon the Turkish people to pressure their government and military to discontinue threats and avoid pursuing a course of action that will cost all parties involved dearly and ultimately have no positive resolution.
We call on the Kurdish people and leadership to avoid military confrontation and reject racism and chauvinism, as the Kurdish region of Iraq is the homeland of not only the Kurdish people but also the indigenous Turkmen, Assyrian, and Chaldean communities of Mesopotamia, and continues to provide refuge to Muslim and Christian brothers and sisters fleeing persecution in other parts of Iraq.
In order to denounce threats and violence and promote dialogue and peace, we, as representatives of the Kurdish Diaspora, as proud citizens and residents of America, invite all advocates of freedom, peace, and human rights to join us for a peaceful demonstration in front of the United Nations on November 5, 2007.